On the east side of Sparta, near the river Evrotas, lies one of the city's most important sanctuaries. Worship began here in the 9th century BC, first of an old goddess called Orthia and later of Artemis.
This was where young Spartans were tested during their hard training, the agoge – including the famous ritual whipping at the altar. In Roman times the ritual became a show, and a theatre was built around the temple for spectators. Excavations found clay masks and thousands of small lead figures, now in museums.