Quote Originally Posted by dacdac
But thats not the point of the movie. The movie is based on the comic, which greatly changed the actually happenings to make it more entertaining to the public. The movie is based on those extravagent and over done comic books, which in turn is loosely based on the real event. The producers are not making it to inform, but to entertain, which, by the previews, looks as if they did a good job. Sure, i might point out some things that are completely wrong, but its not supposed to be right.
As someone who has read books one to nine of Herodotus (the lot) I can tell you the original story is plenty entertaining enough.

If critics think that 300 reduces and simplifies the meaning of Thermopylae into freedom versus tyranny, they should reread carefully ancient accounts and then blame Herodotus, Plutarch, and Diodorus — who long ago boasted that Greek freedom was on trial against Persian autocracy, free men in superior fashion dying for their liberty, their enslaved enemies being whipped to enslave others.
This is a GROSS simplification

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Davis_Hanson

He sounds to me like a Francis Prior or Guy de la whatever. Western Way of War my foot, that would be why Persia subjugated Ionia and Greek Asia Minor. I suppose the Romans defeated Hanabal for the same reasons, and that the Empire was a beacon of freedom and hope.

A quick search of JSTOR terns up one article and a dozen or so reviews. That's not exactly inspiring. In any case he's far too politically motivated and revisionist.