Sparta: History, Former Names & Timeline
City-state on the plain of Laconia, famous for its militarised society; it defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War.
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Former names of Sparta
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 900 BC | Lakedaimon / Sparta |
Timeline of Sparta
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 480 BC | Leonidas and his Spartans die at Thermopylae |
| 404 BC | Sparta defeats Athens in the Peloponnesian War |
| 371 BC | Defeat by Thebes at Leuctra ends Spartan supremacy |
| 192 BC | Sparta is forced into the Achaean League |
| AD 396 | Alaric’s Visigoths sack Sparta |
| 1834 | King Otto of Greece founds a new town beside the ancient site |
Who ruled Sparta
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–324 BC | Greek city-states |
| 323 BC–301 BC | Empire of Alexander |
| 300 BC–201 BC | Kingdom of Antigonus |
| 200 BC–101 BC | Macedon and Hellenic League |
| 100 BC–2 BC | Roman Republic |
| 1 BC–299 | Roman Empire |
| 300–399 | Rome (Galerius) |
| 400–799 | Eastern Roman Empire |
| 800–1491 | Byzantine Empire |
| 1492–1879 | Ottoman Empire |
| 1880–today | Greece |
Battles and sites near Sparta
- Battle of Salamis · 480 BC
- Battle of Navarino · 1827
Nearby cities
- Athens · about 152 km
- Thessaloniki · about 398 km
- İzmir · about 440 km
Further reading
Questions about Sparta
What was Sparta called in the past?
Sparta has been known as Lakedaimon / Sparta (from 900 BC). Its present name dates from 900 BC.
Which states have ruled Sparta?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Sparta lies within 11 different states: Greek city-states, Empire of Alexander, Kingdom of Antigonus, Macedon and Hellenic League, Roman Republic, Roman Empire, Rome (Galerius), Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Sparta?
480 BC: Leonidas and his Spartans die at Thermopylae. 404 BC: Sparta defeats Athens in the Peloponnesian War. 371 BC: Defeat by Thebes at Leuctra ends Spartan supremacy. 192 BC: Sparta is forced into the Achaean League. AD 396: Alaric’s Visigoths sack Sparta.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.