I don't know why people can't accept that it's a work of historical fiction. It's not a documentary on the History channel!
Funny you should mention the History Channel. The history channel ran a program called "Last Stand of the 300" that did provide a more historically accurate portrayal of the Battle of Thermopylae. I have it on my DVR and I know they already re-aired it at least once (and it looks like it is being re-aired at the end of the month again (
http://www.history.com/shows.do?episodeId=214233&action=detail).
And I agree.. in no way was this billed as historically accurate.. if anything, it is *slightly* more accurate than other such films billed as "based on real accounts". It is a fictional account based on a historical event. Get over it already.. it aint' a documentary or an educational film - and as far as I know, never tried to sell it as such. It was sold as a pure adrenaline pumping mindless entertainment.
They key there is "mindless". It's not really a movie that is supposed to spark deep philosophical thought..
I'm going to see it this friday on the IMAX
edit: Why aren't the greeks raising a ruckus over the fact that the soldiers wore no breastplates? Or that the fighting wasn't done in the traditional greek phalanx formations?
Furthermore, he's probably just po'd about the fact that the battle depicted so galvanised the city states and so demoralised the persian army that eventually Xerxes ran away like a coward. At least the movie didn't depict him fleeing the battle-scene like scared little brat with his tail between his legs.
Actually, Xerxes didn't run away, (at least, not at Thermopylae). After they killed the Spartans/Greeks, he continued to advance. It wasn't until most of his vast navy armada was demolished (by a much smaller Greek force I might add) that he retreated with what was left of his ships.
The Greeks then took the advantage and basically counter attacked and drove them all the way back to Persia - sparking the decline of the Persian Empire.
edit2: hmm.. actually, after reading your post more carefully, this is more or less what you said..