SPARTANS CIVILISATION PROFILE

UNIT DESCRIPTIONS

INFANTRY

  • Generic Name: Perioikoi Hoplite.
  • Specific Name: Hoplī́tēs Perioïkós.
  • Class: Spearman.
  • Hacker Armament: Spear (2.75m); Short Sword (ornamental).
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Pilos helmet, aspis, spear, tunic with sandals – pretty poor, but a middle-class citizen, proud of the fact that he can be a hoplite! He may not be well equipped, but he makes up for it in gusto!
    • Advanced: Chalcidian helmet, bronze muscled cuirass, aspis, spear, decorative xiphos, tunic and sandals.
    • Elite: Crested Corinthian helmet, linothorax cuirass, aspis with cloth hanging from bottom edge (to stop arrows), spear, decorative xiphos, greaves, tunic, sandals - he’s rich, mucho dinero!
  • History: The basic unit of the Spartan army made up of middle-class men ("Perioikoi"). The Hoplite formed the core of any Greek army with the unique Phalanx formation ready to hold all potential attacks.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Heavy close-quarter combat. 2x vs. All Cavalry, but not particularly effective vs. ranged cav.

  • Special: May use the Phalanx formation.

  • Generic Name: Skiritai Commando.

  • Specific Name: Ékdromos Skiritis.
  • Class: Swordsman.
  • Hacker Armament: Xiphos short sword.
  • Appearance:
    • Elite: Trained at the elite rank. Mid-5th century crested helmets, tunic and boots, and aspis emblazoned with the raven symbol of Skiritis.
  • History: The "commando" of the Spartan forces, sent on tough missions.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Heavy close-quarter combat.

  • Special: May use the Phalanx formation.

  • Generic Name: Helot Skirmisher.

  • Specific Name: Akontistes Heilotes.
  • Class: Javelinist.
  • '''Hacker Armament: '''Javelin; Short Sword (ornamental).
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Simple, with tunic, barefoot and bareheaded, and a bunch of javelins about 4 feet long. Dog skin cloak.
    • Advanced: Pelta, javelins, tunic, boots, traditional pilos cap. Dog skin cloak.
    • Elite: Pilos helmet, javelins, boots, tunic. Dog skin cloak.
  • History: Helots were the subject class of Spartan society and toiled tirelessly for their full-blooded Spartan masters. In times of need, Helots were pressed into service to serve as squires and battlefield skirmishers if necessary. The loyalty and performance of these troops was often suspect, but good performance on the battlefield sometimes meant freedom could be earned for the Helot warrior and his family.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: -
  • Special: -

CAVALRY

  • Generic Name: Perioikoi Cavalryman.
  • Specific Name: Pródromos Perioïkós.
  • Class: Cavalry Javelinist.
  • Hacker Armament: Cavalry Javelin.
  • Appearance:
    • Basic: Tunic. No headwear or footwear. Cloak.
    • Advanced: Quilted armor. Straw hat. No footwear. Cloak
    • Elite: Linothorax. Bronze Boeotian helmet. Boots. Cloak.
    • Figure(s): -
  • History: Spartan scout cavalry, supplied by the Perioikoi, or middle-class of Spartan society. Good for hunting and harassing the enemy. The best such cavalry in Greece come from the pastoral territories of Thessaly. Spartan cavalry, though, was no to good.
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: Good hunter.
  • Special: -.

SUPPORT UNITS

  • Generic Name: Spartan Woman.
  • Specific Name: Spartiátissa.
  • Class: Female Citizen.
  • Appearance: A short chiton. Long hair hair pinned up.
  • History: Spartan women were some of the freest in the ancient world. They could own land and slaves and even exercise naked like Spartan men. It is said that only Spartan women gave birth to real men. Such tough as nails women more than once helped save their city from disaster, for example when after a lost battle against Pyrrhus of Epirus they overnight built an earthen rampart to protect the city while their men slept in preparation for the next day's siege.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Good at gathering food. Has an 'aura' that boosts the productivity of citizen-soldiers around her.

  • Special: May build defense towers and palisades after "Feminine Mystique" technology researched. Also, cannot be captured by enemy soldiers.

  • Generic Name: Priest.

  • Specific Name: Hiereús.
  • Class: Healer.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: Chiton (player color), with a long white Himation wrapped around him.
    • Helmet: None.
    • Shield: None.
    • Figure(s): Old man. White hair. Optional beard.
  • History: The art of medicine was widely practiced in Classical Greece. Hippocrates was the first physician to separate religion and superstition from actual medicine, and many others followed his lead.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: -

  • Special: -

  • Generic Name: Merchant.

  • Specific Name: Émporos Perioïkós.
  • Class: Trader.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: Normal chiton with himation (leather boots).
    • Helmet: Wide brimmed hat.
    • Shield: None.
    • Figure(s): Man on trade cart.
    • Mount: Trade cart.
  • History: Full-blooded Spartans themselves were forbidden from performing any commerce. Therefor, trading fell to the Spartan middle class, the Perioikoi. While not as widely spread as sea trade, land trade nevertheless was practiced on a reasonable scale.
  • Garrison: 2.
  • Function: -
  • Special: -
  • Generic Name: Fishing Boat.
  • Specific Name: Ploion Halieutikon.
  • Class: Fishing Ship.
  • Appearance:
    • Shell: -
  • History: In contrast to hunting, fishing was not held in high regard and Hellenic artwork is nearly devoid of fishing scenes. Nonetheless fishing was popular both as the poor man’s entertainment and as a viable alternative to farming as a major food source.
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Garrison Capacity: 1; support, infantry
  • Function: Gathering: Only method of collecting meat from fish.

  • Special: Garrison a support unit or infantry unit inside to boost fishing rate.

  • Generic Name: Trading Ship.

  • Specific Name: Ploîon Halieutikón.
  • Class: Merchant Ship.
  • Appearance:
    • Shell: (Standard).
  • History: Spartans were not natural sailors, though they did trade with other Greek city-states.
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Function: Sets up trade routes between friendly Ports.

  • Special: Garrison a Trader inside to boost the amount of trade received.

  • Generic Name: Penteconter.

  • Specific Name: Pentēkónteros.
  • Class: Light Warship.
  • '''Appearance: '''
    • Shell: Single-tier, 25 rows.
  • History: Penteconters were employed from 800 BC, mostly as a light support unit in the Spartan navy. After 600 BC, they were only seen in battle in very limited numbers. They were still in use by small states which could not afford a sufficient number of triremes for their navy.
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • Function: These ships were designed to go fast so they could transport troops to the sights of battles. They had a single tier (level) of 25 oarsmen on each side, and were called Penteconters.

  • Special: -

  • Generic Name: Trireme.

  • Specific Name: Triḗrēs.
  • Class: Medium Warship.
  • '''Appearence: '''
    • Shell: Three tiers of oars. Larger than the Penteconter.
  • History: The first Triremes were built circa 650BC, and by 500BC the Trireme was the most widely used heavy warship of the Greek city-states. In the Trireme the outriggers were now an integral part of the ship's hull. The Trireme also had a partial or full fighting deck above the rowers. The length of the Trireme remained approximately 35-38 meters, and the beam was approximately 3.5 metres. A Trireme carried 170 oarsmen, plus twenty sailors and fourteen marines in Greek navies. The top speed of a Trireme was approximately 11.5 knots. Some Triremes may have been able to reach higher speeds in short bursts. A Trireme travelling from Athens to Mitylene in 427BC made the 350 kilometre trip in only 24 hours, averaging eight knots (14.6 km/h). The Trireme could accelerate much faster than a Bireme or Penteconter, and was much more manoeuvrable. This gave the Trireme an advantage in combat, where higher speed and manoeuvrability meant a better chance of victory.
  • Garrison: Cannot.
  • '''Function: '''The common tactics of the time were to ram one's opponent. Most ships at the time were equipped with a large battering ram at the bow which was used to crush the sides of an opponent. Another common tactic was to brush along the sides of the opponent's ship and snap all of the oars off. Once the ship was disabled and floundering in the waves, then the other ship could move in and finish its opponent. The Greeks employed the ramming tactics to excellent effect throughout out their naval battles. Speed was the key element for ramming and that required maneuverability and lightly armoured ships.
  • Special: .

SIEGE UNITS

  • Generic Name: Battering Ram.
  • Specific Name: Poliorkitikós Kriós.
  • Class: Battering Ram.
  • Appearance:
    • Shell: A basic battering ram, made of wood planks with a bronze beak at the head of the ram.
  • History: .
  • Garrison: 3.
  • Function: Anti-building siege. Used to take down Walls and Fortresses. 10-20% weaker than the Roman battering ram.
  • Special: Does bonus damage vs. city gates.

CHAMPION UNITS

  • Generic Name: Spartan Hoplite
  • Specific Name: Spartiā́tēs
  • Class: Champion Infantry Unit.
  • Hacker Armament: Spear (tied a lace around his spear to improve grip while thrusting over the wall of hostile shields); Xiphos (ornamental).
  • Appearance: Corinthian helmet with side-to-side large, bright red crest, bronze cuirass, bronze greaves, spear, aspis with Spartan regimental symbols, Xiphos sheathed on left side.
  • History: The Spartans had a very peculiar form of government which enabled them to be professional soldiers. It not only enabled them, but actually forced them to be superior soldiers as a small group of Spartans had to dominate an enormous number of subjects and unwilling allies. The Spartan army was superior in Hellas, and in the rest of the known world. No other army was so well trained, and had such excellent equipment. They believed that traditional training was the key to success, and for centuries they were correct, as they never lost a battle in spite of their small numbers. Ironically enough, this concept ended the Spartan supremacy, as the Spartan phalanx could not resist the new sloped Theban phalanx and the invading integrated Macedonian forces. The end of the Spartan power marked the end of the domination of the phalanx.
  • '''Garrison: '''1.
  • Function: Good vs. Cavalry and Infantry. Their Achilles Heel is definitely archery, with no extra pierce armor when compared to the standard "Greek Hoplite." Uses Xiphos (sword) when not in formation. Uses Dory (spear) when in formation.
  • Special: Special (small; 10%) attack bonus vs. Persian units. Like Hoplites, Spartiates may use the Phalanx formation.

SPARTAN HEROES

  • Generic Name: Leonidas I.
  • Specific Name: Leōnídēs.
  • Class: Hero Spearman.
  • Hacker Armament: Dory Spear.
  • Ranged Armament: None.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: Tunic and Spartan cloak.
    • Helmet: As for Spartiate. Striped Plume.
    • Shield: Aspis with Apollo sun ray design, symbol of Spartan kingship.
    • Other: Looks like a meaner and badder Spartiates. Long hair poking down out of the bottom of his helmet, with beard.
  • History: The king of Sparta, whom fought and died at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. He successfully blocked the way of the huge Persian army through the narrow passage with his 7000 men, until Xerxes was made aware of a secret unobstructed path. Finding the enemy at his rear, Leonidas sent home most of his troops, choosing to stay behind with 300 hand-picked hoplites and win time for the others to withdraw.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Infantry Enhancement.

  • Special:

    • "Hero" Aura (Nearby friendly Hoplites and Spartiates have +20% attack and +10% armor.)

  • Generic Name: Brasidas.

  • Specific Name: Brasidas.
  • Class: Hero Swordsman.
  • Hacker Armament: Xiphos sword.
  • Ranged Armament: Javelin.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: Tunic and Spartan cloak.
    • Helmet: Pilos helmet with crest.
    • Shield: Black-painted aspis, with Spartan lambda symbol.
  • History: Because Brasidas has sponsored their citizenship in return for service, Helot Skirmishers fight longer and harder for Sparta while within range of him.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Skirmisher Enhancement.

  • Special:

    • "Hero" Aura (Nearby Helot Skirmishers have increased armour and attack.)

  • Generic Name: Agis III.

  • Specific Name: Agis.
  • Class: Hero Spearman.
  • Hacker Armament: Dory Spear.
  • Ranged Armament: None.
  • Appearance:
    • Garb: Tunic.
    • Helmet: As for Spartiate. Striped Plume.
    • Shield: Aspis with Spartan Lambda symbol.
    • Other: Silver tinned or iron cuirass.
  • History: Agis III was the 20th Spartan king of the Eurypontid lineage. Agis cobbled together an alliance of Southern Greek states to fight off Macedonian hegemony while Alexander the Great was away in Asia on his conquest march. After securing Crete as a Spartan tributary, Agis then moved to besiege the city of Megopolis in the Peloponnese, who was an ally of Macedon. Antipater, the Macedonian regent, lead an army to stop this new uprising. In the Battle of Megalopolis, the Macedonians prevailed in a long and bloody battle. Much like Leonidas 150 years earlier, instead of surrendering, Agis made a heroic final stand in order to buy time for his troops to retreat.
  • Garrison: 1.
  • Function: Last Stand.
  • Special: "Last Stand" bonus. Has triple the Health of most infantry heroes. No other bonuses or auras.

NEW UNIT TRAITS

  • None yet.

CIV CENTRE UNITS

  • Melee Infantry: Perioikos Hoplite.
  • Ranged Infantry: Helot Skirmisher.
  • Cavalry: Perioikos Cavalryman.

FORBIDDEN CLASSES

  • Slinger.
  • Archer.
  • Cavalry Spearman.
  • Cavalry Swordsman.
  • Cavalry Archer.
  • Quinquereme.
  • Stone Thrower.
  • Bolt Shooter.

STRUCTURE DESCRIPTIONS

VILLAGE

  • Generic Name: Household.
  • Specific Name: Oikos.
  • '''Class: '''House.

  • History: Spartan houses were known to be particularly simple because of two laws of Lycurgus. The first enforced that the roofs only be crafted with an axe, and the second made doors only constructed with saws as tools. (Plutarch 13) These generally made Spartans more likely to furnish their homes with plain furniture to match their homes. This helped give rise to the term "Spartan" which means "sparse."

  • Generic Name: Granary.

  • Specific Name: Sītobólion.
  • Class: Farmstead.

  • History: Grain was carefully stored in granaries, some of it being reserved for times of hardship.

  • Generic Name: Field.

  • Specific Name: Agrós.
  • Class: Field.

  • History: Most farming in Laconia was performed by Helots, the lowest class in Spartan society.

  • Generic Name: Corral.

  • Specific Name: Épaulos.
  • Class: Corral.

  • History: Basic animal pen. Also for horses, which were the domain of the truly wealthy in Greece.

  • Generic Name: Warehouse.

  • Specific Name: Apothḗkē.
  • Class: Mill.

  • History: Resources and building materials were kept in warehouses.

  • Generic Name: Outpost.

  • Specific Name: .
  • Class: Outpost.

  • History: Towers were an important part of city fortifications. The defending troops shot arrows at the enemy and poured boiling oil over the assailants.

  • Generic Name: Palisade.

  • Specific Name: .
  • Class: Palisade.
  • History: A cheap, quick defensive structure constructed with sharpened tree trunks.

TOWN

  • Generic Name: Civic Centre.
  • Specific Name: Agorā́.
  • Class: Civic Centre.

  • History: The most important place in any Greek city, the Agora served many purposes; it was a place for public speeches and was the stage for civic life and commercial interests.

  • Generic Name: Dock.

  • Specific Name: Limḗn.
  • Class: Dock.

  • History: Greece is a sea country, which is why some of the greatest Hellenic and Hellenistic cities like Ephesus, Corinth, Alexandria and Antioch were built by the sea. It should also be noted that all colonies during the Great Colonisation were thriving port centres, which traded with the local population. Sparta's port was the sea town of Gytheion.

  • Generic Name: Temple.

  • Specific Name: Asklepeîon.
  • Class: Temple.

  • History: An asclepeion (or asklepieion) was a healing temple, sacred to the god Asclepius.

  • Generic Name: Barracks.

  • Specific Name: Stratēgeîon.
  • Class: Barracks.

  • History: The Strategion was the main military headquarters, where important decisions were taken and plans for battles discussed by the army's Strategoi.

  • Generic Name: Blacksmith.

  • Specific Name: Khalkeîon.
  • Class: Blacksmith.

  • History: The earliest Greek smiths worked in copper, then bronze, and then finally iron.

  • Generic Name: Marketplace.

  • Specific Name: Empórion.
  • Class: Market.

  • History: Most Hellenic cities were centers of trade. The Emporion is the Hellenic marketplace, where commerce and trading occur. Economic technologies may be researched here as well.

  • Generic Name: Defense Tower.

  • Specific Name: Pyrgíon.
  • Class: Defense Tower.
  • History: Towers were an important part of city fortifications. The defending troops shot arrows at the enemy and poured boiling oil over the assailants.

CITY

  • Generic Name: Fortress.
  • Specific Name: Epiteíchisma.
  • Class: Fortress.
  • History: Fortresses (also called a "phrourion") were built to guard passes and atop hills in order to command plains and valleys below.

SPECIAL STRUCTURES

  • Generic Name: Greek Theater.
  • Specific Name: Théātron.
  • Class: SB1.
  • History: Greek theaters were places where the immortal tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and many other talented dramatists were staged to the delight of the populace. They were instrumental in enriching Hellenic culture.
  • Requirements: None.
  • Phase: City.

  • Special: When built, activates the "Hellenisation" civ bonus, which increases territory effect of all buildings by +20%.

  • Generic Name: Military Mess Hall.

  • Specific Name: Syssíton.
  • Class: SB2.
  • History: The Syssiton was the Mess Hall for full-blooded Spartiates. Every Spartan peer, even kings, belonged to one.
  • Requirements: None.
  • Phase: City.
  • Special: Train Spartan heroes and Spartiate champion units and research technologies related to them.

NEW STRUCTURE TRAITS

None.

FORBIDDEN STRUCTURES

  • Stone Walls.
  • Wall Towers.
  • Wall Gates.

CIV BONUSES

  • '''CB1 '''
  • Name: Othismos.
  • History: The Spartans were undisputed masters of phalanx warfare. The Spartans were so feared for their discipline that the enemy army would sometimes break up and run away before a single shield clashed. 'Othismos' refers to the point in a phalanx battle where both sides try to shove each other out of formation, attempting to breaking up the enemy lines and routing them.

  • Effect: Spartans can make use of the Phalanx formation without researching a technology.

  • '''CB2 '''

  • Name: Laws of Lycurgus.
  • History: Under the Constitution written by the mythical law-giver Lycurgus, the institution of The Agoge was established, where Spartans were trained from the age of 6 to be superior warriors in defense of the Spartan state.

  • Effect: The Spartan rank upgrades at the Barracks cost no resources, except time.

  • CB3

  • Generic Name: Hellenization.
  • Specific Name: Exellinismós.
  • History: The Greeks were highly successful in Hellenising various foreigners. During the Hellenistic Age, Greek was the 'lingua franca' of the Ancient World, spoken widely from Spain to India.
  • Effect: Constructing an expensive Theatron increases the territory expanse of all buildings by 20%.

TEAM BONUS

  • TB1
  • Name: Peloponnesian League.
  • History: Much of the Peloponnese was subject to Sparta in one way or another. This loose confederation, with Sparta as its leader, was later dubbed the Peloponnesian League by historians, but in ancient times was called 'The Lacedaemonians and their allies.'
  • Effect: Allied team members can train Spartiates.

TECHNOLOGIES

  • Infantry: Good. Almost all technologies. Their heroes and champion infantry are very strong. Ranged units are the exception: neither here, nor there. Few ranged techs.
  • Cavalry: Mediocre to poor. Nothing to match the cavalry of the Persians, for instance.
  • Naval: Mediocre. Good ships, but few techs.
  • Siege: Poor. Only the battering ram is available. Few siege techs. The Spartans were not known as good besiegers.
  • Economy:
  • Farming: Good. They should get most of the technologies, but not the most advanced ones.
  • Mining: Very good. Almost all, if not all, technologies.
  • Lumbering: Average.
  • Hunting: Limited. It was practised mostly as a sport by the rich.
  • Land Trade: Mediocre. Definitely nothing to match that of the best civs in the area.
  • Naval Trade: Mediocre. Definitely nothing to match that of the best civs in the area.
  • Architecture: Above average. I would say something on the order of 80% of that of the Persians.
  • Defences: A mixed bag. No access to Stone Walls, but buildings have higher loyalty and are harder to capture.

SPECIAL TECHNOLOGIES

  • ST1
  • Name: Feminine Mystique.
  • History: Spartan women were some of the freest in the ancient world. They could own land and slaves and even exercise naked like Spartan men. It is said that only Spartan women gave birth to real men. Such tough-as-nails women more than once helped save their city from disaster, for example when after a lost battle against Pyrrhus of Epirus they overnight built an earthen rampart to protect the city while their men slept in preparation for the next day's siege.

  • Effect: Spartan female citizens cannot be captured and will doggedly fight back against any attackers. They are also capable of constructing defense towers and palisades.

  • ST2

  • Name: Tyrtean Paeans.
  • History: Paeans were battle hymns that were sung by the hoplites when they charged the enemy lines. One of the first known Paeans were composed by Tirteus, a warrior poet of Sparta, during the First Messenian War.

  • Effect: Units in phalanx formation move faster.

  • ST3

  • Name: The Agoge.
  • History: Spartans were housed and trained from a young age to be superlative warriors and to endure any hardship a military life can give them.
  • Effect: Barracks and Syssiton receive a +10 population cap bonus.