Is Valentine's Day just a Hallmark holiday? Amidst all the cards, candy, roses, and jewelry, is there anything of actual substance to this seemingly sappy holiday? Is there any depth of feeling? We at Spartan Armor think there is. We want to zoom out and look at the bigger picture of Valentine's Day this February.

To do that, we need to start during the reign of Claudius II during the late third century.

A Background of Valentine's Day

Emperor Claudius spent much of his two-year reign battling Germanic tribal enemies and trying to take back lost land for Rome. He's even known as Claudius Gothicus for his decisive victory over the Goths in the Battle of Naissus.

Though historical records are sketchy, it's in this context that we encounter Valentinus, for whom the holiday is named. There are varying legends about Valentinus, but he is commonly believed to be a Christian priest and eventual martyr under Claudius' rule.

Some accounts dating to the Middle Ages celebrate Valentinus as having defied Emperor Claudius' order that soldiers were not to marry. Claudius wanted unattached soldiers rather than those weighed down by the distractions of a wife and children. Valentinus was in direct conflict with the emperor’s decree by continuing to officiate weddings.

The most famous legend of all comes just before Valentinus’ execution. Having won the heart of his own jailer's daughter, he signed a note to her "Your Valentine."

Spartan Armor Valentine’s Day BOGO Sale

Now, that's the kind of story with some substance. We’re talking military battles, clashing of powers, forbidden love, and unwavering courage in the face of death. In honor of that sort of holiday, Spartan Armor Systems wants to celebrate with a special BOGO deal.

We’re extending two heart-pounding options to show your love this Valentine’s Day by highlighting our swimmer’s cut steel packages.

Why the Swimmer’s Cut packages? They provide you with all these benefits:

ü  Enhanced mobility

ü  Increased comfort

ü  Decreased weight

ü  Minimal sacrifice in armor coverage

Swimmer’s cut plates are comfortable for both men and women but are a particularly sweet gift for the woman in your life. And for the lady shoppers, this offer works just as well in reverse.

Check out these deals for the week leading up to Valentine’s Day:

Free Swimmers Cut/High Mobility Cut Steel Package

From February 9-11, you can get a free Swimmers Cut/High Mobility Cut steel package when you buy a Sentinel steel package. The Sentinel package includes the Sentinel Swimmers Plate Carrier, which we’ve designed and cut precisely to house our Swimmers Cut Body Armor Plates.

50% Off Swimmers/High Mobility Steel Package

From February 12-14, you can get 50% off a Swimmers Cut/High Mobility Cut steel package when you buy any package. If you're not in the market for the Sentinel deal above, this one allows you to choose any of our other packages.

Conclusion

If you want to give the gift of enduring love this Valentine’s Day, the plates in our steel packages have a shelf life of about 20 years. We’re not saying to skip the roses, but they won’t make it 20 days.

If you’ve been looking to pick something up for yourself, Valentine’s Day is the time to get something for your significant other at the same time. Have a look at our helpful guide for purchasing body armor as a gift for women to get started. Happy Valentine’s Day from Spartan Armor Systems!