With "Agisilaos" and "The Spartan Constitution" (45th volume of the series), ZITROS editions present to the reading audience two texts by Xenophon of exceptional importance for the history, politics, and daily life of ancient Sparta.
In the first text, the ancient historian presents the life, work, and moral virtues of King Agisilaos II of Sparta, one of the most important political and military figures of ancient Greece, the leader with the pan-Hellenic vision, which he maintained and tried to implement until the end of his life. The relevant text, after an introduction to its content, composition, and historical context of Agisilaos' actions, was translated by the philologist, Ph.D. of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Petros Vlachakos, who also provides a detailed commentary based on sources and contemporary bibliography, including several pieces of information from Byzantine sources for the first time. The text is introduced by the emeritus professor of classical philology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dimitrios Lypourlis.
"The Spartan Constitution" is translated and interpreted by the philologist George Raptis, bringing to light the profound difference between the oligarchic regime of Sparta and the "Athenian Constitution," liberal and democratic political systems that reappeared with minimal deviations over time and dominate our days. They differ only in the "control mechanisms" and the "imposition of penalties" for those who deviate, which in ancient times operated with great strictness for both rulers and ruled, a matter that is applied differently in our time.