Endurance and Strength in Ancient Sparta

In ancient Sparta, childhood wasn’t about comfort. It was training — from the moment

you could walk. At age 7, boys were taken from their homes and placed into

the Agoge — a harsh military school built to remove weakness. They slept on reed

mats with no blankets. They received one cloak for the entire year — winter or summer.

If they wanted more food, they had to steal it. And if they were

caught? The punishment wasn’t for stealing — but for failing. Pain was a teacher.

Discipline was survival. Spartan boys learned to speak in sharp, short answers — the origin of the

word laconic. Few words. No excuses. They trained barefoot, year-round —