Thermopylae

The Battle of Thermopylae was fought circa 480 BC.  Ellis L. Knox, provides a good description and summary of the battle: 

The Greeks lost the battle. They had come hoping for a victory and instead had been routed. But Thermopylae was always hailed as a triumph for Greek arms because the Persian army was crucially delayed.

Thermopylae allowed the Greeks time to organize. The Athenians continued to build their ships in order to take control of the seas again.
The Greeks were actually heartened by the example of Leonidas and the 300 Spartans plus allies who fought at Thermopylae. The battle served as an example to officers and soldiers alike of what courage and self-sacrifice could achieve. It is still remembered today as such an example.

The battle was the subject of the 1962 movie “The 300 Spartans”   The IMDB plot description:

Essentially true story of how Spartan king Leonidis led an extremely small army of Greek Soldiers (300 of them his personal body guards from Sparta) to hold off an invading Persian army more than 20 times as large. The actual heroism of those who stood (and ultimately died) with Leonidis helped shape the course of Western Civilization, allowing the Greek city states time to organize an army which repelled the Persians. Set in 480 BC.

I think it fair to say that the Spartans were valiant , and the the battle historically significant .   Given that Greece is considered the cradle of civilization and the battle saved the Greeks,  had the battle a different outcome, I’d most likely would not be here to write this post.

Added:  Victor Davis Hanson offers his historical perspective:

Greek writers and poets such as Simonides and Herodotus were fascinated by the Greek sacrifice against Xerxes, and especially the heroism of Leonidas and his men. And subsequently throughout Western literature poets as diverse as Lord Byron and A.E. Houseman have likewise paid homage to the Spartan last stand — and this universal idea of Western soldiers willing to die as free men rather than to submit to tyranny. Steven Pressfield’s novel Gates of Fire and the earlier Hollywood movie The 300 Spartans both were based on the Greek defense of the pass at Thermopylae.

The battle also is the subject of the movie 300 which opened this week.   Dana Stevens, of Slate, purports to write a review of the movie.   Stevens makes no mention of historical accucacy, or lack thereof same.  Rather Stevens devotes her venom to fact that the movie 300 does not conform to her particular politcal view:

Here are just a few of the categories that are not-so-vaguely conflated with the “bad” (i.e., Persian) side in the movie: black people. Brown people. Disfigured people. Gay men (not gay in the buff, homoerotic Spartan fashion, but in the effeminate Persian style). Lesbians. Disfigured lesbians. Ten-foot-tall giants with filed teeth and lobster claws. Elephants and rhinos (filthy creatures both). The Persian commander, the god-king Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) is a towering, bald club fag with facial piercings, kohl-rimmed eyes, and a disturbing predilection for making people kneel before him.

I am not sure if Stevens is suggesting that the Persians be depicted as tall, blond Vikings or that no politically protected class ever be depicted as a villian in any movie.

In a sense Stevens is not objecting so much to the movie, but rather to the idea that the Spartans choose to fight at all.

As Stevens’ objection is defending your freedom. I would have a suggestion for her what to when barbarians knock down her gate, demand to kill her men, rape her women and enslave her children.  But I won’t say it.

Aside:  the movie 300 is based on the graphic novel of the same name.  Graphic novel means glorified cartoon.  I saw a few clips of the movie and they had a cartoonish flavor to it.  Doubt that I will see the movie.  I don’t go to a lot.

Update:  Added Victor Davis Hanson.