Ancient Greece - Peloponnesian War

The Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia was one of the most significant religious sites in Sparta, dedicated to the goddess Artemis. It was famous for the rituals conducted there, particularly the brutal initiation rites for young Spartan boys, in which they were whipped as part of their passage into adulthood. The sanctuary played a key role in Spartan religious and military life, emphasizing Spartan values of endurance, discipline, and toughness. During the Peloponnesian War, it was also a place where Spartans would pray for victory in battle.

An expansive open-air sanctuary surrounded by massive stone columns, with a life-sized statue of Artemis adorned in flowing robes, and the ground littered with the remains of ancient offerings, beneath a brooding sky