BEST LACONIA COASTS

ARTICLES

The acme of Sparta was associated with the two Messenian wars (735-715 BC and in the mid-seventh century BC) and with the conquest of the neighbouring Messenia region. The Spartans estab­lished very few colonies, most important of which was the town of Taras (708 BC) in Sicily. The Spartans became more inter­ested in conquering the surrounding areas of Lakonia, such as sourth Arcadia, Tegea, Lefktron, Argos, Kynouria, the Maleas pe­ninsula, and the island of Kythera. To com­pensate for the emergence of a new power of the city of Athens, Sparta placed a lot of effort in creating the Peloponnesian League, in which all the Peloponnesian cities partici­pated (except for Argos and Elis), the island of Aegina and Megara. By the mid-sixth century the city¢s structure was established based on its military status, namely the ¡hoplites¢ - soldiers and the legislation of Lycurgus. The years that followed were marked by the Persian wars. Sparta¢s contribution was a decisive one, especially at the battles of Thermopylae and Plataea.