Myth and Territory in the Spartan Mediterranean

Greek mythology and cult often served both as expressions of collective, historical identity and of attitudes to lands and territories. Functioning historically, myths provided justifications and legitimations of conquest, displacement, and settlement. Focusing on the Spartan Mediterranean--the world of Sparta and its colonies--this book examines the spectrum of the uses of myth. Extending beyond the Greek world, the book also raises the important question of how peoples relate to and justify their national and territorial identities.