In 480 BC, Spartan and Greek soldiers challenged and battled with a two million man Persian force at Thermopylae. This legendary battle between a small group of disciplined and devoted soldiers against impossible odds has been told throughout the generations, but never so clearly and insightfully than through Steven Pressfield’s novel Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of Thermopylae. Through the eyes of Xeones, a battle squire captured after the battle, the reader is immersed in the lives of Spartan soldiers, revealing an unprecedented view of the discipline, values, and lives those soldier led. Through this epic narrative, Pressfield outlines the importance of loyalty to others and self-discipline in building up soldiers and a superior military
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As a nine-year old boy, Xeones lost his city-state to an invading force, and after escaping with his cousin and an old slave, Xeones decides to take leave and resettle in Sparta (Lacedaemon). The Spartans take the boy and assign him to an apprentice soldier named Alexandros, who he serves as a battle squire. Through the stories of his, Alexandros’, and other Spartan’s struggles and experiences, Xeones richly describes the harsh nature of the Spartan military and the daily lives of the infantryman. In addition, through his rich account of the battle of Thermopylae and previous battles he witnessed, Xenoes shows the unbreakable bonds that develop between soldiers, and the discipline and devotion soldiers possess that enables them to make the ultimate sacrifice. This epic novel is an extraordinary and incisive tale of leadership and soldier life that clearly outlines the values and moral compass every soldier should …show more content…
Through his epic narrative, Pressfield outlines the core values of individual soldiers: loyalty to others and discipline. Without these values, the Spartans would have experienced swift defeat at Thermopylae, and not have produced some of the finest warriors the world has seen. Pressfield’s work, although mostly fiction, which deprives the reader from truly experiencing the real nature of Lacedaemon and the Spartans, is a great read for aspiring leaders. The core tenants that Spartans embodied are present in this book, and through his fictitious scenario, Pressfield creates a great case study for future leaders to follow. The emphasis on serving others through devotion to bettering oneself and selfless service carry a powerful message to the reader, emphasizing that achieving the impossible begins with a strong base of morality and values. This novel is an exceptional model of leadership, and through the story of the Spartans, what seems impossible to achieve becomes almost impossible to not accomplish when one embodies the lessons of the
As a nine-year old boy, Xeones lost his city-state to an invading force, and after escaping with his cousin and an old slave, Xeones decides to take leave and resettle in Sparta (Lacedaemon). The Spartans take the boy and assign him to an apprentice soldier named Alexandros, who he serves as a battle squire. Through the stories of his, Alexandros’, and other Spartan’s struggles and experiences, Xeones richly describes the harsh nature of the Spartan military and the daily lives of the infantryman. In addition, through his rich account of the battle of Thermopylae and previous battles he witnessed, Xenoes shows the unbreakable bonds that develop between soldiers, and the discipline and devotion soldiers possess that enables them to make the ultimate sacrifice. This epic novel is an extraordinary and incisive tale of leadership and soldier life that clearly outlines the values and moral compass every soldier should …show more content…
Through his epic narrative, Pressfield outlines the core values of individual soldiers: loyalty to others and discipline. Without these values, the Spartans would have experienced swift defeat at Thermopylae, and not have produced some of the finest warriors the world has seen. Pressfield’s work, although mostly fiction, which deprives the reader from truly experiencing the real nature of Lacedaemon and the Spartans, is a great read for aspiring leaders. The core tenants that Spartans embodied are present in this book, and through his fictitious scenario, Pressfield creates a great case study for future leaders to follow. The emphasis on serving others through devotion to bettering oneself and selfless service carry a powerful message to the reader, emphasizing that achieving the impossible begins with a strong base of morality and values. This novel is an exceptional model of leadership, and through the story of the Spartans, what seems impossible to achieve becomes almost impossible to not accomplish when one embodies the lessons of the