Greece – The Peloponnese, From Athens to Sparta Part 2

A stop in the port city of Gythion, Greece was next on the agenda.  We’re now exploring the west side of the Peloponnese overlooking the Ionian Sea.  

Pat told me the last blog was "pretty heavy."  So I’ll make it a point to lighten up with the Roman Legions and Sparta infantry looming large. First stop …

MYSTRAS

This medieval town developed around 1250 AD and overlooked ancient Sparta.  Although Mystras was eventually abandoned, what remains is a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located about 30 mile north of Gythion, we made our usual bus trek around mountainous terrain past Sparta to our destination.  Sitting in the back row in the middle gives you a unique perspective through the windshield.  Wish I could have captured it as a movie. That way all of you too could have enjoyed the swaying ... the side to side to side to side to side … motion of the uphill climb, sans the many bumps.

Mystras is a site of ancient fountains, great vaulted halls and fine frescoes which depict various aspects of this Byzantine town.

Across the valley you can see the current town of Sparta.

SPARTA

As far as ancient Sparta goes, I’m going to asked that you engage the imagination you enjoyed as a child.  Only a few remains and a statute of Leonidas mark the spot of the once great and leading power of Greece. 

It seems Sparta’s ruins were not embellished and not worth the cost of much excavation and restoration … they were after all – “spartan.”

As much as the Athenians loved the humanities, the ancient Spartans loved (or at least prepared themselves for) war. Young boys were conscripted into the infantry at age 6 to learn the science of war.  If that isn’t tragic enough, the guide reported that a high rock across the valley was where the children with mental or physical disabilities were cast off.  How ‘bout that for lightened up.

I mentioned in the prior blog that Sparta was victorious in the Peloponnesian Wars against Athens.  It was not so lucky against the invading Romans, however, and lost its political stature and independence during the Roman conquest of Greece in 146 BC.  This once powerful city state went into decline and with many of its citizens moving to Mystras during the Middle Ages never emerged again.

Tomorrow we're in Rome.  So under advice of counsel I'll talk about La Dolce Vita.