Quote - We've been discussing the movie at the University where I teach.  The Thespians were on the "other side of the gates" and the Spartans were the shock troops that held back the Persians, according to one of our faculty historians.  Not personally having been there, I don't think there's a truly accurate and unbiased record of the situation, but it's a great story none the less.

This is so true I guess it depended on which historian's version you went with Greek or Persian. There are various accounts to the actual battle one being when Leonidas found out that the Persians had found the trail around the narrow pass they were defending and engaged on a pincer movement Leonidas gathered a council of war together  to discuss a quiet withdraw of the main Greek army back to defend Athens. This account also states a contingent of about 700-1000 Thespians led by general Demophilus the son of Diadromes, refused to leave with the other Greeks, but cast their lot with the Spartans. Some historians also known to have written that there were actually 1500 men involved in the very last stand at Thermopylae Spartan, Thespian and Thebans.

Anyway I'd like to see this movie. When I was a kid I saw another movie made in 1962 "The 300 Spartans" it was good but I was a kid then and really dug those kind of movies. LOL!

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