Learn English – What “Extravagant culture” could be used as an antonym to “Spartan”

adjectivesantonyms

"Spartan" is an adjective derived from Sparta, an ancient Greek city-state famous for its austerity. The adjective is used today to mean basic and minimal. I'm looking for an antonym, i.e. a culture that implies ornate luxury. The antonyms I'm finding are words like "opulent" or "embellished", which aren't based on a culture or place. Is there an adjective based on a culture or place that implies the opposite of Spartan?

Best Answer

"Spartan" is obviously a reference to the city of Sparta; if you want an antonym that keeps the geographical atmosphere, then I think sybaritic is the word you're looking for:

  • pertaining to or characteristic of a sybarite; characterized by or loving luxury or sensuous pleasure

  • of, relating to, or characteristic of Sybaris or its inhabitants.

Sybaris (Ancient Greek: Σύβαρις; Italian: Sibari) was an important city of Magna Graecia. It was situated on the Gulf of Taranto between two rivers, the Crathis (Crati) and the Sybaris (Coscile).

The city was founded in 720 BC by Achaean and Troezenian settlers. Sybaris amassed great wealth thanks to its fertile land and busy port. Its inhabitants became famous among the Greeks for their hedonism, feasts, and excesses, to the extent that "sybarite" and "sybaritic" have become bywords for opulent luxury and outrageous pleasure-seeking.

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