100th Anniversary Edition. Theras was a young boy of Athens, who led an idyllic life as he began school at age seven. Several years later, under dire circumstances, Theras was left with no other choice than to leave his beloved Athens and live under the protection of a distant relative in the rival city of Sparta. While lodging in the Spartan barracks, Theras honed his athletic and military skills alongside the other boys. But after seeing the Spartans' callous disregard for human life, he made plans to leave with his new friend Abas, a Perioikoi shepherd boy. Together they fought their way toward Athens, across many dangerous miles of rugged Greek terrain, constantly on the run from Spartan soldiers and those who would sell them into slavery. Unabridged.