Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise Laconic (adj) Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise

300 Why did all the Spartan soldiers in the movie 300 carry shields with a triangle on them?

Sparta Sparta was a city-state in ancient Greece renowned for its emphasis on the role of the warrior in society. The Spartan name for their own country wasn’t “Sparta,” but “Lacedaemon.” They called themselves “Laconians.”

In Greek, Lacedaemon is spelled Λακεδαίμονα. The “triangle” on the Spartan shield is actually a lambda (a Greek “L”) the first letter of the name of their homeland.

So, what does being Spartan (i. e So, what does being Spartan (i.e. Laconic) have to do with being “terse or concise”? Is this comment “brief and to the point.” Is Leonidas’ response to the Persian demand to lay down their weapons “concise and terse”? In other words, Spartans don’t talk too much. They let their actions speak for them. They are laconic.