A little off topic but I've always been surprised at the HUGE difference between the Spartans (glorified in the film "300") and the Athenians. The Athenians had democracy, the Spartans had an EXTREMELY ordered (and conformist) society. While it's easy to be uncomfortable about Spartan society now (extreme xenophobia and always fearful of an all consuming slave uprising by the Helots), it is worthwhile to keep in mind that they DID try to create an "ideal" society through the very draconian and sparse social system laid down by Lycurgus.
Sorry for the History geek talk... I majored in History and I can't get enough of this stuff.:anon.sml: