Hello, I’m doing a project in a history class for college, and I’ve chosen to do something pertaining to Sparta’s military culture. I originally wanted to compare the Spirit of Sparta, as derived from Leonidas and the 300, with that of the Carolean Army in the Swedish Empire. I’m not asking for people to do my assignment, however I am asking if anyone knows of any sources that could help me complete this project, or direct me to a different culture also impacted by Sparta.
In essence, I need sources to prove Sparta’s influence as an underdog, and the “death and glory” spirit, on other cultures.
While it is not an immediate answer to your question, I would like to direct you to three destinations on this subreddit: the first one is the r/AskHistorians booklist, which due to the diligence of some our Antiquity flairs has a neat Antiquity section including quality titles on Ancient Greece and Sparta. The second is the general Sparta section of the FAQ and the third one is the military Sparta section of the FAQ, with the latter containing one of my favorite answers on this subreddit concerning itself with the famed Spartan reputation by u/Iphikrates.