Sparta (SPA)

One of the best known city-states of ancient Greece, Sparta was known at the time as Lakedaimon, with Sparta referring to the main settlement in the state. Even today, Sparta is noted for its remarkable social structure and military prowess. At the height of its powers, it defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War and dominated the entire peninsula for several decades.

Sparta’s military training regimen, or agoge, also paid off at the Olympic Games, where it is the second most successful city state (based on known records). Two of its representatives, Hipposthenes and Khionis earned 6 olive wreaths. Hipposthenes won five consecutive titles in wrestling (624-608 BCE), having won the boy’s event in 632 BCE. His son, Hetoimokles later added five more titles to the family tally, winning the boy’s event in 604 BCE, and the main event 600-588 BCE. Khionis won the stadion/diaulos double three Games in a row, 664-656 BCE.