Ancient Sparta: How To Turn A Society Into A War Machine | Ancient Black Ops | Odyssey

It must be pointed out that Leonidas did not pick the best 300, because they were the best, though formidable they were chosen over others because they all had at least one son to carry on their line.

There's one critical detail overlooked by this amazing documentary. Historically, the Spartans numbered more than 300. While 300 were the hoplites, for each warrior, there were slaves or servants who aided with transportation, logistics, food, and caring for the wounded. These individuals fought not as the main part of the phalanx, but around it, using bows, slings, javelins, and whatever they had as light infantry. In reality, the true number of Leonidas' Spartan army at Thermopylae was between 450 to 700 individuals, possibly even more. Additionally, we must consider that alongside the Spartans were other Greek states: 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans, possibly up to 900 helots, and 1,000 Phocians, bringing the total number of Greeks fighting to nearly 7,000, excluding the servants and additional individuals. Nonetheless, this does not diminish the fact of their remarkable episode of resistance against the enemy. 💀

I remember seeing a documentary about Ancient Greek years ago probably in the late '90s. And one scene had a father being dressed by his entire family with his armor because he called for battle. I thought that was really amazing scene to look at.

"..the 2 elite forces clash. Neither willing to give way.." Oh the Spartans were willing to give way.. but just enough room to cover the ground in more bodies.

Why are they carrying their shields upside down? It's a Lambda, not a V. It was a symbol of Lacedaemonia/Laconia, which was the name of their homeland.

This would make a cool movie!

The courage and sacrifice of the Spartan 300 is nothing short of super human.

Sphacteria then blew the Myth apart! 😢Without taking anything away from them because for around two hundred years they were practically unbeatable in an open land Hoplite battle!

Shame they don't even mention the other expeditionary Greek city state forces. They also sacrificed all in the battlefield without the demand that they stay and die.

Only the Spartan nobility went through this routine growing up. Those who looked after the estates, the Helots were the equilivent of serfs & actually formed most of the rank ‘n file in Spartan armies during the Peloponnesian War, with the full citizens acting as officers. This was the same in the Spartan unit amongst Xenophane’s 10 000 in Persia, where they operated a mercenaries for the Spartan state (who got the payments). This was because over time full Spartans were too small in number by themselves

My favorite Spartan test was essentially the hunger games spliced with capture the flag. The younger students would have to raid the food cache, usually cheese or similar, while the older ones earning their place into the ranks had to play defense.

I've always imagined there's more to it than that , I think the men that made up the "300" were more in it together "chosen" over a shared attitude and understanding of what was at hand. I feel so much of the back story to this moment in history was brought about by internal corruption within Greece, especially Sparta at the time. I feel they probably misrepresent the attitude of Leonidas, it wasn't a nobel sacrifice bound out of duty to some code or state , I think it's a group of intelligent men who realized they were just as much slaves in their society as anyone, that they're sacrifices to lead free lives had been in service to a corrupt lie of a power system set to brainwash everyone and funnel it all upwards towards them, this reached a breaking point when the higher ups in Sparta not only failed to react to the foreign threat but also do everything they could to sabotage any kind of efforts made by anyone else who differed in opioion . I think the 300 marched up there pissed off as hell and carried that attitude into the ground, that was the entire point , just to make a spectactal so large so heroic and impossible to say boo at , the type of story even the average mindless drooling citizen adores, something that sways popular opinion so strongly if the higher ups don't get on board with they'll be hanging on the ends of ropes. It was a final F U by men who probably just wished that one day people might actually have a chance to be free , follow their unique desires and live peaceful existences . The level of disgust inside must of been so intense, think about having you're life both physically and mentally taken from you, the horrific things they forced you're hand at and the horrific things that you've been forced to see inflicted on you're brothers around you. A life chosen for you where You as an individual person are always born to lose and cease to exist as anything more than an expendable. After a lifetime of dirty deeds in the name of an evil cause, it's almost an act of redemption in a karmic sense, to bring one of the tall tales told on the top of Mount Olympus to life that gave the oppressed people hope in the forum of this new mindset where it was a possibility to defy you're oppressors and call them out on their evil little false realities they try to trap 🪤 us in so we can turn one of their cogs for them ⚙️ . If we somehow won that battle, we were going to steal an Athenian ship 🚢 and sail to the Isle of Lesbos to retire in style and finally get a slice 🍰 of the good life...

The Persians foresaw the future and knew in their hearts that if they won, an epic movie would be made after them.

the Persians wanted to conquer Europe... and Greece was just a first step... just as Ukraine is now for ruZZia... I can't even imagine what ''Europe would be now if they had their way... that's why the Western world honors the ''300''...

Always amazing to know when human spirits becomes cohesive…. The accomplishments that can be achieved.

Nobody ever mentions the Spartan attempt at assassinating Xerxes.

I only learned a few years ago that another 700 to 1000 other Greeks died with the Spartans

PAWANKHIND BAJIPRABHU DESHPANDE movie similar

Most noticeable mistake is the guy with the dad bod leasing the 300 …

These guys aren’t real Spartans. They’re not 3/4 naked bodybuilders, which is how Spartans looked according to the epic, historically accurate biopic 300. 😊