Abstract: “In 479 BCE, under the leadership of Sparta, the united Greek army defeated the massive invading armed force of the powerful Persian empire. Yet, in the course of two centuries, the once mighty state of Sparta experienced a dramatic downfall of its power due to a sharp population decline. By 245 BCE, full-citizens of Sparta numbered less than seven hundred. The aim of this study is to examine how the shortage of manpower could have been averted by instituting radical social changes promoting social advancement. The extent of the demographic collapse of Sparta is indirectly assessed by examining data from various historical sources about the size of the Spartan army in the course of time. Using mathematical modelling, a curve approximating the time series of the number of Spartiate soldiers is fitted. This model allows us to design a social reform program which, if implemented, would maintain the military power of Sparta. The policy suggested would initiate upward social mobility and int”

Keywords: Historical demography, Population ageing, Replacement migration, Ancient Greek history.