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Sparta
Excerpt from the Lexham Bible Dictionary, the most advanced Bible dictionary.
A city on the Peloponnesian peninsula of Greece; also known as Lacedaemon. Sparta is well known from ancient Greek literature, particularly Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 bc). Several passages in the books of the Maccabees (1 Macc 14:16; 1 Macc 14:20; 1 Macc 14:23) refer to friendly relations between the Jews and the Spartans.In the fourth century bc, the Spartan king Arius wrote a letter to the Jewish high priest Onias I (1 Macc 12:19–23). This letter claimed that both the Spartans and the Jews were descendants of Abraham. In the second century bc, Jason the high priest sought asylum in Sparta in 168 bc after an attempted coup (2 Macc 5:9). About 20 years later, during the Hasmonean period, correspondence between the Spartans and Jews resumed under Jonathan Maccabeus (1 Macc 12:5–18) and continued after his death under his brother Simon (1 Macc 14:20–24).
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The Lexham Bible Dictionary
Sparta
Sparta (Σπαρτη, Spartē). A city on the Peloponnesian peninsula of Greece; also known as Lacedaemon. Sparta is well known from ancient Greek literature, particularly Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 bc). Several passages in the books of the Maccabees (1 Macc 14:16; 1 Macc 14:20; 1
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary
Sparta (Place)
SPARTA (PLACE) [Gk Spartē (Σπαρτη)]. SPARTAN. The name of a city in S Greece also known as Lacedaemon. During the Dorian settlement, ca. 1000 b.c., the city-state Lacedaemon, later known as Sparta, was probably founded. Slowly, after protracted wars with Amyclae and Messenia, Sparta became a regional
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
Sparta
Sparta spärʹtə [Gk. Spartē] (1 Macc. 14:16); SPARTANS spärʹtanz [Spartiatai] (1 Macc. 12:2, 5f, 20f.; 14:20, 23; 15:23); AV LACEDEMONIANS; LACEDAEMONIANS las-ə-diī-mōʹni-ənz [Lakedaimonioi] (2 Macc. 5:9); AV LACEDEMONIANS; NEB SPARTA. The name of the main city and capital of the region of Laconia
Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible
Sparta
Sparta (Gk. Spartē)The capital city of Laconia in the Peloponnese of Greece. Founded ca. 1000 b.c.e. by Dorians, it was first known as Lacedaemon. At first a number of independent villages, the Spartans united under two kings and eventually came to supreme power in Greece. They detested luxury and
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary
Sparta
Sparta [spärˊtə] (Gk. Spartē).* A major city of the Peloponnesian peninsula of southern Greece in ancient times, capital of the territory of Laconia. The inhabitants of Sparta were known also as Lacedaemonians. When the Oniad priest Jason fled to Sparta (2 Macc. 5:9, “to the Lacedaemonians”),
Catholic Bible Dictionary
Sparta
SPARTA A city in southern Greece, on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. With Athens, Sparta was one of the chief city-states of ancient Greece, especially after the Peloponnesian War (which ended in 404 b.c.). The Spartans under King Arius established an alliance with Jonathan Maccabeus (1 Macc 12:2–23) that
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Sparta
Spar´ta, a celebrated city of Greece, between whose inhabitants and the Jews a relationship was believed to subsist. Between the two nations a correspondence ensued.—Whitney. The actual relationship of the Jews and Spartans, 2 Macc. 5:9, is an ethnological error, which it is difficult to trace to its
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SPARTA; SPARTANS
SPARTA; SPARTANS<spar’-ta>, <spar’-tanz> ([Σπάρτη, Sparte] (1 Macc 14:16), [Σπαρτια̂ται, Spartiatai]; Lacedaemonians (the King James Version 1 Macc 12:2, 5, 6, 10, 21; 14:20-23; 15:23; in 2 Macc 5:9, Greek Lakedaimonioi)): The passages in 1 Macc relate to a correspondence initiated
Compton’s Encyclopedia
Sparta
SpartaIn ancient Greece, the great rival of Athens was Sparta. The city-state and its surrounding territory were located on the Peloponnesus, a peninsula southwest of Athens. Sparta (also called Lacedaemon) was the capital of the district of Laconia.From the vigorous iron-hearted warriors of this city-state
The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 5, Q–Z
Sparta
Sparta spahr’tuh (Σπάρτη). Also known as Lacedaemon (see Lacedaemonian), Sparta was a powerful city-state in the S central Peloponnesus and chief antagonist of Athens. By Hellenistic times, however, its influence had declined. A number of references to Sparta are to be found in extrabiblical Jewish
The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Volumes 1–5
Sparta, Spartans
SPARTA, spärʹta, SPARTANS, spärʹtanz (Σπάρτη, Spártē [1 Macc 14:16], Σπαρτιᾶται, Spartiátai; Lacedaemonians [AV 1 Macc 12:2, 5, 6, 10, 21; 14:20–23; 15:23; in 2 Macc 5:9, Gr Lakedaimónioi]): The passages in 1 Macc relate to a correspondence initiated by Jonathan, the priest, during the Maccabean
The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Volumes 1–5
SPARTA
SPARTA spahr´tuh [Σπάρτη Spartē]. A city in southern Greece, also known as Lacedaemon. Sparta became the most powerful Greek city after defeating Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431–401 bce).Sparta is mentioned several times in 1-2 Maccabees. According to 2 Macc 5:9, Jason fled to Sparta (author’s