During the 10th century BC the Spartans settled in Laconia. Instead of establishing colonies like other Greek city-states, the Spartans conquered nearby Messenia. They subjugated the population of Messenia and called them Helots. This led to a Helot revolt that took Sparta twenty years to quell. Therefore, according to the laws of Lycurgus, a military state was formed. Sparta was a unique city-state because it had no walls. The strong Spartan army and warrior society eliminated the need for a wall. The citizens of Sparta were very different from those of a non-military state. Women in Sparta produced vigorous children and were treated with respect by men. When Spartan women were children, they had to exercise with boys and participate in frequent athletic competitions to have healthier children. This was based on the philosophy that if both parents were strong, then the child born to them would be stronger. Spartan women during this period received more status and freedom than women from other city-states. The women's husband worked as a professional soldier. The men lived in barracks according to division and company. They slept on beds made from the tops of the reeds that grew on the banks of the river. Only one garment was worn year-round and men were not allowed to bathe. They lived in barracks with occasional overnight leaves for their wedding night and to conceive children. The men visited their wives briefly before returning to the barracks to sleep. Boys conceived by men were subjected to strict discipline. Newborns were examined by a commission of inspectors and if deemed weak or deformed they were thrown off a cliff. At the age of seven they began their education. From the age of thirteen... middle of paper... from other Greek city-states and removed the need for a wall because the army was very strong and they were a warrior society. Strict enforcement of rules and training of young boys strengthened the military state. The Spartans were a warrior society, but they were reluctant to fight. Works Cited Beck, Sanderson. Ethics of Greek culture: Spartan military laws. http://www.san.beck.org/EC18-Greekto500.html. Cobbold, G. B. Hellas: a brief history of classical Greek civilization and its predecessors. Concord, Massachusetts: Wayside Publishing, 1999. Print.Conrad, Carl W. “Spartan Conquest of Messenia.” Great events in history: the ancient world, prehistory-476 AD Ed. Mark W. Chavalas. 2 vols. Salem Press, 2004. Salem History Web. 05 November 2013.Plutarch, Moralia.Spielvogel, Jackson J. World History, Glencoe 2010Xenophon, The Government of the Spartans.