▁coinc ides ▁with ▁the ▁innov ation ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁alphabet ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁Pho en ician ▁alphabet . ▁ ▁Gen esis ▁of ▁the ▁constitution ▁ ▁Her odot us ' ▁version ▁According ▁to ▁Her odot us , ▁at ▁some ▁time ▁before ▁the ▁reign s ▁of ▁Leon ▁of ▁Spart a ▁and ▁Ag as icles , ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁" had ▁been ▁the ▁very ▁worst ▁govern ed ▁people ▁in ▁Greece ." ▁Ly c urg us , ▁" a ▁man ▁of ▁distinction ▁among ▁the ▁Spart ans ," ▁decided ▁to ▁ask ▁advice ▁of ▁the ▁Del ph ic ▁oracle . ▁On ▁reaching ▁the ▁inner ▁san ct um ▁of ▁the ▁temple , ▁he ▁heard : ▁ ▁There up on ▁the ▁oracle ▁delivered ▁the ▁entire ▁constitution ▁of ▁Spart a , ▁which ▁Ly c urg us ▁took ▁back ▁and ▁implemented . ▁But , ▁says ▁Her odot us , ▁the ▁Lac eda em oni ans ▁tell ▁a ▁different ▁story . ▁Ly c urg us ▁while ▁reg ent ▁for ▁his ▁nep hew , ▁Lab ot as , ▁seized ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁new ▁state . ▁Im it ating ▁custom s ▁he ▁found ▁in ▁Dor ian ▁Cre te ▁he ▁innov ated ▁the ▁Ger ous ia , ▁the ▁E ph or ate , ▁the ▁En om ot iae , ▁the ▁Tri ac ades ▁and ▁the ▁Sy ss it ia . ▁Her odot us ▁does ▁not ▁mention ▁the ▁oracle ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁report . ▁ ▁The ▁associated ▁k ings ▁offer ▁a ▁rough ▁date ▁for ▁the ▁gen esis ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Rh etra . ▁Her odot us