Sparta 

"In Sparta, the landed artistocracy retained their power, and the constitution of Lycurgus (about 650) entrenched their power and gave Sparta a permanent militarist regime under a dual monarchy. Sparta dominated the other cities of the Peloponnese, and formed alliances with Corinth and Thebes."

No discussion of Spartan historical development can be made without reference to the conquest of the Messenians and the system of helotry. Someone, find a way to work this in!