'They had not.' Then what was the reason why their legislation signally failed?
For there were three kingdoms, two of them quickly lost their original constitution.

That is a question which we cannot refuse to answer, if we mean to proceed with our old man's game of enquiring into laws and institutions.

And the Dorian institutions are more worthy of consideration than any other, having been evidently intended to be a protection not only to the Peloponnese, but to all the Hellenes against the Barbarians.

For the capture of Troy by the Achaeans had given great offence to the Assyrians, of whose empire it then formed part, and they were likely to retaliate.

Accordingly the royal Heraclid brothers devised their military constitution, which was organised on a far better plan than the old Trojan expedition; and the Dorians themselves were far superior to the Achaeans, who had taken part in that expedition, and had been conquered by them.