A Boy of the Agoge by Helena P Schrader

A Boy of the Agoge by Helena P Schrader

The smaller of twins, born long after two elder brothers, Leonidas was considered an afterthought from birth -- even by his motherLucky not to be killed for being undersized, he was not raised as a prince like his eldest brother, Cleomenes, who was heir to the throne, but instead had to endure the harsh upbringing of ordinary Spartan youthBarefoot, always a little hungry, and subject to harsh discipline, Leonidas had to prove himself worthy of Spartan citizenshipStruggling to survive without disgrace, he never expected that one day he would be king or chosen to command the combined Greek forces fighting a Persian invasionBut these were formative years that would one day make him the most famous Spartan of them all: the hero of Thermopylae

This is the first book in a trilogy of biographical novels about Leonidas of SpartaThis first book describes his childhood in the infamous Spartan agogeThe second will focus on his years as an ordinary citizen, and the third will describe his reign and death

About the Author

Helena PSchrader holds a PhD in history from the University of Hamburg, which she earned with her groundbreaking biography of General Friedrich Olbricht, the mastermind behind the Valkyrie plot against HitlerShe has published four nonfiction works on modern history and has been published in academic journals including Sparta: Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek HistoryHelena has done extensive research on ancient and archaic SpartaShe has combined her research with common sense and a deep understanding of human nature to create a refreshingly unorthodox portrayal of Spartan society in this biographical trilogy of Leonidas, as well as in her three previously published novels, The Olympic Charioteer, Are They Singing in Sparta? and Spartan Slave, Spartan QueenVisit her website at wwwhelena-schradercom or learn more about Sparta from her website Sparta Reconsidered at wwwelysiumgatescom/ helena