Re: Sparta, I think a lot of people were and are in denial about the Helotes and had/have no deeper knowledge of the Spartans than "Termophylae fuck yeah! They died for Greek liberty! Tough Warriors! Women were into athletics, too!" Not to mention that being into the Spartans in the pre Revolutionary 18th century was often a way to present yourself as a rebel against the ancient regime Rokoko pomp (which gets inevitably coded as Athenian).