Plutarch (born before AD 50, died after AD 120) is the ancient author who has arguably contributed more than any other to the popular conception of Sparta. Writing under the Roman Empire, at a time when the glory days of ancient Sparta were already long in the past, Plutarch represents a milestone in Sparta's mythologisation, but at the same time is a vital source for our historical understanding of Sparta. In this volume, eight scholars from around the world come together to consider Plutarch's understanding and presentation of Sparta, his flaws and significance as an historical source, and his development of Sparta as a resonant subject and theme within his bestknown work, the Parallel Lives. This book is the latest in a series which the Classical Press of Wales is publishing on major sources for Sparta. Volumes on Xenophon and Sparta (Powell & Richer 2020) and Thucydides and Sparta (Powell & Debnar 2021) have already been released, and a further volume on Herodotus and Sparta is currently in preparation



Philip Davies' research interests focus on ancient Sparta. He is the author of the forthcoming monograph Standing among the Spartans: Institutions and Status within the Spartiate Community, as well as various articles/chapters on interpretative issues raised by our diverse ancient sources for Sparta. He is Assistant Professor of Ancient Greek History at the University of Nottingham. Judith Mossman specialises in Greek literature of the fifth century BC and the second/third century AD and is the author of two books and multiple edited volumes and articles on Euripides and Plutarch. She is currently professor and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Arts and Humanities) at Coventry University. At the time of writing she is Vice-President of the Hellenic Society and President of the International Plutarch Society.



Introduction / Philip Davies & Judith Mossman 1. Plutarch's Life of Lycurgus: Greek lawgivers and the construction of Spartan exceptionalism / Alia Rodrigues 2. Plutarch and Sparta's military characteristics in the Parallel Lives of Lykourgos and Numa / Stephen Hodkinson 3. Plutarch on Tyrtaios and the Great Rhetra / Andrew Bayliss 4. Narrative techniques, literary echoes and interpretation: Lysander and Agesilaus / Egidia Occhipinti 5. Equal contributors? Agesilaus and Lysander within Plutarch's 'Spartan Cycle' / Philip Davies 6. A doubles match: Agis-Cleomenes and the Gracchi / Christopher Pelling 7. Plutarch and Spartan Speech(es) / Judith Mossman 8. Smelling the black soup: Sparta, moralism, and political allusion in Plutarch / Alexei Zadorojnyi