300

[Fop 1]

Spartans were a bunch of paedophiles, child killers and slave owners IIRC

 

So were most of Greece, Persia and North Africa as well, very common throughout.

 

Although equally they actually invented some parts of western democratic values and were pretty unsexist for thier time (although their “democracy” much like most greek ones wasn't exactly freedom and liberty for all).

 

Their biggest downfall (which lead to their ultimate demise really) was their inbreeding though, that is only a set number of families of true "spartan blood".

[Jimbo 175]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6455969.stm

[Fop 1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6455969.stm

 

 

Hehe they know how to play the game, they really do.

[luckyluke 2]

Spartans were a bunch of paedophiles, child killers and slave owners IIRC

 

Their biggest downfall (which lead to their ultimate demise really) was their inbreeding though, that is only a set number of families of true "spartan blood".

 

The fact that 300 fought of a million/few hundred thousand kinda pisses on the 'inbreeding produces deformed and inferior children' argument.

[Fop 1]

Spartans were a bunch of paedophiles, child killers and slave owners IIRC

 

Their biggest downfall (which lead to their ultimate demise really) was their inbreeding though, that is only a set number of families of true "spartan blood".

 

The fact that 300 fought of a million/few hundred thousand kinda pisses on the 'inbreeding produces deformed and inferior children' argument.

 

Well it wasn’t just 300 Spartans, but 300 and a couple of thousand auxiliaries and allied troops, they were still vastly, hugely outnumbered however and were unlikely to have stood without those leading them.

 

But if you knew what you were talking about you'd know that the actual Spartan warrior families (which were far from all the people of Sparta) we're notorious for keeping to the bloodlines, and over the centuries this caused increasing issues (as it does when you consistently breed within a fairly small genetic population, especially when that gene pool decreases in number, the increasing number of direct and indirect child death being one factor in this – in fact in 300 [the book anyway] they have a malformed betrayer, which I don’t believe is historically accurate, but is a nod to this issue).

 

Around Leonidas's time was near the end of their glory and the beginnings of issues with the number of Spartan families (and other issues too, some to do with the ever decreasing number of Spartan warriors some not), something that got worse with each generation, especially as they got less and less.

 

By the time the Roman’s came what was left of the Spartans was really rather sad.

 

It was far from the only thing that made Sparta decline, but equally it was a significant factor, and probably in the end the Spartans defeated themselves.

 

 

 

Read about them, they are very interesting.

Edited March 17, 2007 by Fop

[Rob W 0]

Spartans were a bunch of paedophiles, child killers and slave owners IIRC

 

You were there too, no doubt eh ?

 

 

hey - I can count - 300 Greeks against 30,000 Iranians

 

Mr Pickwick "Shout with the mob"

 

Mr Snodgrass "But what if there are two mobs"

 

Mr pickwick "Shout with the largest...."

 

besides I hate the sight of blood - especially if there is any chance it might be mine

[Tooj 17]

Take from ye old IMDB.

 

I haven't seen it yet because I was banned from my cineplex.

 

We had all lined up in front of the theater for about 30 minutes, and then they brought us in. I had to stand right beside these two fat, horse-faced lesbians eating each others tongues like they were making a political statement or something.

 

So, like 30 minutes later, we end up shuffling in the theater and these farking bitches start bitching about having to wait when the movie is about to start, mind you, it was 11 and it was a midnight showing. It turns out they were going to see that stupid Jim Carrey movie 23 and they were missing it. So, the ugliest of the two bitches just exclaims like no one's there "This is the wrong farking movie!"

 

I just had to do what I did next.

 

I shouted at the top of my lungs "This is SPARTA" and kicked her in the chest, causing her to fall down about 8 steps to the floor. Most were shocked, but about 80% of the theater started to cheer, and I was forcibly thrown out by 2 officers. Charges are going to be pressed against me apparently, but it was worth it.

[Jimbo 175]

Take from ye old IMDB.

 

I haven't seen it yet because I was banned from my cineplex.

 

We had all lined up in front of the theater for about 30 minutes, and then they brought us in. I had to stand right beside these two fat, horse-faced lesbians eating each others tongues like they were making a political statement or something.

 

So, like 30 minutes later, we end up shuffling in the theater and these farking bitches start bitching about having to wait when the movie is about to start, mind you, it was 11 and it was a midnight showing. It turns out they were going to see that stupid Jim Carrey movie 23 and they were missing it. So, the ugliest of the two bitches just exclaims like no one's there "This is the wrong farking movie!"

 

I just had to do what I did next.

 

I shouted at the top of my lungs "This is SPARTA" and kicked her in the chest, causing her to fall down about 8 steps to the floor. Most were shocked, but about 80% of the theater started to cheer, and I was forcibly thrown out by 2 officers. Charges are going to be pressed against me apparently, but it was worth it.

 

 

[Tooj 17]

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Started watching it last night but was to knackered to watch it to the end so I'll hold back for the time being.

[khay 10]

[luckyluke 2]

Thought it was an enjoyable gore-fest but it's a bit too forgettable to be classed as an epic.

 

The 300 Spartans is on now on BBC2, should be interesting to see the contrast!

[nufc4ever 0]

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/11546

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Thought it was an enjoyable gore-fest but it's a bit too forgettable to be classed as an epic.

 

 

Yeah i enjoyed it and loved the gory fight scenes (but would have liked more of them!) but it wasn't quite as good as i was expecting.

[.../\......\o/... 0]

Felt like something BBC2 would make, not a film.

[Fop 1]

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/11546

 

[Bizza 105]

Take from ye old IMDB.

 

I haven't seen it yet because I was banned from my cineplex.

 

We had all lined up in front of the theater for about 30 minutes, and then they brought us in. I had to stand right beside these two fat, horse-faced lesbians eating each others tongues like they were making a political statement or something.

 

So, like 30 minutes later, we end up shuffling in the theater and these farking bitches start bitching about having to wait when the movie is about to start, mind you, it was 11 and it was a midnight showing. It turns out they were going to see that stupid Jim Carrey movie 23 and they were missing it. So, the ugliest of the two bitches just exclaims like no one's there "This is the wrong farking movie!"

 

I just had to do what I did next.

 

I shouted at the top of my lungs "This is SPARTA" and kicked her in the chest, causing her to fall down about 8 steps to the floor. Most were shocked, but about 80% of the theater started to cheer, and I was forcibly thrown out by 2 officers. Charges are going to be pressed against me apparently, but it was worth it.

 

Fucking class!

[Toonpack 10555]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

[

[Happy Face 29]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

 

 

 

Was meant to be getting turned into a film directed by Michael Mann, but seems to have slipped off the radar. He went and did Collateral instead.

[Park Life 71]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

 

 

 

Was meant to be getting turned into a film directed by Michael Mann, but seems to have slipped off the radar. He went and did Collateral instead.

 

Quality.

[Guest alex]

4 stars in the Sunday Times like.

[Toonpack 10555]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

 

 

 

Was meant to be getting turned into a film directed by Michael Mann, but seems to have slipped off the radar. He went and did Collateral instead.

 

Shame that, it'll probably never be made now because of 300 which better be good because if it's not it's a disservice to one of history's great stories.

 

The Spartans were sort of the Nazi's of the ancient world and are a compelling subject.

[Fop 1]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

 

 

 

Was meant to be getting turned into a film directed by Michael Mann, but seems to have slipped off the radar. He went and did Collateral instead.

 

Shame that, it'll probably never be made now because of 300 which better be good because if it's not it's a disservice to one of history's great stories.

 

The Spartans were sort of the Nazi's of the ancient world and are a compelling subject.

 

 

I don't think Nazi is a particularly fair comparison (except in the most indirect military sense, some thing Alexander and the Roman’s repeated really), both because the world was a vastly different place, and because Sparta did both somewhat directly and indirectly influence Athenian democracy (in some ways they were much more liberal and equal than them, in fact, although in many ways not), which is pretty much at least the barest ideological framework of the modern idea.

 

But they are fascinating though definitely (as is most of Mediterranean history of that time period tbh).

[Toonpack 10555]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

 

 

 

Was meant to be getting turned into a film directed by Michael Mann, but seems to have slipped off the radar. He went and did Collateral instead.

 

Shame that, it'll probably never be made now because of 300 which better be good because if it's not it's a disservice to one of history's great stories.

 

The Spartans were sort of the Nazi's of the ancient world and are a compelling subject.

 

 

I don't think Nazi is a particularly fair comparison (except in the most indirect military sense, some thing Alexander and the Roman’s repeated really), both because the world was a vastly different place, and because Sparta did both somewhat directly and indirectly influence Athenian democracy (in some ways they were much more liberal and equal than them, in fact, although in many ways not), which is pretty much at least the barest ideological framework of the modern idea.

 

But they are fascinating though definitely (as is most of Mediterranean history of that time period tbh).

 

That's why I said "sort of"

 

Nearest contemporary comparison IMO though, much more so than the Romans or Alexander

[Fop 1]

Brilliant historical novel about Thermopylae, highly recommended for anyone who's interested - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

 

 

 

 

Was meant to be getting turned into a film directed by Michael Mann, but seems to have slipped off the radar. He went and did Collateral instead.

 

Shame that, it'll probably never be made now because of 300 which better be good because if it's not it's a disservice to one of history's great stories.

 

The Spartans were sort of the Nazi's of the ancient world and are a compelling subject.

 

 

I don't think Nazi is a particularly fair comparison (except in the most indirect military sense, some thing Alexander and the Roman’s repeated really), both because the world was a vastly different place, and because Sparta did both somewhat directly and indirectly influence Athenian democracy (in some ways they were much more liberal and equal than them, in fact, although in many ways not), which is pretty much at least the barest ideological framework of the modern idea.

 

But they are fascinating though definitely (as is most of Mediterranean history of that time period tbh).

 

That's why I said "sort of"

 

Nearest contemporary comparison IMO though, much more so than the Romans or Alexander

 

I don't really think there is a contemporary comparison though, they were and are (and probably always will be) fairly unique as a society, as well as the world of that time being a vastly different place, so as I said one like the nazi's is pretty unfair.

 

In fact in many ways a “nazi” comparisons could be made to the Persian empire of the time (although that would be equally unfair tbh).

 

The nazi’s were a perversion and corruption of fairly modern society (even though they repeatedly hailed back to Romanish roots this was never really true), where as the Spartans were very much of their time and world, albeit in a very unique way.

 

No big deal I guess, just as I said I don’t think very fair to them.