The smaller of twins, born long after two elder brothers, Leonidas was considered an afterthought from birth -- even by his mother. Lucky 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 youth. Barefoot, always a little hungry, and subject to harsh discipline, Leonidas had to prove himself worthy of Spartan citizenship. Struggling 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 invasion. But 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 Sparta. This first book describes his childhood in the infamous Spartan agoge. The second will focus on his years as an ordinary citizen, and the third will describe his reign and death.

About the Author

Helena P. Schrader 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 Hitler. She has published four nonfiction works on modern history and has been published in academic journals including Sparta: Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek History. Helena has done extensive research on ancient and archaic Sparta. She 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 Queen. Visit her website at www.helena-schrader.com or learn more about Sparta from her website Sparta Reconsidered at www.elysiumgates.com/ helena.

Author: Helena P. Schrader
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Wheatmark
Published: 09/15/2010
Series: Leonidas of Sparta #1
Pages: 258
Weight: 0.84lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.58d
ISBN: 9781604944747

About the Author
Schrader, Helena P.: - Award-winning novelist Helena P. Schrader has a PhD in history. She has published nonfiction books on the German resistance to Hitler, the Berlin airlift, and women in aviation in World War II. Her novels are set in ancient Sparta, the Crusades, and WWII. Visit her website, helenapschrader.com, for more information and reviews of her publications. Helena is a career diplomat currently serving in Africa. For more about the crusader kingdoms, visit defenderofjerusalem.com or follow her blog: defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com.