The Book of DieselThe Light Before the Gospel“At supper Dātam refused the shared bread. Themistocles said, “I defended my city.” Dātam answered, “And my brother obeyed his king. History has trained both of us to use duty as a shield against the face of the dead.””
The Book of Diesel · Gospel Threshold Edition v4.5
Historically anchoredThe setting or public event is documented; dialogue, motives, and recurring characters are invented.
Ancient sources report that Themistocles, the Athenian statesman associated with the Greek victory at Salamis, fled Greek enemies and received refuge from Artaxerxes I, son of Xerxes. He later governed cities in Asia Minor under Persian authority.
Themistocles and Artaxerxes I are historical. Dātam, the veterans’ supper, and the conversations about asylum and revenge are fictional.