New reprint of 1924 novel by Caroline Dale Snedeker, including all original text. Grades 5+.
Young Theras, born an Athenian, is taken to Sparta by a relative when his father is lost at war. He is forced to live like a Spartan, a brutal life with no pity for those who are not physically perfect and totally obedient to Spartan control. After enduring rigorous training and repeated cruel incidents, he escapes with a Perioikoi boy and heads for his beloved Athens. Here is the story of a hard and dangerous journey with Snedeker's amazing historical accuracy. Caroline Dale Snedeker, twice a Newbery Honor winner, captures the authentic flavor of ancient Greek culture in a story of adventure and excitement that fully illustrates the differences between the Athenian and Spartan cultures.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Historic Novel for Kids,
By Mother of 9 (Northeastern PA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Theras and His Town (Paperback)
This book is set in ancient Greece, in two towns, Athens and Sparta. Athens is a beautiful city, with fine art, architecture, and music. Sparta is a small town with unadorned buildings, little art, and no music. In the beginning of the book, Theras, a young Athenian boy, lives a happy childhood with his family in Athens. He goes to school, where he learns to write and sing, and does athletics every day. One day Theras' father, Pheidon, is called to war far away from Athens, and he departs, leaving his family behind. Everything is fine for a few weeks, until they receive a distressing message from cousin Metion that Pheidon is lost at war. Theras' mother is forced to sell the house, and Theras is sent to Sparta to live with a distant relative.
In Sparta, Theras is made to live as a Spartan boy, separated from his parents, and trained as a soldier. After a year of this life, Theras wishes urgently to go home and live his old Athenian life. Eventually, Theras flees from Sparta with another boy, Abas, who also wishes to go. Theras and Abas must then endure many perils in the wilderness road to Athens, just to be free. Theras and His Town is excellent. This book has suspense and excitement aplenty, with difficulties for Theras, who is brave and loyal. The book also has plenty of historic information about Greece, Athens, and Sparta. (This book review was written by a 6th grade, 11 year old Calvert School student, and published by his Mom.)
5.0 out of 5 stars
good insight into daily life of ancient Greece,
This review is from: Theras and His Town (Paperback)
Theras is a young boy who lives in fifth century B. C. Athens, Greece, with his parents, father Pheidon, a wealthy businessman and civic leader, and mother Arethusa, two little sisters Aglaia and Opis, and the household servants including his pedagogue Lampon and old nurse Gorgo. As the book opens, Theras has just turned seven and will be going to school. He loves his city and, of course, has all the rights, privileges, and freedoms of being a born Athenian. One day some three years later, he wanders off, is captured by the "friendly" toy maker from whom he'd bought a ball, and is being taken in a boat to Chios to be sold as a slave, but his father arrives in one of his ships to rescue him.
About a year after this, Pheidon must go with the Athenians to fight against Samos. A few weeks later, a cousin of Pheidon's named Metion comes with the news that Pheidon's ship has been sunk and he is presumed dead. As the nearest living relative, the greedy Metion arranges to sell Pheidon's house and send Theras to Sparta to be the adopted son of Hippias, the cousin of Metion's mother. There he is forced to become like a Spartan, living a brutal life with no pity for those who are not physically perfect and totally obedient to Spartan control. Yet he never loses his love for Athens. He makes friends with a Periokoi boy named Abas, whose family believes that he will probably be killed by the Spartans when he is older. After witnessing what he thought was the senseless death of another friend Drako during the simulated battle at the Platanistos festival, Theras resolves to escape with Abas and return to Athens. With the Spartans after them and robbers abounding in the wilderness, will the two boys ever make it? Caroline Dale Snedeker (1871-1956) was the author of fine historical fiction stories for children, most of which were set in ancient Greece and Rome. She won a Newbery honor twice, in 1928 for Downright Dencey, and in 1934 for The Forgotten Daughter. For those studying ancient Greece, Theras and His Town provides a great descriptions for children of daily life in both Athens and Sparta, including going to school, how people dressed, what they ate, etc. And there is a surprise appearance by a famous Greek historian! Some might object to the emphasis on worshipping the pagan Greek gods, but this kind of religion was an important part of ancient Greek life, and good historical fiction will incorporate such things. Besides, Mrs. Snedeker makes some comments which I believe show the superiority of Christianity over the superstitions of the ancient Greeks. Books like this used to be used in public and private schools to provide insight into Greek and Roman culture as a foundation for our Western civilization. Thanks to American Home School Publishing, they are available for homeschool families today.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Review by my 8th-Grader,
By
This review is from: Theras and His Town (Paperback)
Will young Theras ever get back to his heavenly home of Athens, alive?
This book is about an Athenian boy named Theras. His daily life is the life most children could only dream of. Then one day his father went to battle, while Theras was unfairly taken to Sparta by a family member after his father was assumed dead. It was in Sparta where Theras did the bravest and most daring task ever! To find out what it was, read the exceptional book, Theras and His Town. Do you think he made it home in one piece?
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