or, as it was often called, LACONICA or LACEDERMONS, a country of ancient Greece, was bounded on the N. by Arcadia and Argolis, W. by Messenia and the Messenian Gulf, and S. and E. by the Mediterranean. Its extreme length from the Arcadian frontier to Cape Taenarum is nearly 80 miles; its greatest breadth is about 50 miles. The total area is computed at 1896 square miles. Two great mountain ranges, traversing the whole country from N. to S. parallel to each other, occupy by far the larger portion of the surface. The eastern range, rising in the district of Thyreates and terminating in Cape Malea, was called Parnon; the western, an offshoot of the great mountain system of Arcadia, and ending in Cape Taenarum or Matapan, was called Taygetus. The former of these is not so much a continuous range as a series of mountains, sometimes isolated and sometimes in groups. The height specially known as Parnon (now called Malevo) touched the confines of Argolis and Arcadia. Its elevation is now ascertained to be 6355 feet. The eastern slope of this range sinks down gradually into the plain, and sends off spurs of hills and gentle rising grounds towards the sea. Its western declivity is much more bold and precipitous. Proceeding southwards, the highest peaks of Parnon are known under the special names of Barbosthene, Olympus, Ossa, Thronax, and Menelaion. None of these, however, is remarkable either for height or picturesqueness of outline. In the southern half of the chain, the most remarkable group is that of Zarax, of which the highest point is about 3500 feet above the sea. In striking contrast to Parnon is Taygetus, whose splendid masses are as much admired in modern as in ancient times. The classics, both Greek and Roman, abound in allusions to its height, its imposing outline, and the savage grandeur of its scenery. Among modern travellers, Colonel More admits, "that, whether from its real height, from the grandeur of its outline, or the abruptness of its rise from the plain, it created in his mind a stronger impression of bulk and loftiness than any mountain he had seen in Greece, or perhaps in any other part of Europe." The highest peak of Taygetus, which reached an elevation of 7902 feet, overlooked the city of Sparta. In antiquity it was called Taletum, and was sacred to the sun. Its modern name is St Elias. Five miles S. of it was Evoras, now called Paximadhi, the highest point of the range after Taletum. From this point diverges, in a nearly parallel line, a range of lower hills called Lycobuni, or Wolf's Mountain, which form the southern boundary of the Spartan plain. The southern extremity of the Taygetus, terminating in Cape Taenarum, was the country of the Maniates, who retained their independence after the rest of Greece had been subdued by the Turks. Taygetus was held sacred to Diana, probably from the fact that its great pine-forests harboured immense quantities of game, and were the favourite hunting-ground of the Spartan youth. It was rich in marble, green porphyry, and iron, all (especially the latter) of excellent quality, and extensively used by the Romans as well as the Greeks. The country enclosed between the great ranges of Parnon and Taygetus was the basin of the Eurotas, now the Basil-potamos. This river, rising on the frontier of Arcadia, flows in a nearly due south course into the Laconic Gulf, opposite the island of Cythera. The upper part of its course is through a deep and narrow valley, which, a little way below the capital, expands into what was known as the Spartan plain. At Gênos the valley again contracts, but farther down it widens out into the maritime plain, or plain of Helos (as it was called, from the town of Helos on the shore), and escapes through marshes and sandbanks into the sea. (See Eurotas.) The general aspect of Laconia was well described by Euripides, who called it "hollow, begirt with mountains, rugged, and difficult of access to an enemy." There were, in fact, only two ways (both of them very difficult) by which Laconia could be invaded. One of these led from Southern Arcadia, by Stenyclaris, into the upper valley of the Eurotas. The other lay through a pass of Parnon formed by the valley of the small river Gênos. Both of these passes debouched upon the Spartan plain close to the capital. On the west the great mass of Taygetus presented an insurmountable rampart against a foe. The sea-board was devoid of harbours, and the navigation of the Laconian Gulf was so difficult that no ships could approach the shore. The entrance to the gulf was guarded, moreover, by the island of Cythera, and by the naval station of Gythium on the opposite coast. The soil of Laconia cannot vie with the rich lands of the Messenian plain. Euripides describes it as "possessing much arable land, but difficult to work." This account agrees with that of Colonel Leake, who says that the soil is in general a poor mixture of white clay and stones, difficult to plough, and better suited to olives than corn. The olives of the Spartan plain are at this day preferred to those of Athens; while the silk grown there is the best in Greece. The climate, except on the sea-coast, where the swamps engender the malaria, is excellent, and the inhabitants are taller, healthier, and stronger than any of the other Greeks. Though there are no traces of any volcanic action in the country, it has suffered severely at different times from earthquakes. The most terrible of these was that of B.C. 464, in which enormous masses of rock were rolled down from the top of Taygetus. The city of Sparta was laid in ruins, five houses only remaining uninjured, and more than twenty thousand citizens were killed.

Laconia, which at one time, according to Strabo, contained a hundred cities, had in his day no more than thirty, and of these few but the capital were of any importance. In the Spartan plain the most prominent besides Sparta were Amyclae and Pharis, both on rising grounds near the Eurotas, and not far from each other. The most ancient of these was Amyclae, the old residence of the Achaean kings, and memorable for its numerous and splendid temples. One of these, that of Apollo, was noted as the most sumptuous building in Laconia. Messapæa, Pryseæ, and Harpoleia, were mere villages. In the upper valley of the Eurotas were Pellana, the frontier fortress, Belemna, Tripolis, Ægys, which latter, with its territory, belonged at one time to Arcadia, but at an early period was incorporated with Laconia, and Sellasia, a fortified town commanding the valley of the Oenus. In Southern Laconia, besides Gythium, the naval arsenal of the Spartans, were Croceæ, with famous quarries of marble and porphyry, Helos (see Helos), Asopus or Cyparissia, Nymphæum, Sida, and Epidaurus Limera. The most important of these will be found described under their respective heads. Few of them were other than mere villages.

The original inhabitants of Laconia are said to have been the Leleges, whose first king, Lelex, was succeeded at his death by his son Myles, and he in turn by his son Eurotas, who gave his name to the river that flowed through the Laconian Spartan plain. His daughter Sparta, married Lacedemon son of Jupiter and Taygeta, and the dynasty founded by them kept the throne till a short time before the Trojan War, when Menelaus, having married Helen, the daughter of Tyndareus, the last monarch of the old line, became king of the country. Tisamenus, the grandson of Menelaus, was reigning at Sparta when the Dorians invaded and conquered the Peloponnese, under their kings Procles and Eurytheneus. The conquerors divided Laconia into six districts, to each of which they appointed a chief magistrate with the title of King. It was not, however, till about the middle of the eighth century B.C. that the Spartan Dorians obtained undisputed possession of the whole of Laconia. They had no sooner done so, than they cast a covetous eye on the richer plains of their Messenian kinsmen and neighbours. It was not difficult to pick a quarrel with a people hardly less warlike than themselves. The first Messenian war broke out in B.C. 743, and lasted till B.C. 754; the second, beginning in B.C. 685, and ending in B.C. 668, terminated in the complete subjugation of Messenia. The conquered country was absorbed in that of the victors, and its name does not again occur in history till its independence was restored by Epaminondas. The frontier lands of Laconia on the north, comprising the upper valleys of the Eurotas and Oenus, and the districts of Sciritis, Belemenis, &c., originally belonged to Arcadia. They were finally annexed by the Spartans about B.C. 600, who, however, were never able to push their conquests any further in this direction. For the remaining history of Laconia, see GREECE, SPARTA, &c., &c.

LACONICISM is the name given to a short pithy mode of expression, regarded as characteristic of the natives of Laconia. We have many historical instances of its use among that people amounting even to affectation. Thus, when Philip of Macedon wrote that, "If he entered their territory, he would destroy all before him with fire and sword," they simply returned for answer,—"If." The famous letter of Caesar to the senate, "Veni, vidi, vici," is an example of the laconic style, which is still preserved in armorial devices, monumental inscriptions, proverbs, &c., &c.