MovieChat Forums > The 300 Spartans Discussion > Really 300??

Really 300??

posted 17 years ago by Kras543
2 replies | jump to latest

I was just wondering because in this movie and in the new version, in both it's just the 300 who go to fight. Really it was the whole Greek army who went to Thermopylae. Because the traitor led the Persian troops to the back of the Greek army, they were forced to retreat. The actual 300 stayed behind to fight, ensuring that the main army could escape. Maybe it's just the movie makers who dramatize by having only a paltry 300 to go fend off the Persians, but I thought this was worth mentioning.

[–] jaymar4 17 years ago

It wasn't the whole greek army but there were about 7,000 warriors in total.

However they were led by the 300 Spartans and it was the Spartans who bore the brunt of the fighting. As you say after they were betrayed the Spartans stayed to fight whilst most of the rest withdrew. However they were supported by Thespians and about 400 Thebans.

The Spartans and Thespians were more or less wiped out. The Thebans surrendered and were branded and taken as slaves.

The Spartans fought for the whole two and a bit days of the battle and it was they, in the main, who held the Persians for so long. They did not retreat because an oracle had predicted that either a Spartan king would die or Sparta would be destroyed so Leonidas had no choice but to sacrifice himself and his men. They killed anything up to 20,000 Persians during those few days.

Thats why we remember the Spartans.

"You elected? No, but i've been nominated"

[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

300 Spartans in the final battle, but also 700 Thespians and 400 Thebans. The film focuses of course on the Spartans.🐭