The Bronze Lie

Description

The last stand at Thermopylae made the Spartans legends in their own time, famous for their toughness, stoicism and martial prowess - but was this reputation earned? Covering Sparta's full classical history, The Bronze Lie examines the myth of Spartan warrior supremacy. This book paints a very different picture of Spartan warfare - punctuated by frequent and heavy losses. We also discover a society dedicated to militarism not in service to Greek unity or to the Spartan state itself, but as a desperate measure intended to keep its massive population of helots (a near-slave underclass) in line. What successes there were, such as in the Peloponnesian Wars, gave Sparta only a brief period of hegemony over Greece. Today, there is no greater testament to this than the relative position of modern Sparta and its famous rival Athens. The Bronze Lie explores the Spartans' arms and armor, tactics and strategy, the personalities of commanders and the common soldiery alike. It looks at the major battles, with a special focus on previously under-publicized Spartan reverses that have been left largely unexamined. The result is a refreshingly honest and accurate account of Spartan warfare.

Myke Cole has had a colorful and varied career, with service in war and crisis response. He currently works as a security and intelligence consultant in the private sector. He has published extensively in military history and security, including pieces in the journals of the American Association of Museums and the American Historical Association, and is also a popular fantasy and science fiction novelist with several major imprints, including Ace/Roc, Tor and Angry Robot. Myke also appeared on CBS' hit TV show Hunted, where he joined a team of elite investigators pursuing fugitives across the southeastern United States. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

The "Spartan mirage," as it has been termed, is one of history's greatest distortions -- a myth of Spartan strength built up over millennia, still propagated today in politics and popular culture. With a masterful array of evidence, Myke Cole lifts the curtain to show us the real human beings -- flawed, conflicted, and above all, vulnerable -- who somehow built themselves up into supermen. * James Romm, Professor of Classics and author of 'The Sacred Band: Three Hundred Theban Lovers Fighting to Save Greek Freedom' * This book will have a great impact helping people put to right where the Spartan Mirage currently holds sway. * Professor Stephen Hodkinson, Emeritus Professor of Ancient History, University of Nottingham * As entertaining as it is enlightening, Myke Cole's The Bronze Lie reveals the fascinating reality behind one of the most pervasive myths of the ages. This is Sparta. * Professor Michael Livingston, The Citadel *