How One Missed Dinner Could Ruin a Spartan

In ancient Sparta, dinner was not just a meal. It was a duty to the state. Every Spartan man was expected to eat in communal mess halls with his fellow soldiers every night, even if he had a wife and family waiting at home. Miss too many meals, or fail to contribute your share, and you could lose something far more valuable than food: your status as a full Spartan citizen. In Sparta, even dinner belonged to the army.