Create a military like the Spartans today, could it be possible?

Question

I have been studying a lot about the Spartans and wonder how well the U.S Military or any military would be like if they raise there soldiers like the Spartans, and provide the weapons TODAY; could you imagine, the would be non stoppable. What do you think?

Answer 1

Although we don't raise our children in the Spartan manner, most people try to instill a sense of duty to this country in the young. Basic training is no picnic! They take the young & tear them down to nothing, then rebuild them to follow orders without thinking. Most of our service people do not run when the going get rough, even when it means their life is on the line, they also do not leave a buddy behind, they try to save them. I would say that we measure up pretty well against the Spartans; after all, we learned from them. Our men have stood their ground to the last man many times, including today in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Answer 2

No...though we do have a close mock-up...the United States Marines.

There are some problems with creating a Spartan-style military.

a)lifestyle-

The current lifestyle of the people of the united states does not create the conditions for such an army to be created...how?

** How we live:
- Spartan society was very desolate, shunning great material possessions and could be very lonely. Spartan men were trained from about the age of seven to survive alone. You could say they were encouraged to fight, steal, and survive on their own (the stealing part was okay as long as they weren't caught. If caught, they were beaten severely.)

- Spartan women were looked up to actually...just because of their ability to give birth. Yet this was a double-edged sword. If they gave birth to children that were deformed...the children were thrown off of cliffs...boys were more desirable than girls because they made soldiers. If a woman gave birth to more than one deformed child (deformed as in any handicap that would hamper their ability to become a soldier) she was sent into permanent exile.

-homosexuality was actually encouraged within the Spartan army...the thought behind this being that a man fighting by a friend is likely to watch his friends back to an extent, a man fighting beside his lover...would willingly die watching the other man's back.

-spartans were truly formidable warriors...masters of the phalanx...but to re-create the formidable force known as the spartan army in today's time...especially in the US is an altogether impossible task.

Answer 3

It is not at all possible, given our current values and ideals. The Spartan army was only possible because of two things: a huge slave class who provided essentially everything for the Spartans (the slaves were distinctly not Spartan) and a complete focus on military matters - babies with any physical imperfections were exposed, children entered military training at 7 and never, ever stopped. The Spartans were singularly focused on war.

Answer 4

To have a military like the Spartans, the US would have to be a military dictatorship. I don't know if the people of the US would like that.

However.. here's the background from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta#Society

Spartan Society

Sparta was, above all, a militarist state, and emphasis on military fitness began virtually at birth. Shortly after birth, the mother of the child bathed it in wine to see whether the child was strong. If the child survived it was brought before the elders of the tribe by the child's father. The elders then decided whether it was to be reared or not. If found defective or weak, the baby was left on the wild slopes of Mt Taygetos. In this way the Spartans attempted the maintenance of high physical standards in their population. From the earliest days of the Spartan citizen, the claim on his life by the state was absolute and strictly enforced.

It was customary in Sparta that before the males would go off to war, their wives or another female of some significance would present them with their shield and say: "he tan, he epi tas" (Ή τάν ή Επί τᾶς), which translates to "With this, or upon this." The idea was that a Spartan could only return to Sparta in one of two ways, victorious or dead. If a Spartan hoplite were to return to Sparta alive and without his shield, it was assumed that he threw his shield at the enemy in an effort to flee; an act punishable by death or banishment. It is interesting to note that a soldier losing his helm, breastplate or greaves (leg armor) was not similarly punished, as these items were personal pieces of armor designed to protect one soldier. However the shield not only protected the individual soldier but in the tightly packed Spartan Phalanx was also instrumental in protecting the soldier to his left from harm. Thus the shield was symbolic of the individual soldier's subordination to his unit, his integral part in its success, and his solemn responsibility to his comrades in arms - messmates and friends, often close blood relations. It could not be lost.

Burials in Sparta were also considered an act of honour, and marked headstones would only be granted to Spartan soldiers who died in combat during a victorious campaign (or females who died in service of a divine office or in childbirth[citation needed]).

A strong emphasis was placed on honour and carrying out acts because it was the 'right thing to do.' Xenophon wrote about the Spartans as he observed them during an Olympic game:

"An elderly man was trying to find a place to sit and observe the Olympic Games, as he went to each section. All the other Greeks laughed as he tried to make his way through. Some ignored him. Upon entering the Spartan section all the Spartans stood and offered the elderly man their seats. Suddenly the entire stadium applauded. All the Greeks knew what was the right thing to do, but the Spartans were the only ones who did it."

Answer 5

This is not make believe it is almost a reality at present.
Making War is an Industry in United States.
Its military is being used a lot like the old British colonial system. A militry taking over a country enforceing its laws upon it so that the home country can profit from it.
With todays body armor and with the up ancd coming new equipment our soldiers will be almost 100% safe from harm.
Weapons such as the new Microwave and pulse weapons will decimate enemys from large groups or targeting them and being fired from Florida control center.

Answer 6

I Have to agree with you 100%.

But the Spartans also relied on their mental abilities as well as their physical abilities and this might be a huge factor since it would require a constant "High" on being physically and mentally ready, fit, as well as anxious to serve!

I think that this is why our Government is creating lots of the weapons of war that they are creating! Now they are actually working on another "Super Thermonuclear Bomb" - which is designed to kill millions at one time not just a couple of hundred thousand like we did at Hiroshima and Nagasaki!!

Like we really need this one???????????

Well whether we need it or not - That is where our Tax dollars are going!

Sad but true!

Answer 7

The Marines are America's Spartans.

Answer 8

i dont think in todays society that would be a popular idea ... in china i think it is they take children who want / are good enough to compete in olympic events at the age of 7 or 8 and they belong to the state from that time on ... kinda like the spartans but only w/ sports

xxxoo
emily

Answer 9

The Spartans usually fought in the nude.

The thought of an Army Ranger with an M16 and no clothes on is disturbing to me.

Answer 10

i agree with you that if our soldiers were given Spartan training with today's weapons, they would be unstopable. however in Sparta, this kind of training and treatment was accepted by everyone in the society as their way of life. Since the army today dependant on volunteers I doubt many people would sign up if they knew this kind of training awaits them. Likewise, many many people would protest this training especially if it was mandatory (with a draft) since it just seems so unreal to them and the ideas of courage, strength, and honor aren't necessarily rooted in most people of our society (i.e. hippy liberals) and most people don't see the romatic glory in honorably falling in battle, defending your homeland and your brothers-in-arms.