What the hell is 300?

[Kabuki_Jo]

What's it all about?

I have never heard or seen this graphic novel by Frank Miller.

[MaskedManJRK]

I believe this is the official Synopsis:

"Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, "300" is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller's (Sin City) acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale."

[Joker]

Yeah, Miller did this after he did the Sin City: The Big Fat Kill storyline...I've never read it but I've heard about it before

[Darthphere]

Great book.

[XwolverineX]

Never read it.

[GoldGoblin]

Are there other stories for sequels?

[Darth Elektra]

Great book, you guys should read it.

No, there really can't be sequels. But Im sure if they wanted to they could.

[GoldGoblin]

Do you think this movie will be 3 hours long?

[Arkady Rossovich]

I never even heard of it,i can imagine this will become a dead forum.

[Darthphere]

I never even heard of it,i can imagine this will become a dead forum.


Yes because youve never heard of it.:rolleyes:

[Dwarf lord]

I never even heard of it,i can imagine this will become a dead forum.

Of all the egotistical things to say. Just because you've never heard of it, means it must not be good or popular? Honestly. You haven't heard of it, therefore you haven't read it and from the sound of it, you have no desire to read it what so ever. In that case, please stay out of this forum so people who do enjoy it or do wish to read it can use it in peace.

[deathshead2]

Its somewhat based on the true story of the spartins that fought and well for the rest read a history book. Plese.

[Darth Elektra]

Do you think this movie will be 3 hours long?

Probably not... Im not to sure though, They'll have to decide.

[Darth Elektra]

Its somewhat based on the true story of the spartins that fought and well for the rest read a history book. Please.


300 really isnt a strictly accurate history. The Phocians did not "scatter," as Miller describes. His Spartans are mildly homophobic, which is goofy in such a gay society. Miller doesn't say how many Greeks remained for the climactic battle--you'd think 300 Spartans and maybe a dozen others, when there were between 700 and 1,100 Greeks. Herodotus's Histories does not identify the traitor Ephialtes as ugly and hunchbacked, or even as Spartan. 300 establishes a believable connection between Ephialtes's affliction and behavior, but his monstrous appearance, King Xerxes's effeminacy, and the Persians' inexplicable pierced-GenX-African looks make for an eyebrow-raising choice of villain imagery. Nonetheless, 300 is a brilliant dramatization.

I quoted some dude of another site,so im not totally sure if its completly true.

[Hellion]

I know of it...can't wait.

[C. Lee]

What's it all about?

I have never heard or seen this graphic novel by Frank Miller.
You could also read any ancient history book or watch the movie made in the 60's called "300 Spartans" starring Richard Egan.

[Darth Elektra]

Yea, 300 Hundred Spartans was a good old film.

[TheElderOne]

I've heard of this. Once in school, and again in the film Last Samurai. Looks to be very interesting.

[MaskedManJRK]

I've heard of this. Once in school, and again in the film Last Samurai. Looks to be very interesting.

It's also mentioned in the book version of Frank Miller's Sin City: The Big Fat Kill.

[kytrigger]

300 really isnt a strictly accurate history. The Phocians did not "scatter," as Miller describes. His Spartans are mildly homophobic, which is goofy in such a gay society. Miller doesn't say how many Greeks remained for the climactic battle--you'd think 300 Spartans and maybe a dozen others, when there were between 700 and 1,100 Greeks. Herodotus's Histories does not identify the traitor Ephialtes as ugly and hunchbacked, or even as Spartan. 300 establishes a believable connection between Ephialtes's affliction and behavior, but his monstrous appearance, King Xerxes's effeminacy, and the Persians' inexplicable pierced-GenX-African looks make for an eyebrow-raising choice of villain imagery. Nonetheless, 300 is a brilliant dramatization.

I quoted some dude of another site,so im not totally sure if its completly true.

This is pretty accurate, although while the Phocians didn't "scatter" they did retreat from the gate they were defending which allowed the Persians another way in to attack.

Originally, in the first couple days of the battle, there was around 7000 greek troops and somewhere around 200-300,000 Persian troops. The Persians were getting owned for a couple of days until Ephialtes betrayed them and told the Persians of another way in to attack (where the Phocians were). Once they found and secured the new passageway, the reaminder of the Greek army retreated while the 300 Spartans and about 700 Thespians stayed to fight to the death.

Another thing, I really hope this movie will have the famous line by Leonidas. When Xerxe's first arrived at Thermopylae and saw how small the Greek army was. he sent men in to ask the Greeks to surrender their weapons. Leonidas simply responded with "Come and get them." This is one of the most famous lines of Greek history and it is supposedly very common for Greek military to say this before they go into a battle.

[Darth Elektra]

This is pretty accurate, although while the Phocians didn't "scatter" they did retreat from the gate they were defending which allowed the Persians another way in to attack.

Originally, in the first couple days of the battle, there was around 7000 greek troops and somewhere around 200-300,000 Persian troops. The Persians were getting owned for a couple of days until Ephialtes betrayed them and told the Persians of another way in to attack (where the Phocians were). Once they found and secured the new passageway, the reaminder of the Greek army retreated while the 300 Spartans and about 700 Thespians stayed to fight to the death.

Another thing, I really hope this movie will have the famous line by Leonidas. When Xerxe's first arrived at Thermopylae and saw how small the Greek army was. he sent men in to ask the Greeks to surrender their weapons. Leonidas simply responded with "Come and get them." This is one of the most famous lines of Greek history and it is supposedly very common for Greek military to say this before they go into a battle.

Awsome, Thanks for the info, Its a gonna be a awsome film.

[kytrigger]

Awsome, Thanks for the info, Its a gonna be a awsome film.

No problem at all. I am really looking forward to this film too. It's been a while since I read Miller's 300 and I definately have to read it again beore this movie comes out.

[The Storm]

I'm interested in this for a number of reasons, although I've never read any of Frank Miller's graphic novels but I was impressed with Sin City. I enjoyed the world and characters he created. Epic films in this vein are a favourite genre of mine especially when rooted in some historical background. Final reason has to be watching hulky guys sweating it out in an epic battle :O

[i-n-z-a-n-e]

No clue either, but in history class we were learning about Hannibal(not hannibal lector) but the Carthigian who f***ed up the Romans. This smart nerdy kid told me tehre making a movie 300 about him so that's what i think its about.

[kytrigger]

No clue either, but in history class we were learning about Hannibal(not hannibal lector) but the Carthigian who f***ed up the Romans. This smart nerdy kid told me tehre making a movie 300 about him so that's what i think its about.

The smart nerdy kid lied. It has nothing to do with Hannibal (although a movie about Hannibal would be cool).

[Speedball]

no, it definantly not about Hannibal, he's hundreds of years after the second persian war. does anyone know if this ends with the battle at the bay of Salamis? i'd like to see the betrayal of the Greeks, the fake fronts of the Athenian navy sitting in the bay, then the persians getting trapped by the Athenian Navy and the Spartan Army in the bay and it's complete and Utter destruction. Id like to see how hollywood explains how the Greek "Traitor" escapes from Persepolis.

[Speedball]

oh wait, nvm, its just the battle of Thermopylae.
when are they going to make a movie about the Second Persian War? GOD!!

[Gamma Ray]

I'm not so interested yet, but who knows, maybe I'll see it.

[MaskedManJRK]

The smart nerdy kid lied. It has nothing to do with Hannibal (although a movie about Hannibal would be cool).

I heard about two different movies being put in production. I don't remember most of it, but I know Vin Diesel was going to star in one of them.

[MaskedManJRK]

no, it definantly not about Hannibal, he's hundreds of years after the second persian war. does anyone know if this ends with the battle at the bay of Salamis? i'd like to see the betrayal of the Greeks, the fake fronts of the Athenian navy sitting in the bay, then the persians getting trapped by the Athenian Navy and the Spartan Army in the bay and it's complete and Utter destruction. Id like to see how hollywood explains how the Greek "Traitor" escapes from Persepolis.

Not really. If it's anything like the book, it ends with the 300 dying in the big battle, with one survivor who left before the final battle telling the story to the rest of Sparta.

And the traitor is different in the book--in it, he's a hunchbacked Spartan who wanted to be a part of the army, but King Leondias wouldn't allow him because of his deformity. Pissed off at this (being a Spartan solider was his life's ambition), he solds them out to the Pursians. I think he died in the book, but it's been a while since I read the book.

[Darth Elektra]

(although a movie about Hannibal would be cool).

Vin Diesel is getting ready to film a Hannibal movie.

[tzarinna]

Ok so I have to add this to my long list of books to read. If only I could pull myself away from the Hype.

[Speedball]

MaskenMan JRK, the bay of Salamis happens a couple of years after the Battle of Thermopylae. the Greek Traitor isnt actually a traitor. the Greeks set up Xerxes to believe that he can win, but he is defeated and just gives up after this battle.
are they going to say why Xerxes invaded Greece?
for those who don't know, Xerxes blamed his fathers (king Darius) death on the greeks and the first persian war. Darius was a very old man when he died. but Xerxes wanted to complete what his father had set out to do. (History is repeating itself as we speak.) So Xerxes invades at Marathon, which is the eastern port for Athens. The Persians lose, but that doesnt stop them. They invaded again and burned Athens to the ground.
Xerxes thne invades from the north with his army. The Spartans and Persians meet at the Pass of Thermopylae, and 300 begins. there were actually thousands in this battle on both sides. the 300 is just for dramatic affect.

[Mr. Socko]

I've been interested in 300 since I saw the pics of the movie. But I've never read the comic but I'm gonna get it soon like I did with V for Vendetta. But I hate Frank Miller's drawings in anything other then Sin City.

[sithgoblin]

oh wait, nvm, its just the battle of Thermopylae.
when are they going to make a movie about the Second Persian War? GOD!!
JUST the battle of Thermopylae? That's one of the most badass battles in the history of the world!!!

[MaskedManJRK]

I've been interested in 300 since I saw the pics of the movie. But I've never read the comic but I'm gonna get it soon like I did with V for Vendetta. But I hate Frank Miller's drawings in anything other then Sin City.

Well, his art is still a bit like Sin City, though less modern and more loinclothes and stuff.

[Corinthian™]

I never heard that Miller did this... I am familiar with the story, tho. It's one of the most known fights in history.

I wanna see this

[Johnny DC]

I've been interested in 300 since I saw the pics of the movie. But I've never read the comic but I'm gonna get it soon like I did with V for Vendetta. But I hate Frank Miller's drawings in anything other then Sin City.
Same here.

http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/greek/greek_part2.jpg

http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/greek/greek_part4.gif


http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/ephor/ephor_part2.jpg

http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/ephor/ephor_part4.jpg


http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/well/well_part2.jpg

http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/well/well_part4.jpg


http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/images/pop_up/hot_gates/hot_gates_part1.jpg

Those digital backgrounds look awesome.

[Mr. Socko]

VERY awsome!

And his drawings look pretty cool in this too, I might get that book.

[Nivek]

The 300 Spartan legend has been known for ages, Im really surprised more people dont have this story told in History class. What the hell are they teaching you kids? It's an awesome story about a small army holding off a larger, more dominent force.

[Darthphere]

The 300 Spartan legend has been known for ages, Im really surprised more people dont have this story told in History class. What the hell are they teaching you kids? It's an awesome story about a small army holding off a larger, more dominent force.


Thye just throw out factoids we need to remember and give us a test on it.

[Nivek]

Damn, I used to love hearing stories like this when i was in school, ancient battles, stories of heroes, development of military strategy and warfare, ect. I just figured some comic fans would seek out this stuff more.

[Darthphere]

Ive talked to some other people who said their teachers used pages from 300 to show what happened during this battle.

[Nivek]

Ive talked to some other people who said their teachers used pages from 300 to show what happened during this battle.


thats cool. I used to have a couple teachers who were in the SCA and things like that who brought in examples of Helm's and armor for some days of class in Jr. High and High School.

[MaskedManJRK]

The 300 Spartan legend has been known for ages, Im really surprised more people dont have this story told in History class. What the hell are they teaching you kids? It's an awesome story about a small army holding off a larger, more dominent force.

They mostly do the more modern stuff. We pretty much start on the Revolutionary War and work our way ahead.

[herakles]

I found a webpage on the battle on wikipedia.org I've had to edit it somewhat to fit the size limits.

Background

Xerxes I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerxes_I), king of Persia, had been preparing for years to continue the war against the Greeks started by his father Darius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_I_of_Persia). In 481 BC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/481_BC), after four years of preparation, the army and navy of Xerxes arrived in Asia Minor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Minor) and built a bridge of ships across the Hellespont (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellespont) at Abydos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abydos%2C_Hellespont) to march his troops across. Herodotus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodotus) gives Xerxes' army as follows:
Fleet crew:517,610
Infantry:1,700,000
Cavalry:80,000
Arabs and Libyans:20,000
Greek allies324,000
Total2,641,610
This number needs to be at least doubled in order to account for support troops giving thus at least 5,283,220 men, which is obviously excessive. Ctesias of Cnedus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctesias) who was Artaxerxes Mnemon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artaxerxes_II)'s personal physician and wrote a history of Persia according to Persian sources (that unfortunately has not survived) gives 800,000 as the total number of the original army that set off from Sardis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardis) which is repeated by several later historians. Some modern historians have gone the other way in underestimating the Persian troops. Sir Frederick Maurice [1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae#_note-0) claims that the army could not have surpassed 175,000 due to lack of water. Others have given numbers as low as 120,000. It is possible to make an estimate.

At the battle of Plataea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plataea) the Persian army numbered according to Herodotus 300,000 troops which is considered realistic for two reasons: First of all it gives a realistic 3 to 1 ratio with the 110,000 Greek army. It must be noted the 110,000 Greek troops of Plataea did not include forces from Thebes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thebes), Thessaly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thessaly) and the northern Greek kingdoms, which, from a belief of inevitable Greek defeat and desire to save their land from destruction, defected to the Persian side after the Persian army advanced to their region. Had they not, the Greek army could have matched Maurice's number. But even if it did not, with a 1.5 to 1 ratio the Greek army could have sought battle on an open field with a very realistic chance of defeating the invaders, since during the Ionian Revolt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionian_Revolt) and the battle of Marathon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Marathon) the phalanx (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx) showed that it could match and even defeat superior numbers of Persian infantry.

A congress was called in Corinth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinth) in late autumn of 481 BC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/481_BC), and a confederate alliance of Greek city-states was formed, headed by the militaristic Sparta, whose supremely disciplined warriors were trained from birth to be the best soldiers in Greece and among the fiercest in the ancient world.
The Persian army first encountered a joint force of 10,000 Athenian and Spartan hoplites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplite) led by Euanetus (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Euanetus&action=edit) and Themistocles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Themistocles) in the Tembi (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tembi&action=edit) valley. Upon hearing though of this, Xerxes sent the army through the Sarantaporo straight which was unguarded and sidestepped them. The hoplites, probably warned by Alexander I of Macedon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_I_of_Macedon), vacated the pass. The next strategic choke point where the Persian army could have been stopped was Thermopylae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermopylae).
Xerxes' huge army was relying on a constant food supply and support by sea. Using the fleet the army could have also crossed the Maliacos bay and sidestep the Greek army. For this reason the Greek fleet was engaging the Persian fleet at Artemision (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemision). There is disagreement on what was the Greek high strategy. Some claim that it was to slow down the army while the navy was defeated at sea. While this was probably Themistocles's strategy it is not probably what the congress of Corinth which was dominated by Sparta decided. More probably its decision was that the way to victory was to wear down the Persian Army and hold it as north as possible until it was forced out of the country due to attrition and lack of food.
Some modern historians have suggested that Xerxes could have used the same tactic as at Tembi and sidestep Thermopylae through the paths of Mt. Kallidromio (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mt._Kallidromio&action=edit). Considering how huge the Persian army was it required a royal road to cross and could not have fit through mountain trails.
At the time the mountain pass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_pass) of Thermopylae consisted of a pass so narrow that two chariots could barely move abreast—on the western side of the pass stood the sheer side of the mountain, while the east side was a cliff drop into the sea. Along the path was a series of three "gates," and at the center gate a short wall that had been erected by the Phocians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocians) in the previous century to aid in their defense against Thessalian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thessalian) invasions. It was here in the August of 480 BC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/480_BC) that an army of some 7000 Greeks, led by the 300 Spartans of the royal guard, stood to receive the full force of the Persian army, numbering perhaps some sixty times its size. The Greek army included according to Herodotus 300 Spartans and 1000 other Laconians, 500 from Mantinea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantinea), 500 from Tegea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegea), 120 from Arcadian Orchomenos, 1000 other Arcadians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadians), 400 Corinthians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthians), 200 from Floia (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Floia&action=edit), 80 Mycenians (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mycenians&action=edit), 700 Thespians (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thespians&action=edit), 400 Thebans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thebans) and the whole Phocian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocian) and Opuntan Locrian (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Opuntan_Locrian&action=edit) army of 1,000 hoplites
Knowing the likely outcome of the battle, Leonidas selected his men on one simple criterion: he took only men who had fathered sons that were old enough to take over the family responsibilities of their fathers. The rationale behind this criterion was that the Spartans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartan) knew their death was almost certain at Thermopylae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermopylae). Plutarch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarch) mentions, in his Sayings of Spartan Women (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayings_of_Spartan_Women), that after encouraging her husband before his departure for the battlefield, Gorgo, the wife of Leonidas I (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonidas_I) asked him what she should do when he had left. To this, Leonidas replied:
Marry a good man, and have good children. When Xerxes reached Thermopylae, he sent emisaries to the Greek forces asking to surrender their arms. To this Leonidas gave his very famous answer:
Μολών Λαβέ which meant "Come get them". This quote has been repeated by many later generals and even politicians in order to express the Greeks' determination to risk a huge sacrifice rather than surrender without a fight.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Thermopylae&action=edit&section=2)]

The Battle

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Battle_thermopylae.png/330px-Battle_thermopylae.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Battle_thermopylae.png) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Battle_thermopylae.png)
The Battle of Thermopylae and movements to Salamis, courtesy of The Department of History, United States Military Academy.


When scouts initially informed Xerxes of the size of the Greek force, and of the Spartans who were performing preparations which included naked calisthenics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calisthenics) and combing their hair, Xerxes found the reports laughable. Not understanding the ritual significance of the Spartan preparations as the actions of men with the resolution to fight to the end, he expected the force to disband at any moment and waited four days for the Greek force to retreat. When they did not, he became increasingly frustrated by what he perceived as foolish impudence on the part of the small Greek force. On the fifth day Xerxes ordered his troops into the pass.
The Greeks deployed themselves in a phalanx (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_formation), a wall of overlapping shields and layered spearpoints, spanning the entire width of the pass. The Persians, armed with arrows and short spears, could not break through the long spears of the Greek phalanx, nor were their lightly armoured men a match for the superior armour, weaponry and discipline of the Greek hoplites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplites). Enormous casualties were sustained by the Persians as the disciplined Spartans orchestrated a series of feint retreats, followed by a quick turn back into formation. Because of the terrain, the Persians were unable to surround or flank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flank) the Greeks, thus rendering their superior numbers almost useless. Greek morale was high. Herodotus wrote that when Dienekes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dienekes), a Spartan soldier, was informed that Persian arrows blotted out the sun, he remarked with characteristically laconic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laconic_phrase) prose, "So much the better, we shall fight in the shade." The Greeks defending the pass slew the Persians in a similar manner on the second day of battle, fighting in a relay manner. After watching his troops fall before the Greeks, Xerxes decided to send his legendary Persian Immortals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Immortals). However, even the Immortals lacked the power to break the determined and driven Spartan phalanx, and they, too, were forced to retreat with heavy casualties.
After the second day of fighting, a Greek, Ephialtes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephialtes), defected to the Persians and informed Xerxes of a separate path through Thermopylae, which the Persians could use to outflank the Greeks. The pass was defended by the other 1000 Greeks, from Phocis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phocis), who had been placed there when the Greeks learned of the alternate route just before the battle, but they were not expecting to engage the Persians. Surprised by the Persian attack, the Phocians offered only a brief resistance before retreating higher up the mountain to regroup. Instead of pursuing them, however, the Persians simply advanced through the pass unopposed.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Thermopylae&action=edit&section=3)]

Final stand of the Spartans and Thespians

Leonidas, realizing that further fighting would be futile, dismissed all Greek forces save the surviving Spartans and Thebans on August 11 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_11); the Spartans having pledged themselves to fight to the death, and the Thebans held as hostages as Thebes' loyalty to Greece was questioned. However, a contingent of about 700 Thespians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thespiae), led by Demophilus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demophilus), refused to leave with the other Greeks. Instead, they chose to stay in the sacrificial effort to delay the advance. The significance of the Thespians' refusal should not be passed over. The Spartans, brave as their sacrifice indubitably was, were professional soldiers, trained from birth to be ready to give their lives in combat as Spartan law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycurgus_%28Sparta%29) dictated. Conversely, the Thespians were citizen-soldiers (Demophilus, for example, made his living as an architect) who elected to add whatever they could to the fight, rather than allow the Spartans to be annihilated alone.
Though their bravery is often overlooked by history, it was most certainly not overlooked by the Spartans, who are said to have exchanged cloaks with the Thespians and promised to be allies for eternity.
The fighting was said to have been extremely brutal, even for hoplite combat. As their numbers diminished the Greeks retreated to a small hill in the narrowest part of the pass. The Thebans took this opportunity to surrender to the Persians[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae#endnote_Herodotus_VII:223). After their spears broke, the Spartans and Thespians kept fighting with their xiphos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiphos) short swords, and after those broke, they were said to have fought with their bare hands and teeth.
Although the Greeks killed many Persians, including two of Xerxes' brothers, Leonidas was eventually killed, but rather than surrender the Spartans fought fanatically to defend his body. To avoid losing any more men the Persians killed the last of the Spartans with flights of arrows.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Thermopylae&action=edit&section=4)]

After the Battle

When the body of Leonidas was recovered by the Persians, Xerxes, in a rage at the loss of so many of his soldiers, ordered that the head be cut off, and the body crucified (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion). The mutilation of a corpse, even one of the enemy, carried a great social stigma for the Persians, and it was an act that Xerxes was said to have deeply regretted afterwards. Leonidas' body was later cut down and returned to the Spartans, where he was buried with full honors.
There is an epitaph (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitaph) on a monument at site of the battle with Simonides (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simonides_of_Ceos)'s epigram (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigram),
(O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti täde keimetha tois keinon rhämasi peithomenoi.)
translated as:
Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie.
Aftermath

While a tactical victory for the Persians, the enormous casualties caused by almost a thousand Greek soldiers was a significant blow to the Persian army (current estimates stand at 20,000 Persians dead, including the elite Immortals). Likewise, it significantly boosted the resolve of the Greeks to face the Persian onslaught. The simultaneous naval Battle of Artemisium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Artemisium) was a draw, whereupon the Greek (or more accurately, Athenian) navy retreated. The Persians had control of the Aegean Sea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegean_Sea) and all of Greece as far south as Attica (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attica%2C_Greece); the Spartans prepared to defend the Isthmus of Corinth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isthmus_of_Corinth) and the Peloponnese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peloponnese), while Xerxes sacked Athens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens), whose inhabitants had already fled to Salamis Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salamis_Island). In September the Greeks defeated the Persians at the naval Battle of Salamis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Salamis), which led to the rapid retreat of Xerxes. The remaining Persian army, left under the charge of Mardonius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardonius), was defeated in the Battle of Plataea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plataea) by a combined Greek army again led by the Spartans, under the regent Pausanias.
This battle, along with Sogdian Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogdian_Rock) and similar actions, is used in military academies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_academy) around the world to show how a small group of well-trained and well-led soldiers can have an impact out of all proportion to their numbers. It is worth noting also that the effectiveness of the Greeks against such a vastly larger army was due in no small part to the battlefield itself. Had this battle been fought on an open field, rather than a narrow pass, the smaller Greek army could have been surrounded and defeated with ease, despite the quality of the Greek infantry. Thus Thermopylae is also regarded as being as much a lesson in the importance of favorable terrain and good strategy as it is in good training and discipline.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Thermopylae&action=edit&section=6)]

[Weapon M]

I read about this historical account in a history book.. It was amazing what hapend.. Damn. How just 300 hundred men fought thousands of soldiers like that.. amazing man... It can be done. it isnt about numbers.. It's about will and Moral. The conviction in knowing what you are fighting for meaning something is very powerful too. I'm not talking about 'convincing yourself" that it is.. But knowing in your heart that what you are fighting for is genuine.

[kytrigger]

It's also about being smart and properly using a phalanx.

[herakles]

I read about this historical account in a history book.. It was amazing what hapend.. Damn. How just 300 hundred men fought thousands of soldiers like that.. amazing man... It can be done. it isnt about numbers.. It's about will and Moral. The conviction in knowing what you are fighting for meaning something is very powerful too. I'm not talking about 'convincing yourself" that it is.. But knowing in your heart that what you are fighting for is genuine.

IMO this paragraph says it all

This battle, along with Sogdian Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sogdian_Rock) and similar actions, is used in military academies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_academy) around the world to show how a small group of well-trained and well-led soldiers can have an impact out of all proportion to their numbers. It is worth noting also that the effectiveness of the Greeks against such a vastly larger army was due in no small part to the battlefield itself. Had this battle been fought on an open field, rather than a narrow pass, the smaller Greek army could have been surrounded and defeated with ease, despite the quality of the Greek infantry. Thus Thermopylae is also regarded as being as much a lesson in the importance of favorable terrain and good strategy as it is in good training and discipline.

[spideyrunner]

What's it all about?

I have never heard or seen this graphic novel by Frank Miller.

That;s what i thought the same thing . lol

[Lobster Charlie]

What is 300?

the last great comic Frank Miller has done.

[Trevor Goodchild]

Damn, I used to love hearing stories like this when i was in school, ancient battles, stories of heroes, development of military strategy and warfare, ect. I just figured some comic fans would seek out this stuff more.
Yeah, I now regret that I acquired a taste for such history only recently.
Then again, none of my history teachers really described any battles or heroes to any detail.

Thus Thermopylae is also regarded as being as much a lesson in the importance of favorable terrain and good strategy as it is in good training and discipline.
Yeah, the same basic thing is mentioned in the Big Fat Kill novel and in the Sin City movie as well.

I’m very much intrigued with this.
I don’t care how accurate to history it is as long as it is a good story.
The SC film got me into Frank Miller’s SC books, so now I’m contemplating on buying the book either before or after I see 300.

[herakles]

Yeah, I now regret that I acquired a taste for such history only recently.
Then again, none of my history teachers really described any battles or heroes to any detail.


Yeah, the same basic thing is mentioned in the Big Fat Kill novel and in the Sin City movie as well.

I’m very much intrigued with this.
I don’t care how accurate to history it is as long as it is a good story.
The SC film got me into Frank Miller’s SC books, so now I’m contemplating on buying the book either before or after I see 300.
READ Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield SO MUCH BETTER that 300

[Trevor Goodchild]

Thanks for the advice, really, but I don't care.
Sure the graphic novels may not always compare in greatness like some actual books. But since I come here to discuss 300, I might as well think good of it until I read it and maybe say otherwise, which I hope not.
And anyways, even if 300 isn't the best thing out there, doesn’t mean I should dismiss it just by finding something better.

[FrankCastle6]

this looks cool...i might check it

[Kritish]

Sounds cool.

[Super Mark]

I heard of it a long time ago. On the history channel. They re-enacted the battle based on what records were available. It was just unbelievable. Incredible.

It had never occured to me to find a comic based on this, but hey, if each of these Spartans could take out 10 men a day (which is not unreasonable given the history) then they would have been the super-soldiers of the day.

If somebody had training since birth in how to be an efficiant killer, they could certainly make it as a modern comic book superhero... Batman, Iron Fist (minus the magical stuff), some other heroes who's "power" is only their incredible training and relentless drive. Let's say The Punisher (Marvel).

You put 300 killers like The Punisher up against a regular army? You can see how that could be pretty impressive.

[herakles]

thats cool. I used to have a couple teachers who were in the SCA and things like that who brought in examples of Helm's and armor for some days of class in Jr. High and High School.

I'm in the SCA as well and I wear Greek armour with a Corithian Helm with crest! I love this Story for 2 reasons 1 I'm Greek and 2 WHAT GREAT STORY!