300

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Pah, It purports to the be the battle of the Hot Gates, it makes a claim to a historical basis.

I feel sorry for the poor Helot Leonides actually killed.

[Intranetusa]

If you are going to trump the Spartans losing atleast post the real numbers. Yes they lost but with the declining numbers in actual Spartans in general and the fact that most of their numbers were made up with allies also helped in their defeat...

Read my post dude, I said "Spartan+Spartan allies" combined = 12,000

[Spoofa]

Testosterone movie for me is to see a historically accurate clash between two gigantic armies marching in correct formation with correct equipment without breaking ranks to go for individual combat, then a few well done cavalry charges, and nice, epic music in the background!

the old spartacus might spark your testosterone.

[PershsNhpios]

Spartacus was a fine movie for me.
It led me, long before I started studying the classical era, to find out who Spartacus really was.
Unfortunately I was told by several university encyclopaedias that he was a probably a Thracian auxiliary in the Roman army who deserted, and when he was caught and imprisoned he started a rebellion.

Cut out the beginning - and you have a terrific story!

I think the rebellion is briefly mentioned in the Gallic Wars.
In the movie however, I enjoyed the acting and the sheer size of the cohorts that were shown.
Though I always detest Ameri.... Hollywood portrayal of the Roman Empire, though they can at times show historical faith - whiny Am.. Hollywood accents and the largest macho men the studios can possibly cast prevent me from being immersed in such movies.

It is the same as the Shakespeare play I love, (the only one), Julius Caesar.
Brilliant dialogue and marvelled speeches, however the old English, and the especially British actors detract from the work.
This cannot be helped, I know, but their pronounciations of some things can be terrible.

"Oh you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome......"

[Bellum]

Yes, Australian accents are so much better.

[PershsNhpios]

Australia is such a half-way house of the global village now that true Australian accents are as rare as true Australian intellect.
I myself am of an New-Zealander British decent, and though this is more relevant in the EB Tavern, my ancestral grandmother was the mistress of the Botanist Joseph Banks.
He refused her constant proposals of marriage, and deserted her to serve on the first fleet of Captain James Cook.
So she damned him and took his name - that's why my mother's maiden name is Banks!!

This is the most interesting part of my family history, or the only part I really know well - I am a late child and not one that holds blood in dearer sight than my love of the arts.

But, this was all said to disarm your comment - For rarely if ever do Australians attempt to play dress-ups and act like rulers of ancient civilisations, and I have an accent that is partly New-Zealander and partly Irish!

Now.. I saw that smiley here somewhere... ah!

!!

[Rodion Romanovich]

the old spartacus might spark your testosterone.

Yes, it did

I prefer attempts at being historical accuracy such as Spartacus, even if not perfect down to every detail, over the movies that don't attempt at all, such as 300. In fact, ordering the movies after how much I liked them I get almost the same order as when I order them by degree of historical accuracy.

The main weaknesses of Spartacus are probably: 1. they didn't have the modern technology for recording battle scenes, cavalry charges and the like (these are actually pretty decent, albeit often exaggerating the powerfulness of the cavalry, in some of the modern [a]historical movies), so only a small part of manouvering could actually be recorded, 2. they had to appeal to the masses (read: female watchers) by making Spartacus a heroic, charming figure fighting for liberty and justice without any selfish ideas at all so they could add a love story, rather than making him a possibly more disillusioned and cynic person who out of desperation used tactics more similar to what we would call terrorism these days (by pillaging and terrorizing the roman civilians as a way of both feeding his army, and pressuring the civilians to, by their fear and suffering, turn on their own leaders, or: more often, is due to a pure feeling of hopelessness at in the end defeating such a militarily strong opponent).