The city of Sparta was founded in the 12th century B.C. by Dorians. They forcibly took the territory of Messenia. Native Messenians unsuccessfully revolved in the seventh century B.C. By 668 B.C., during the Messenian Wars, the Dorians took complete control of the city.
The city-state was a loose grouping of five villages, with only houses and public buildings. Sparta had different classes of people: helots, slaves that performed agricultural tasks; perioeci, non-voting tradesman or merchants and spartiatai, the ruling class of soldiers and kings.
During the sixth century B.C., the Dorians established a military oligarchy. In ancient Sparta, sons of Spartan citizens started military training at age seven and entered the military at age 20. Spartan women were educated and trained separately from men, and they were expected to bear children.
Sparta was established as a strong city-state and rival to the city-state of Athens after a number of military victories over its neighboring city-states, including a decisive one during the Persian Wars. During the fifth century B.C., the city-state was able to defeat Athens during the Peloponnesian War and become the strongest city-state.
Sparta was not able to sustain its leadership position because of rebellions from conquered city-states and a lack of citizens to support its military. Sparta was defeated by the Thebans in 371 B.C. Soon after Sparta became part of King Phillip II of Macedonia's growing empire.
Modern-day Sparta is the capital of Laconia, a prefecture in Greece. It was established in 1834 and is partially located in the area that made up ancient Sparta.
