There's a recurring character in my books named Telamon, a mercenary of ancient days. Telamon doesn't say much. He rarely gets hurt or wounded. And he never seems to age. His view of the profession of arms is a lot like my conception of art and the artist: I believe in the Muse. I think she guides writers absolutely. Of characters I knew I must have Dienekes, he was historical and central. From him came Xeo, his squire, the narrator and point of view. Next Dienekes must have a wife to give us that side of the tale, so … Arete. I believe that a story must have a theme, that one central character must embody that theme and that the supporting characters surround him, like a constellation, each embodying another aspect of the theme. In this case it was fear/courage. So Polynikes represented one aspect, Alexandros another, Rooster another, Leonidas another, and the women Paraleia and Arete two more. They all came along in the writing by themselves.

a b Galer, Sophia Smith (10 January 2022). "The 'Gates of Hell' Could be Closed After Blazing for 50 Years". VICE.This is probably the best account of Thermopylae out there. The battle comes to life in a way only the best novels can achieve. The brotherhood formed by combat is really pushed here and characters who s Suffice it to say that Gates of Fire has become one of the best escapism experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Don’t let the tragedy stop you from reading this book, because beneath the gores and battle, the nature of this book was hopeful and inspiring. There were myriads of incredibly positive messages in this book and I’ll definitely let them become a part of me as I move forward in my life. In Sparta, the army was supported by the perioikoi and helots. Some of those helots were forced into supporting roles, but what led to the mentality of the character Rooster in the book? What actions shaped his perception of Sparta?

In Sparta, Xeones is put to work among the helots (the Spartan slave class), and meets Dekton (“Rooster”). Xeones’s crippled hands keep him from being a good field hand, so he is eventually assigned as a sparring partner to Alexandros, a pupil of Dienekes, one of Sparta’s most famous and admired warriors.These are significant issues and, although not really ruinous to the book as a whole, they don’t exactly bode well. Some time after this, Alexandros and Xeo follow the Spartans to a minor battle against another Greek city-state, Antirhion. In the course of their journey, they’re forced to swim across a huge strait. Their survival cements their friendship and hardens Alexandros’s courage. Both boys witness the Spartans in battle for the first time and see Leonidas’s brotherly leadership as he tells the Spartans that soon they will face a much greater foe: the Persians. In what actions do you set the example? What could you do to set a higher standard for your unit based solely off of your actions (not words)? From 2nd Battalion/6th Marines, which calls itself "the Spartans," to ODA 316 of the Special Forces, whose forearms are tattooed with the lambda of Lakedaemon, today's young warriors find a bond to their ancient precursors in the historical narratives of these novels.