"The basis of this book was laid in an unpublished doctoral thesis 'Early Sparta c. 950-650 BC: an archaeological and historical study' (Oxford 1975"--Page xi
First ed. published in 1979
Includes bibliographical references (pages 318-337) and index
pt. I. Introduction. 1. Boundaries. 2. The physical setting. 3. Climate. 4. The Stone and Bronze Ages to c. 1300 -- pt. II. Preclassical Lakonia c. 1300-500 B.C. 5. Greek oral tradition as history. 6. The last Mycenaeans c. 1300-1050. 7. The first Dorians c. 1050-775. 8. The Lakonian renascence c. 775-650. 9. The consolidation of Lakonia c. 650-490. 10. Helots and Perioikoi -- pt. III. Classical Lakonia c. 500-362 B.C. 11. The crisis of Lakonia 490-460. 12. The Athenian wars c. 460-404. 13. The reduction of Lakonia 404-362 -- pt. IV. Results and Prospects. 14. The decline of Spartiate manpower. 15. Epilogue -- App. 1. Gazetteer to sites in Lakonia and Messenia -- App. 2. The Homeric poems as history -- App. 3. The Spartan king-lists -- App. 4. The Helots: some ancient sources in translation -- App. 5. The sanctuary of (Artemis) Orthia