Plutarch reports that a magistrate named Emprepes once winced to hear a harpist named Phrynis butchering a song by playing too many notes.

Meanwhile, Spartans were surprisingly serious about music. This revolutionary style would prove central to many poetic traditions, from ancient Rome to medieval France to Renaissance England and into the present.

It was performed to the strumming of a lyre-hence the name. Sparta, the poet Alcman helped pioneer lyric poetry, which diverged from the epicвЂ™s celebration of war and focused instead on desire, emotion and a fascination with nature (вЂњthe birds, long-winged, who bring their omens, are now in slumber.вЂќ). Indeed, foreign poets would often go to Sparta to perform because they were assured of a warm reception. In histories written by Plutarch, Herodotus and others, we find a picture not of stern, militaristic ascetics but of bons vivants and patrons of the arts. Granted, Spartan citizens also pursued rugged pastimes such as equestrianism, but their love of poetry and dance belies a contempt of pleasure. The city-stateвЂ™s helots, or serfs, took care of agriculture, while the higher-ranking but non-citizen perioikoi oversaw crafts, military procurement and commerce. than in any other Greek city-state.ДЇull citizens had ample time for entertainments because Spartan law forbade them to work, and there were two lower classes of people to look after their needs. Spartans were devoted to all kinds of pleasurable pursuits, particularly the arts: It is widely believed that there were more poets in Sparta during the seventh and sixth centuries B.C. King Agesilaus II-who led the Spartan Army at the peak of its power in the fourth century B.C.-proclaimed that one of SpartaвЂ™s greatest strengths was its citizensвЂ™ вЂњcontempt of pleasure.вЂќ

Ancient wars sparta soundtrack