Rome

Rome, though it didn’t gain prominence in the ancient world until after Sparta’s fall, was heavily influenced by Spartan culture and militarism. Romans looked up to the Spartans, holding them up as the gold standard of what it meant to be a soldier. Many of Rome’s militaristic traditions were taken straight from Sparta. When the Roman Empire conquered Sparta in 146 B.C.E., it became akin to a tourist attraction. Wealthy Romans took trips to Sparta to pay respect and found themselves inspired by Spartan traditions. It’s during the time of the Roman Empire that Spartan culture became what it is today. The shirtless, oiled men with spears and bronze helmets; that was Roman’s interpretation of Sparta.