Alcander

Alcander (Gr. Ἄλκανδρος, a form of Alexander) (Greek for Protector of the People) was a young man of Sparta, who eventually became a Spartan General. Alexander the Great was a huge admirer of Sparta and he didn’t attempt to force them to join his army, because he knew their law and their sacred reason behind their decision. The Spartans had developed a constitution of almost total subordination of the individual to the community. Spartan elders determined which infants could live or die. Spartan boys were sent into military training at the age of 7. By the time a Spartan boy graduated from this unbelievably harsh training, at 20 years old, he was ready to take his place amongst the toughest and most disciplined fighting force the world has ever known. The Spartan elite believed passionately in their freedom, and their sense of duty, imbued at an early age, guaranteed that no Spartan commander would ever have to resort to whips to drive his soldiers into battle.

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