I saw the movie, with a few final note, I prefer to bring the story of the Battle of Thermopylae which took place in 480 BC between an alliance of city -Greek state and the Persians.
Xerxes I, king of Persia years he was prepared to resume the war against Greece started by his father Darius I. In 484 BC the army and the ships of Xerxes arrived in Asia Minor, built a pontoon bridge Hellespont at Abydos, crossing it. The Greek city states were able to agree to face danger and formed an alliance led by Sparta, commanded by King Leonidas, and prepared to block the advance of the Persian army in northern Greece at the narrow pass of Thermopylae. The passage is flanked on one side by steep mountains on the other from the sea and was therefore suitable for defense. The initial detachment
Spartan Leonidas and his bodyguard, composed of 300 hoplites (soldiers equipped with heavy weapons: shield bronze, iron short sword and long spear), 2,800 and about 900 Peloponnesian helots, were joined by reinforcements from other cities including 700 from Thespis, 400 from Thebes, 1000 Phocaean and also from Tegea, Mantinea, Orchomenos, Corinth, Phlius, Mycenae and other cities of Arcadia and Boeotia, for a total of 3900 hoplites followed by their squires that served as light infantry. Soldiers were told that they were only the vanguard of the greek army who would join them soon. The Greek forces, for a total of only seven thousand men, the battle in August of 480 BC, Leonidas was to keep as much as possible to give way to the rest of the Greek cities to gather their troops and ships. Xerxes did not believe that so small a force would be able to oppose it, and gave the Greeks five days to withdraw. At the same time also its fleet could not move fast vessels blocked by the Athenian Themistocles was in command. When some of the Persian army deserters (mostly Greek enrolled by force) had stated that the Medes were so many as to obscure the sun with their arrows, the Spartans answered that at least would fight in the shade. These past five days, since they showed an intention to leave, Xerxes sent his troops into the pass, but every wave was rejected. The Persians attacked with arrows and short spears, and they could not break armed formations of the Greek hoplites, as mentioned, with long spears. The first wave to arrive on the Greeks was that of the medium controlled by Tigranes, who attacked with enthusiasm but were repulsed with heavy losses. The second wave of soldiers from Susa was equipped with a large shield, but they failed. Also tried to circumvent the enemy side of the coast, but many fell from the cliffs. The next day, Xerxes to field its elite troops, the ten thousand Immortals, commanded by Idarne that they had no better luck. The Greeks fought in turn allowing himself a bit 'off from that massacre, he collapsed on the floor stained with blood and sweat and then get up and go fight. After the second day of fighting, a greek named Ephialtes (in American films always tell the traitors) defected and betrayed the Greeks by informing Xerxes of a newly created different path to overcome the pass of Thermopylae. The road was defended by the Phoenicians who had been posted on that pitch two days before, when the Greeks were aware of this alternative step, they do not expect an attack from the Persians. The Phoenicians offered little resistance before fleeing allowing the Persians to advance unchallenged. Leonidas realized that any resistance would be useless. On August 11, withdrew all but 300 Spartans, along with the contingent led by Thespis Demofilo who stayed to help the Spartans in the suicide attempt to delay the advance the Persians. Leonidas also had a contingent of Thebans, but after some fighting betrayed them in favor of the Persians. When asked the Persians to hand over their arms, Leonidas shouted that they had to come collect. Despite more than twenty thousand deaths among the Persians, including two brothers of Xerxes (Habrocomes and Hyperanthes), Leonidas was eventually killed, four times his body was caught four times by the Persians and the Spartans recovered. Exhausted, the Greeks took refuge on the hill overlooking the Thermopylae to protect the body of their fallen king. Xerxes ordered them to be finished with bows not to lose any more men.
Today on the site of the battle there is a monument on it is reported words attributed to Simonides reported by Herodotus: "O traveler, today announced the Spartans that here we lie for obeying their words."
Xerxes I, king of Persia years he was prepared to resume the war against Greece started by his father Darius I. In 484 BC the army and the ships of Xerxes arrived in Asia Minor, built a pontoon bridge Hellespont at Abydos, crossing it. The Greek city states were able to agree to face danger and formed an alliance led by Sparta, commanded by King Leonidas, and prepared to block the advance of the Persian army in northern Greece at the narrow pass of Thermopylae. The passage is flanked on one side by steep mountains on the other from the sea and was therefore suitable for defense. The initial detachment
Spartan Leonidas and his bodyguard, composed of 300 hoplites (soldiers equipped with heavy weapons: shield bronze, iron short sword and long spear), 2,800 and about 900 Peloponnesian helots, were joined by reinforcements from other cities including 700 from Thespis, 400 from Thebes, 1000 Phocaean and also from Tegea, Mantinea, Orchomenos, Corinth, Phlius, Mycenae and other cities of Arcadia and Boeotia, for a total of 3900 hoplites followed by their squires that served as light infantry. Soldiers were told that they were only the vanguard of the greek army who would join them soon. The Greek forces, for a total of only seven thousand men, the battle in August of 480 BC, Leonidas was to keep as much as possible to give way to the rest of the Greek cities to gather their troops and ships. Xerxes did not believe that so small a force would be able to oppose it, and gave the Greeks five days to withdraw. At the same time also its fleet could not move fast vessels blocked by the Athenian Themistocles was in command. When some of the Persian army deserters (mostly Greek enrolled by force) had stated that the Medes were so many as to obscure the sun with their arrows, the Spartans answered that at least would fight in the shade. These past five days, since they showed an intention to leave, Xerxes sent his troops into the pass, but every wave was rejected. The Persians attacked with arrows and short spears, and they could not break armed formations of the Greek hoplites, as mentioned, with long spears. The first wave to arrive on the Greeks was that of the medium controlled by Tigranes, who attacked with enthusiasm but were repulsed with heavy losses. The second wave of soldiers from Susa was equipped with a large shield, but they failed. Also tried to circumvent the enemy side of the coast, but many fell from the cliffs. The next day, Xerxes to field its elite troops, the ten thousand Immortals, commanded by Idarne that they had no better luck. The Greeks fought in turn allowing himself a bit 'off from that massacre, he collapsed on the floor stained with blood and sweat and then get up and go fight. After the second day of fighting, a greek named Ephialtes (in American films always tell the traitors) defected and betrayed the Greeks by informing Xerxes of a newly created different path to overcome the pass of Thermopylae. The road was defended by the Phoenicians who had been posted on that pitch two days before, when the Greeks were aware of this alternative step, they do not expect an attack from the Persians. The Phoenicians offered little resistance before fleeing allowing the Persians to advance unchallenged. Leonidas realized that any resistance would be useless. On August 11, withdrew all but 300 Spartans, along with the contingent led by Thespis Demofilo who stayed to help the Spartans in the suicide attempt to delay the advance the Persians. Leonidas also had a contingent of Thebans, but after some fighting betrayed them in favor of the Persians. When asked the Persians to hand over their arms, Leonidas shouted that they had to come collect. Despite more than twenty thousand deaths among the Persians, including two brothers of Xerxes (Habrocomes and Hyperanthes), Leonidas was eventually killed, four times his body was caught four times by the Persians and the Spartans recovered. Exhausted, the Greeks took refuge on the hill overlooking the Thermopylae to protect the body of their fallen king. Xerxes ordered them to be finished with bows not to lose any more men.
Today on the site of the battle there is a monument on it is reported words attributed to Simonides reported by Herodotus: "O traveler, today announced the Spartans that here we lie for obeying their words."
Some Notes intuitive. Little live action, computer graphics and a lot of digitized sond effect, so that they can imagine a battle to play station.
The message is always the same, even more relevant today: the Americans renewed the invitation, even playfully, to the people of their own, reluctant European partners to form an alliance and / or strengthen the alliance against a common enemy for up conbattere at the end, like them, with valor and sacrifice against the opponents of democracy and freedom in Iraq, Afghanistan and anywhere you want.
