Epic Moments in History - Top 10 Spartan One Liners

The Spartans are remembered as famous warriors but their words could be every bit as biting as their spears! Here is a top 10 list of the most epic Spartan one liners in history! Bibliography and recommended reading below:
(Use affiliate links for purchase to help support the channel)

Script: Oakley
Art: Oakley and T. Hopwood
Video Editing: Oakley

Music:
"Walls of Sparta" - Total War: Rome II OST
"The Sassanid Empire" - Total War: Attila OST
"Marathon" - Total War: Rome II OST

Check out the rest of my channel for more Total War content including massive battles, warhammer gameplay, and historical documentaries
For documentaries on classical antiquity check out this playlist:

[InvictaHistory]

Again thank you all for your support. As always, feedback is very much welcome!

[amak]

Philip also sent another message:"Would you like me to enter your lands as a friend or foe?" The spartans answered another one word response:"Neither."

[cecemelz]

“He who sweats more in training, bleeds less in War” - The old Spartan Warrior Mantra

[TBStudios]

My favourite:
An old man went to the Olympics and begged the Athenians for a seat but no one moved. He then went to the Thracians, then the Corinthians, always ignored. When he approached the Spartans, they all rose and watched the game standing, the old man being the only one seated.
After the game, one Spartan said: "Every Greek knows what's right, only the Spartans do it"

[bantakkor]

"The Spartans do not ask how many the enemies are but where they are." Agis II (427 - 401 BC)

[theghostofspookwagen]

Surprised this didn't make it in:

"Who is the greatest man in all of Sparta?"
"The one least like you."

[Alopex]

One of my favourites:

A young Spartan warrior complains that his sword (encheiridion) is too short to reach his enemies. His mother simply says: "Then add a step to it."

[Rickyrab]

The Spartans would've done pretty well on Twitter.

[wixolotus]

"we are the only ones who give birth to men" roasting people before it was cool

[annalieff-saxby]

Another "Laconism" I've heard of is Sparta's response to an extremely long-winded, but beautifully phrased, Athenian proposal of alliance.
The reply was: "No".

[xavierreichel]

"If I enter Laconia, you will be destroyed, never to rise again!"
*_"If."_*

[MasterofOssus]

You missed my personal favorites:

When asked why the Spartans give such small gifts to the gods, the reply was, "That is so we always have something to give."

Also, at Thermopylae, Leonidas needed a messenger to bring news of their impending defeat back to Sparta. The first two Spartans refused, preferring to die in the field with Leonidas. The third replied, "But, sire, if I stay, then the news will be better."

[OddityDK]

“Forever immortalized”. So much better than being temporarily immortalized.

[stevenkramer]

Alexander: Skip Sparta and conquer the whole Asia.
10/10 Genius.

[aceofspadesguy]

“If” and “nuts” are perhaps the two most savage responses to ultimatums in history.

[CaliStyle]

"You mind telling me what you're doing on that ship"
"Sir, finishing this fight"

[duewhat]

Spartans may have had a bit of an ego, but they were the epitome of warriors and they backed that ego until death.

[moodylad]

*Legends say that the persians are still falling through that hole to get Earth and Water*

[nysp]

My favorite Spartan one liner is one that historians debate if it actually happened. The Greek Xiphos was the most common sword in Greece at the time and the one that the Spartans used was known to be smaller than the average of its day. One day an Athenian soldier asked a Spartan "why don't you use longer swords?" To which the Spartan replied " its long enough to reach your heart."

[marvelfangirl]

*"We are the only ones who give birth to men."*
So... epic.