Sparta, Greece

Made popular again by the 2006 film 300, the ancient city of Sparta sits in the middle of the Plains of Laconia in the Peloponnese, which is one of the most historic regions in the world. Sparta emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC and by 650 BC it was rising to be a dominant military power in ancient Greece. It was recognised as the leader of the Greek forces in the Greco-Persian Wars, from which Greece eventually emerged victorious but at great cost to Sparta, and many other city-states. By 146 BC Sparta had lost its independence to Roman conquest. The Spartans were fiercely militaristic and their whole way of life was centred around military training and prowess. The Spartans are a legendary military force, still referenced in military strategy. At the archaeological site you can view the excavations and ruins and visit the tomb of King Leonidas, the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia, and the Sparta Archeological Museum in town, as well as view a number of ruins and ancient churches in nearby Mystras. The famous battlefield of Thermopylae can also still be visited and there are several monuments there to the Spartan force that was wiped out after extreme feats of prowess and bravery, including a monument to King Leonidas.