A city-state in ancient Greece, and the great rival of Athens. Where Athens is remembered for philosophy, theatre, and argument, Sparta is remembered for one thing: soldiers.

A city-state一個城邦 in ancient Greece在古希臘，and而且是 the great rival of Athens雅典的頭號對手。Where在...的地方 Athens is remembered for philosophy, theatre, and argument雅典因哲學、戲劇和辯論而被人記得，Sparta is remembered for one thing斯巴達則只因一件事而被人記得：soldiers軍人。

Spartan society was built around war. Boys were taken from their families at about seven years old and raised in harsh military training; comfort, decoration, and long conversation were treated as weakness. Spartans were famous for saying very little — a few blunt words instead of a speech.

Spartan society斯巴達社會 was built around war整個是圍繞戰爭建立的。Boys男孩 were taken from their families在大約七歲的時候 at about seven years old（合併）會被帶離家庭 and raised in harsh military training接受嚴酷的軍事訓練；comfort, decoration, and long conversation舒適、裝飾，還有長篇的談話 were treated as weakness都被視為軟弱。Spartans斯巴達人 were famous for saying very little以話很少聞名——a few blunt words instead of a speech用幾句直白的話取代一場演講。

The most famous story is the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, where a very small Spartan-led force held a narrow pass against a huge Persian army until they were killed. That story is why the name is still known today, and it is the source of the film '300'.

The most famous story最有名的故事 is是 the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC西元前480年的溫泉關戰役，where在那場戰役裡 a very small Spartan-led force一支很小的斯巴達領軍的部隊 held a narrow pass守住一個狹窄的隘口 against a huge Persian army對抗龐大的波斯大軍 until they were killed直到全軍覆沒。That story這個故事 is why the name is still known today就是這個名字至今仍為人所知的原因，and而且 it is the source of the film '300'也是電影《300壯士》的靈感來源。

Though actually, the picture most people carry is cleaner than the truth. Sparta's whole system rested on a large enslaved population, the helots, who farmed the land so that Spartan men could train full-time; the discipline everyone admires was paid for by that. And Sparta did lose wars, including badly.

Though actually不過其實，the picture most people carry大多數人心裡的印象 is cleaner than the truth比真實情況乾淨、簡化許多。Sparta's whole system斯巴達整個體制 rested on a large enslaved population建立在一大群被奴役的人身上，the helots也就是希洛人，who farmed the land他們負責耕田 so that Spartan men could train full-time好讓斯巴達的男人可以全職訓練；the discipline everyone admires大家欣賞的那種紀律 was paid for by that正是靠這個換來的。And而且 Sparta did lose wars斯巴達確實打過敗仗，including badly甚至輸得很慘。

In English the name is used almost as a symbol: mention Sparta and people hear discipline, toughness, and no comfort.

In English在英文裡 the name這個名字 is used almost as a symbol幾乎被當成一種象徵在用：mention Sparta一提到斯巴達 and people hear discipline, toughness, and no comfort人們就會聯想到紀律、強悍，還有毫不舒適。