A compact biography of the legendary Spartan lawgiver that traces his austere character and the sweeping reforms he imposed to shape Sparta’s martial, communal society: land redistribution, common messes, iron currency, a severe education and training regimen for boys, and institutions that checked royal power. The account mixes anecdotes of his travels and cleverness with discussion of sources, illustrating both his moral aims and the blend of myth and history that surrounds his origin and death, while evaluating the lasting effects of his laws on Spartan discipline and communal order.