A closer look
Toxic masculinity in Ancient Greece came with an incredibly rigorous beauty routine. Spartans were terrifying, bloodthirsty warriors, but they were also incredibly vain about their long, luxurious hair. Before the Battle of Thermopylae, a Persian scout reported back to King Xerxes that the Spartans were sitting around calmly brushing and braiding their hair. Xerxes thought it was a joke, but it was basically their version of getting ready for the club—except the club was a slaughterhouse.
