I read 'The Ten Thousand' by Michael Curtis Ford last week. Despite its several hundred pages, it didn't take more than a few days to read, since it wasn't a masterpiece of fiction; however, as a fairly authentic historical novel, it satisfied my brief interest in
The ancient world hitherto – probably due to its paganish image – was somewhat repulsive for me, but sooner or later you find something interesting in most of the cultures you find. Since as a teenager, I was quite interested in warfare, I find this interest gently renewed every now and then. This time it was the hoplite phalanx that took my attention, along with the routine and discipline it had needed in order to work perfectly; as well as its extreme efficiency when well deployed against non-phalanx armies.
Of course, this leads to the battle of Thermopylae and the Spartans, or rather, I’d better admit that the whole thing came up after watching the movie ‘300’, since in the latter years, I’m paying attention to popular culture – it is quite dangerous not paying attention to the world, isn’t it? Interpreting the movie itself is not an easy task; as an action movie, it’s evidently about making money and pleasing people with the spectacles, first of all. However, some critic implied that despite its semi-historical fantasy comics style, it could be considered realistic if it was meant to screen the Spartans’ impression about the battle. Make an authentic movie about it, and 21st century people will experience something totally different than the Spartans did at the time. For example, all the things the Persians deployed are nothing new even for an illiterate audience. That is why all the fantasy, all the visual exaggerations of Spartan strength, and the understatement of other Greek hoplites (not even depicted as hoplites) could be authentic from the Spartan point of view; even if the Spartans themselves are altered a bit to obtain the audience's sympathy.
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