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Go see this movie. It's great. I know I'm new and all but you all can trust me. We've also thought up a funny drinking game called 300. Do a shot everytime a spartan dies. Swig everytime a persian dies. You will die very fast if you play that game.

You'll die just about as fast as those silly, namby-pamby Persians!

Just watched a 2 hour History channel on this last night. It was awesome. I've heard about the '300' before but never really looked into it.

I do want to see the movie now. I know it is a movie but Im curious how factual it is.

One thing that really makes me think is that everyone says 'only 300 stayed' well actually, when leonidas ordered the Athens army to retreat while the 300 spartans stayed behind there was actually 1000 men from the main force that also stayed.

So technically 1300 vs 300k. I guess Im just puzzled that even in the history channel special the 1000 others that stayed were only mentioned in passing. yeah yeah yeah spartans were big bad ass mofos but 1000 troops is a lot to discount. They got zero credit. Just made me think is all.

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Moge

The fact is, it's virtually impossible to actually say with any historical accuaracy what happened. Herodotus gives only a brief account of the battle, mainly listing the combatants, and other than him there's really no other account that has survived.

But, it's clear that the initial Greek force was about 4500 or so, with about 500-700 remaining to fight on the last day. If my memory serves the Spartans and the Thebens were the last group left. Too lazy to look up. The 300 refers to the Spartans, of course, and they were the best, but there were other Cities represented at the battle.

Still it's very possible that this force stopped or killed at least 200,000, probably more, Persians over the course of four days.

For a less historic but yet better story about the battle, I'd recommend Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire.

I agree Gopher, what they did was a unbelievably remarkable feat. Most of that feat is more than likely due to the skill and leadership of the Spartans.

One thing that just floored me was something that was mentioned in the History Channel special.

Paraphrase:
If the Spartans and the Athens Navy had failed to do so much damage to the Persian army there is little doubt that the Persians would have destroyed the Greek way of life with the burning of Athens and the slaughter of its people.

the Greeks were the sole country (or city states) that had democracy. if that had been wiped out Democracy would probably never have thrived nor would it had been reinvented. Given that, you can broadly place the very survival if not existence of 'Freedom' into the hands of Leonidas and those that died with him that day.

Remember, the only reason they fought that day was to give the (tactically) retreating Athens army a chance to regroup and give them a head start back to Athens. As such, the entire population of Athens was evacuated leaving only the city itself to perish and not the people.

No matter the true numbers of who fought and who died. The very feat that they accomplished is just staggering if you sit back and really think about it and its eventual Democratic repercussions.


...that and the movie looks like it will rock!

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Moge

http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20070312

nuff-said

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Moge

Yep saw it - great flick.

See the film - buy the DVD.

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Deak
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