'HOLLYWOOD AND THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE'

The mountain pass of Thermopylae, translated as 'Hot Gates' due to the hot sulfuric springs which were indigenous to the area, was approximately 50 feet wide at that time with the Kallidromos Mountains on one side and the body of water known as the Malian Gulf on the other.  This offered a strategic advantage for the Greek force as it negated the strength of the numerically superior Persian army.  Combined with the weaponry, armor and their tactics that were designed and perfected for close quarters fighting, the Spartans and their allies inflicted heavy losses on the Persian army for two days.  To paraphrase the author Ernle Bradford who wrote, 'Courage is not enough and that is what the Persians, Medes and the Immortals displayed against the superior weaponry of the Greeks. Their shorter spears were no match against the bronzed shields of the Spartan elite whose whole life since childhood had been to prepare for battle'.

When it seemed that the Greek position was impenetrable, a local named Ephialtes revealed a path that would lead behind the Greek army.  It was this moment on the third day that defined Sparta's finest hour as it became apparent from several sources that they would soon be surrounded.  Rather than surrendering or retreating before the pincer movement would encircle the Greek position, the warriors of Sparta, Thespiae and Thebes who originally numbered, 300, 700 and 400, respectively, fought a delaying action so that the remaining Greek allies could withdraw safely before the encirclement was completed.  After a furious battle on this third and final day, many warriors from both Greece and Persia died, including King Leonidas and two of King Xerxes half-brothers. The Thebans then surrendered as the Spartans and Thespians had converged to a hillock to fight to the death.  It was on Kolonos Hill where they were killed in a last stand, overwhelmed by the Persian arrows that it is said 'were so numerous that they would blot out the sun'.  Many of these facts contrast with what was shown in the version of the ‘300’ movie, however, it was based on a comic book series and meant to be entertaining, not truthful.

It is the self-sacrifice of the Greek warriors which was glorified, in the very powerful movie from 1962, entitled 'The 300 Spartans' starring Richard Egan, David Farrar and Sir Ralph Richardson.  Released by 20th Century Fox and which for the most part a historically accurate version of the events of 480 BCE, it was seen by a young Frank Miller.  It became the inspiration behind his creation of his comic book series which in turn evolved into the adaptation of these comics into the hit movie '300'. This in turn resulted in the parody and imitation of 2008’s ‘Meet the Spartans’.

One unfortunate by-product of these movies, is very apparent and contradictory.  The most accurate depiction of Xerxes was by David Farrar whose portrayal of one of the most famous kings of the Achaemenid Dynasty mirrored the stele in Persepolis.  From the flowing robes to the regal headwear, Farrar's Xerxes is the antithesis of the most recent versions as can be evidenced by Rodrigo Santoro in '300' and Ken Davitan in 'Meet the Spartans'.

It has been said that 'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery', a quote which first appeared in the book entitled 'Lacon, or Many Things in Few Words' written by the English cleric and author Reverend Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832).  Unfortunately, an imitation or parody, if you will, of the ‘300’ movie wasn’t needed, as a more historically accurate version needed to be produced.  Ironically, 'Lacon' is a derivative of the word 'laconic' which means 'of few words' and whose linguistic genesis originated and became synonymous with the Greek city-state of Sparta.  The Spartans who inhabited the region of Laconia were known not only for their military prowess, they were also known throughout Greece for their brevity of speech.  Perhaps when it comes to the movies about the Battle of Thermopylae, less would be better, unless it is a version closer to the truth.

There had been talk over the last several years prior to the release of '300' that there would be an adaptation of Steven Pressfield's 'Gates of Fire' or even a remake of the 1962 version of 'The 300 Spartans'.  Hopefully we won't have to wait another 45 years before we get to see it!!!