Dr. Owen Rees

and pointing to the sacred band.

And then you're like, well, what makes them special compared to the 300 bodyguards of the Spartans who they're quite clearly modeled on?

How can they be better than them?

How can that be explained?

Well, then let's go into this almost theoretical superior morale building relationships.

The idea being that you would fight stronger and harder and longer for the loved one next to you than like a friend next to you.

is the sort of idea.

And then perhaps that would explain how the great Spartans could be defeated.

So yeah, part of those narratives as well.

Only because the Spartans refused to do the same.

They were told, we won't do that, but if we are going to do that, you can't sign for any of the Laconian or Myrcenean cities either, which of course is the Spartan territory.

And Gezalaios, him again, went, no.

That's supposed to be a quote of Epaminondas himself.

If you follow the story of Agiselaus, he's very good at avoiding things.

He's an amazing ancient historical figure.

So at this point, he's getting old.

He's not well, is he?

Yeah, he's still ill as well.

And he's got to be, I mean, we're nearly 30 years away from now getting to the throne.

So he's like 70.