300 - Page 16

maximusslade · 05-05-2008, 19:21 PM

I as much as most of you guys prefer a historically accurate movie, but this is a movie. If you pay attention to the movie, not the history, but the movie, you see that it is a STORY told by a Spartan who is trying to make everyone who hears the story understand how hard they fought, against what they fought, and most importantly, how gloriously they died. Not history, but a damned good story.

As for the history...
300 Spartans and 700 Thespians vs 100,000 men of the Persian army. It happened, it is not legend, but history. It is a simple matter of surface area. You can't flank 7000 soldiers if their flanks are held by the Sea and the Mountain. It must also be noted that the Spartans themselves were a martial society who lived, slept, and dreamed combat. They fought in an almost inpenitrable phalanx, they wore bronze armor that covered the head, chest, and shins, they carried a strong spear and a large, heavy bronze shield. They also rebuilt a wall that was there. So far as I know, the Persians didn't bring seige equipment with them. That being said a knee high stone wall would have been at least a painful thorn, at worst it would have broken the Persian line enough for the Greeks to poke spear points in the holes. The Spartans were better trained, better physical condition, better armor, and probably had a better leader. They held the Persians there, they inficted disproportionate casulties against the Persians, they died buying Greece time to organize its armies and navy.

dalem · 05-05-2008, 20:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironduke

I like the show. I liked Babylon 5 too. For science fiction shows, they're alot more realistic than Star Trek, with regards to interpersonal relationships and all. Alot of character depth.

Star Trek, ultimately, is a science fiction writer's wet dream of an interstellar socialist utopia, nothing more. No money, no capitalism (except as a comic foil, a la the Ferengis), anything you could ever want just speak it into a replicator. Every episode is a crusade for great social justice.

Well, anyways, the thread is back on track to 300 posts.

I agree with your comments about B5 (just finishing up watching the whole run over the last few months, in Season 5 right now), but would yak over a beer or two about Trek. Maybe this summer.

-dale

Gun Grape · 05-05-2008, 23:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximusslade

They also rebuilt a wall that was there.......... That being said a knee high stone wall would have been at least a painful thorn, at worst it would have broken the Persian line enough for the Greeks to poke spear points in the holes. .

If I'm not mistaken our own OoE was the Combat Engineer Detachment Commander in charge of that operation.

Next he will be saying that it wasn't really the Spartans warfighting abilities that is responsible for the legend but the fine obstacle work by HIS engineers

Blademaster · 05-05-2008, 23:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

If I'm not mistaken our own OoE was the Combat Engineer Detachment Commander in charge of that operation.

Next he will be saying that it wasn't really the Spartans warfighting abilities that is responsible for the legend but the fine obstacle work by HIS engineers

Wait! He's that old! God damn that geezer! I wonder how he keeps his teeth from falling out!

Kansas Bear · 05-05-2008, 23:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blademaster

I wonder how he keeps his teeth from falling out!

Single Malt Scotch

maximusslade · 05-05-2008, 23:35 PM

Grape, who do you think told me about the wall in the first place??

Albany Rifles · 05-06-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

If I'm not mistaken our own OoE was the Combat Engineer Detachment Commander in charge of that operation.

Next he will be saying that it wasn't really the Spartans warfighting abilities that is responsible for the legend but the fine obstacle work by HIS engineers

When I was in the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, when we got to the section on combat engineering, the Corps of Engineer Major showed us part of the movie Zulu. His point was that without the meelie bags Rourke's Drift would have fallen on the first charge. Kind of had a point.

I wonder if OOE advised Lieutenant Chard?

That would make him our own Casca!

S-2 · 05-06-2008, 11:20 AM

He got his start, I believe, and long-held the great wall contract. Spent a ton of time consulting that project through the ages. Knows J.C. well when he was a corporal (J.C.). The colonel has always been a colonel. Think they come that way.

Did some early work for that Roman guy, Hadrian, in England too.

I think he invented scottish malt whisky. Digging peat to lay roads for the Romans in Scotland. Smart guy.

Albany Rifles · 05-06-2008, 11:24 AM

Wasn't he the Engineer Battle Captain at Jerihco under General Joshua?

maximusslade · 05-06-2008, 11:45 AM

Didn't he advise against the Tower of Babel?? He probably met Rusty around then while Rusty was giving Noah advice on the Ark.

S-2 · 05-06-2008, 12:57 PM

Yeah that was a U.N./NATO project that went south absent unity of command and real standardization issues.

**Officer of Engineers** · 05-06-2008, 18:37 PM

Yes, Gentlemen, I was in service that long and that training was so invaluable that it prepared me for the biggest engineering challenging in an extremely lethal NBC environment - I had to change a diaper.

astralis · 05-06-2008, 20:50 PM

Quote:

that training was so invaluable that it prepared me for the biggest engineering challenging in an extremely lethal NBC environment - I had to change a diaper.

was that the reason your wife gave in assigning you diaper duties?

i reckon that should fill out a resume quite nicely.

05-05-2008, 19:21 PM	#226 (permalink)
maximusslade Regular Join Date: 04-16-08 Posts: 144	I as much as most of you guys prefer a historically accurate movie, but this is a movie. If you pay attention to the movie, not the history, but the movie, you see that it is a STORY told by a Spartan who is trying to make everyone who hears the story understand how hard they fought, against what they fought, and most importantly, how gloriously they died. Not history, but a damned good story. As for the history... 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians vs 100,000 men of the Persian army. It happened, it is not legend, but history. It is a simple matter of surface area. You can't flank 7000 soldiers if their flanks are held by the Sea and the Mountain. It must also be noted that the Spartans themselves were a martial society who lived, slept, and dreamed combat. They fought in an almost inpenitrable phalanx, they wore bronze armor that covered the head, chest, and shins, they carried a strong spear and a large, heavy bronze shield. They also rebuilt a wall that was there. So far as I know, the Persians didn't bring seige equipment with them. That being said a knee high stone wall would have been at least a painful thorn, at worst it would have broken the Persian line enough for the Greeks to poke spear points in the holes. The Spartans were better trained, better physical condition, better armor, and probably had a better leader. They held the Persians there, they inficted disproportionate casulties against the Persians, they died buying Greece time to organize its armies and navy. __________________ Hit Hard, Hit Fast, Hit Often...

05-06-2008, 11:20 AM	#233 (permalink)
S-2 *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-11-06 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 1,924 Country:	Great Wall He got his start, I believe, and long-held the great wall contract. Spent a ton of time consulting that project through the ages. Knows J.C. well when he was a corporal (J.C.). The colonel has always been a colonel. Think they come that way. Did some early work for that Roman guy, Hadrian, in England too. I think he invented scottish malt whisky. Digging peat to lay roads for the Romans in Scotland. Smart guy. __________________ "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski Last edited by S-2 : 05-06-2008 at 11:25 AM.

05-06-2008, 11:24 AM	#234 (permalink)
Albany Rifles *Defense Professional* *Military Professional* Join Date: 04-27-07 Location: Prince George, VA Posts: 859 Country:	Officer Of Engineers Wasn't he the Engineer Battle Captain at Jerihco under General Joshua?

05-06-2008, 12:57 PM	#236 (permalink)
S-2 *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-11-06 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 1,924 Country:	Tower of Babel Yeah that was a U.N./NATO project that went south absent unity of command and real standardization issues.

05-06-2008, 18:37 PM	#237 (permalink)
Officer of Engineers Moderator Scotch taster Join Date: 08-06-03 Posts: 14,876 Country:	Yes, Gentlemen, I was in service that long and that training was so invaluable that it prepared me for the biggest engineering challenging in an extremely lethal NBC environment - I had to change a diaper. __________________ Chimo

05-05-2008, 23:35 PM	#231 (permalink)
maximusslade Regular Join Date: 04-16-08 Posts: 144	Grape, who do you think told me about the wall in the first place??

05-06-2008, 11:45 AM	#235 (permalink)
maximusslade Regular Join Date: 04-16-08 Posts: 144	Didn't he advise against the Tower of Babel?? He probably met Rusty around then while Rusty was giving Noah advice on the Ark.

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