Chronicles the rise and fall of one of the most extreme civilizations the world has ever seen, a civilization originally founded on discipline, sacrifice, and frugality, where the onus was put on the collective and the goal was to create the "perfect" state and the "perfect" warrior. Classical historian Bettany hughes revals the secrets and complexities of everyday Spartan life: homosexuality was compulsory, money was outlawed, equality was enforced,...

"On a cold night, at the outskirts of a peasant village, two Spartan youths wait to perform an ancient rite of passage. A family -- father, mother, and their son -- approaches, unarmed and defenseless. The young men step into the moonlight and claim their manhood by killing the adults. The boy escapes. The Spartans have no idea how terrible an enemy they have called forth. Nothing could have prepared them for the boy, Protos, whose name means "destined,"...

The second in a graphic novel series detailing the events of the mythological Trojan War, this volume tells of Helen's arrival in Troy, Kassandra's prediction of doom, the relationship that shapes Achilles' destiny, and Agamemnon's choice to sacrifice his daughter.