It depends on the city and time.In Ancient Sparta, a war-based community, boys were trained as soldiers as soon they could walk, and it was a great honor and duty to become a great soldier. War was often for Sparta and training was intense and painful. Death in battle was seen as a great honor.In Ancient Athens, a much more art-based culture, war was still common. The battle of Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis between Persia, Sparta and Athens are some famous battles.Ancient Mycenae and Troy fought the famous Trojan War.