Sparta

Coordinates: 37°4′N 22°26′E

Sparta (Σπάρτη)
Spartan shield
Coordinates	37°4′ N 22°26′ E
Country	Greece
Periphery	Peloponnese
Prefecture	Laconia
Population	18,184 source (2001)
Area	84.5 km²
Population density	215 /km²
Elevation	210 m
Postal code	231 00
Area code	27310
Licence plate code	ΑΚ

Sparta (Doric: Σπάρτα, Attic: Σπάρτη) is a city in southern Greece. In antiquity it was a Dorian Greek militarist state, whose territory included Laconia and Messenia, dominating the entirety of the Peloponnese. During the classical age of Greece, it had the most powerful Greek army. The modern town is situated some kilometres away from the ancient site. Technically, 'Sparta' was the name of the ancient town; Lacedaemon, (Greek Λακεδαίμων), was the wider city-state. Sparta is now normally used for both. The Spartans were believed to be the descendants of Heracles.

The city of Sparta lies at the southern end of the central Laconian plain, on the right bank of the river Evrotas. The site was strategically located; guarded from three sides by mountains and controlling the routes by which invading armies could penetrate Laconia and the southern Peloponnesus via the Langhda Pass over Mt Taygetus. At the same time, its distance from the sea—Sparta is 27 miles from its seaport, Gythium—made it difficult to blockade.