Sparta is a city in southern Greece. In antiquity it was a Dorian Greek militarist state, whose territory included Laconia and Messenia, dominating over Peloponnese. During the classical age of Greece, it had the most powerful Greek army. The modern town is situated some kilometres away from the ancient site. Technically, 'Sparta' was the name of the ancient town; Lacedaemon, (Greek Λακεδαίμων), was the wider city-state. Sparta is now normally used for both. The Spartans were believed to be the descendants of Heracles. The city of Sparta lies at the southern end of the central Laconian plain, on the right bank of the river Eurotas.