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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why is Xerxes warned about the story of the Spartans?

2. What punishment do Alexandros and Xeones receive?

3. What is the name of the city-state where Xeones is from?

4. What does Leonidas do after the Antirhion king surrenders?

5. Why does Diomache feel that no man will want her?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the outcome of the battle?

2. Why does Xerxes want to hear about the Spartans?

3. What is the concern of the lady Paraleio, Alexandros' mother?

4. Why does the author jump from place to place in the story?

5. When the Spartans realize that the boys followed them, what is the punishment that Xeones must endure?

6. Why do the Spartans punish their young boys by whipping them?

7. What does the lady Arete reveal to Xeones?

8. Why does Xerxes become impatient with Xeones?

9. Describe the Spartan line formation.

10. How does Xeones come to be in the Persian camp?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is an all-sire unit? Explain what it means to be an all-sire unit. What would it be like to be a member of one of these units? Compare the Spartan all-sire units with similar units of other civilizations and times.

Essay Topic 2

1. In ancient Sparta, as well as today, soldiers are trained by simulating real battle conditions. During these training exercises, soldiers can undergo severe physical and mental stress, and can actually die from the training, or in training accidents. What other disadvantages might there be to of such training methods? What are the benefits?

2. How are the training methods of the ancient Spartans like the methods used my most of the world today? How are they different?

Essay Topic 3

What causes Leonidas to offer freedom to the helots, and allow anyone who does not want to stand and die the opportunity to leave? Why do he and his men remain to fight the Persians, knowing that they will die? What are some reasons that so many of them leave? Does leaving the field of battle, knowing that they can not win and will die, make all of the men who leave cowards? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 755 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample