My Life as a Spartan

1150 Words5 Pages
My name is Septimus. I am a 31 year old soldier in the Spartan army. I am married to my wife Roxana. We have three children, two boys and a girl. My wife recently gave birth to another boy but he was ill and taken away and left to die by the state. We will try to have another child soon. My eldest boy is six and will be taken off to school next year. He will be groomed for the army like his father and grandfather before him. Last year I moved from the barracks with the other men to my home with my wife and children. My wife keeps the home and herself in good shape. She likes to play athletic games with the other soldier’s wives. She is one of the best runners out of all of them. With myself and her being so strong it gives me assurance my children will be the same. It has been a change being in the home with my family since I have been in barracks since joining the army at the age of twenty. I enjoy being in the army. It gives me a great sense of pride being part of something bigger than myself. I fight to keep the polis of Sparta strong and unified. I joined the army in 480 B.C.E. at the age of twenty. I was thrust into battle almost immediately upon entering. The Persians were attacking Athens and we were sent to help Athens defeat them. My first real encounter with battle happened at Plataea where we defeated the Persians. We forced them to retreat and declared it a victory. We lost many men but not a tear was shed for them because they died doing what they were born and raised to do. They will be remembered as brave and strong soldiers. I believe it is the gods will for me to be a soldier. I often pray to Zeus, the father of the gods. Without him we wouldn’t have any of the other gods. Next year I will travel to Olympus to honor Zeus by competing in the athletic games. I am one of the best at the foot races but my age and battle injuries are starting to
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