The Spartans – muscle-bound, fearless warriors from ancient Greece – were renowned for their nearly invincible army and unrivalled fighting skills using long spears, swords and round shields crafted from bronze and wood have captured the imagination for centuries. The myths surrounding Sparta and its warrior society are as old as the city itself. Reputedly founded in the 9th century BC, it was co-ruled by two kings who arbitrated in times of war. Upon its victory over the rival city-state of Athens in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), Sparta emerged as the most powerful state in Greece. The verso depicts “The Return of Helen on a Quadriga”. A scene from a well-known tale by the author Homer.