The Truth Behind '300' [Persian view]

Spenta Productions ^ | 3/18/07 | Cyrus Kar

[Dr. Frank fan]

The author, like most of the '300' bashers, protests too much. Why does he care so much? This is a fantastical story about a historical battle between two polities neither of which exist. "Sparta" does not exist and "Persia" does not exist. If/when I see this movie, I shall not be identifying with "Sparta" except for the fact that they are (I gather) the protagonists of an action movie.

'300' bashers, however, seem to identify with its "Persia". Why? There is no "Persian Empire" any longer, and people who feel compelled to "defend" it against the inaccuracies of a MOVIE BASED ON A COMIC BOOK just seem to protest too much.

[James W. Fannin]

"It is purchased, not with gold, but with steel." That is the lesson of Leonidas and the 300.

Best not to forget. Once forgotten, it's almost pointless to try to teach again.

[dasboot]

I would think that credit for the American Republic belongs to Tom Jefferson. Was it not he who, learned in the classics, read the histories of the nations of the world; the great works of religious authors; the philosophers of freedom and liberty, etc... and cooked up a stew containing the best flavors of all of 'em??

Our Declaration was penned in his hand.

[freedom44]

Here it is. The 2,500 year celebration of Iran’s monarchy (Persian) consisted of an elaborate set of festivities that took place October 12-16, 1971 on the occasion of the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian monarchy by Cyrus the Great. The intent of the celebration was to demonstrate Iran's long and magnificent history and to showcase its contemporary advancements under the administration of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Planning The planning for the event took more than a decade. With the decision to hold the main event at the ancient city Persepolis near Shiraz, the local infrastructure had to be improved including the airport at Shiraz and a highway to Persepolis. While the press and supporting staff would be housed in Shiraz the main festivities were planned for Persepolis that for this occasion would be the site of an elaborate tent city. The area around Persepolis was cleared of snakes and other vermin.[1] Other events were scheduled for Pasargadae, the site of the tomb of Cyrus the Great, and Tehran. [edit] The Tent City of Persepolis Persepolis Tent City, during the 2,500-year anniversary of the foundation of the Persian Empire in (1971). Persepolis Tent City, during the 2,500-year anniversary of the foundation of the Persian Empire in (1971). 2,500-year anniversary of the foundation of the Persian Empire in (1971) at the mausoleum of Cyrus the Great. 2,500-year anniversary of the foundation of the Persian Empire in (1971) at the mausoleum of Cyrus the Great. The Shahyad Tower was renamed Azadi Tower in 1979 The Shahyad Tower was renamed Azadi Tower in 1979 The Tent City (also Golden City) was planned by the French interior design firm of Jansen on 160 acres that took its inspiration from the 1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold meeting between Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England.[1] Fifty 'tents' (actually prefabricated luxury apartments with traditional Persian tent-cloth surrounds) were arranged in a star pattern around a central fountain, and vast numbers of trees were planted around them in the desert, recreating something of how the ancient Persepolis would have looked. The large Tent of Honor was designed for the reception of the dignitaries. The Banqueting Hall was the largest structure and measured 68 by 24 meters. The tent site was surrounded by gardens of trees and other plants flown in from France and adjacent to the ruins of Persepolis. Catering services were performed by Maxim's de Paris, which closed its restaurant in Paris for almost two weeks in order to provide for the glittering celebrations. Lanvin designed the uniforms of the Imperial Household. 250 red Mercedes-Benz limousines were used to chauffeur guests from airport and back. Dinnerware was created by Limoges.[1] [edit] Festivities The festivities were opened on October 12, 1971 when the Shah and the Shahbanu paid homage to Cyrus the Great at his mausoleum at Pasargadae. For the next two days, the Shah and his wife greeted arriving guests often directly at the Shiraz airport. On the evening of the 14th, a grand gala dinner took place in the Banqueting Hall in celebration of the birthday of the Shahbanu. Sixty heads of royalty and heads of state were assembled at the single large serpentine table in the Banqueting Hall, to be served, amongst other things, roast peacock, Iran's ancient national symbol. A son et lumière show and fireworks, accompanied by Iannis Xenakis' specially-commissioned electronic music piece Persepolis[2] concluded the evening. The next day saw a parade of armies of different Iranian empires covering two and half millennia by 1,724 men of the Iranian armed forces, all in period costume. In the evening a less formal “traditional Persian party” was held in the Banqueting Hall as the concluding event at Persepolis.[3] On the last day the Shah inaugurated the Shahyad Tower (later renamed the Azadi Tower after the Iranian revolution) in Tehran to commemorate the event. The tower was also home to the Museum of Persian History. In it was at display the Cyrus Cylinder considered the first human rights document to espouse freedom of religion. The symbol of this cylinder was also the official symbol of the celebrations, and the Shah's first speech at Cyrus' tomb praised the freedom that it had proclaimed, two and a half millennia previously. The festivities were concluded with the Shah paying homage to his father, Reza Shah Pahlavi, at his mausoleum.[3] [edit] Security Security was a major concern. Persepolis was a favorable site for the festivities as it was isolated and thus could be tightly guarded, a very important consideration when many of the world's leaders were gathered there. Iran's security services, SAVAK, took people into preventive custody it suspected to be potential troublemakers[citation needed]. Elizabeth II had been advised not to attend, with security being an issue (Prince Philip and Princess Anne representing her instead).[1] Other major leaders who did not attend were Richard Nixon and Georges Pompidou. Nixon initially planned to attend, but pulled out late due to fears of terrorists attacking the event.[citation needed] [edit] Critique In retrospect, the event can be considered the swan song of the Iranian monarchy[citation needed]. Arguably, it was the most notable international social event in the 20th century involving royalty and heads of state. The festivities were criticized by for their lavishness and it was opined that the money could have been better spent by supplying social services. Such critiques were voiced in the western press and by Ayatollah Khomeini and his followers. Expenses were said to be as high as $200 million, while the the Ministry of the Court set placed the cost at $17 million. The actual expense figure may be difficult to tabulate and may remain a partisan issue; Ansari, one of the organizers, puts it at $22 million.[1] The defenders of the activities point out other benefits such as the opening of 3,200 schools, improvement in infrastructure, and the positive effect on Iran's public relations. Further, expenses are contrasted to the significantly higher costs of the memorial to Ayatollah Khomeini.[1] The event was largely discredited after the Iranian Revolution.[4]

[Mark was here]

BCE = Before Christian Era.

[Old Student]

"I despise people who use the term BCE, using the term tells me that they are so politically correct that they are beyond redemption."

It may be legitimate usage from a non-Christian, since those are few and far between in Iran these days. Even if the guy lives here in the US.

[Repeal The 17th]

A long, long time ago,
a battle was fought,
and stories were told about it.

Two thousand years later someone wrote a comic book,
that was loosly based,
on the stories that were told,
about the battle that was fought,
a long, long time ago.

Then someone made a movie.
that was loosly based,
on the comic book that was written,
that was loosly based,
on the stories that were told,
about the battle that was fought,
a long, long time ago.

Now people want to complain,
that the movie that was made,
that was loosly based,
on the comic book that was written,
that was loosly based on,
the stories that were told,
about the battle that was fought,
a long, long time ago,
... is not historically accurate.

Believe it or not,
"Blazing Saddles"
is not an accurate portrayal of the old west.

[SolidWood]

Every piece of art (especially films) are a mirror of THEIR time.
As another poster pointed out, Islam's invasion of Persia changed Persia profoundly to the worse...
The noble attempt of the Pahlavi Shahs to revive the pre-Islamic Iran ultimately failed.
Before 1979 the Image of Iranians internationally was very positive, it was seen as exotic and glamorous, post-1979 it's barbarbic and dangerous. The Islamic Revolution changed the West's perception.

We see the Persians in "300" as reflections of the post-1979 "Iranians"... they therefore represent the Khomeinist threat and not the ancient Persians of the Bible, romantic figures of Omar Chayyam or the Pahlavi-era Iranians.

[I see my hands]

[freedom44]

Yes so unfortunate but true.

[68 grunt]

b4 common era

[aft_lizard]

No not to the intellectual ivory towers, it stands for Before the Common Era to them.

[Eva]

Steven Pressfield says, through the voice of Dianekes in Gates of Fire,"You have never tasted freedom, else you would know. It is purchased, not with gold, but with steel." That is the lesson of Leonidas and the 300.

Excellent post! That quote effectively summarizes the attention and admiration for the Spartans and the battle of Thermopylae.

[Sherman Logan]

What stretches the limits of hypocrisy is that there isn't a single shred of archeological evidence that the Persians ever owned slaves.

Domesticated animals and enslaved humans and a vast number of people were needed to work on projects of agriculture, warfare and monumental construction. State owned slaves in the mines (Olmstead, 1948: 74 ff), and they were well paid (Dandemaev and Lukonin, 1989: 161-2), but they had the status of livestock moveable property (op. cit 153). The household of the Great King maintained a large retinue of slaves who functioned as plowmen, millers, cow herds, shepherds, winemakers and beer brewers, cooks, bakers, wine waiters and eunuchs (Dandamaev and Lukonin, 1989: 158, 170). Of the slaves at Persepolis, 12.7% were boys, and 10% were girls (Fortification Tablets). Dandemaev and Lukonin (1989: 160–1), concluded that these slaves lived together as families but they were also moved around the empire in what amounts to job lots. Documents record the movements of between 150 and 1500 slaves from one site to another. In Babylon, Egypt and the Greek cities of Lydia, the arrangements predating the Persians were kept. Slaves were usually acquired through warfare (Falcelière et al, 1970: 433), and were known as "the booty of the bow" (Dandamaev and Lukonin, 1989: 156). The peace established by the Great King would have effectively dried up this source. However, the Great Kings enslaved satrapies and cities which rebelled (Dandemaev and Lukonin, 1989: 170). Slavery was usually seen as a hereditary state, the children of those slaves maintained private stocks. Household slaves could be bought (Herodotos, vm, 1os). There was a privately owned slave labour force doing menial tasks. In Babylon, debtors could sell themselves into slavery (Olmstead, 1948: 74 ff), but this quickly died out under Persian rule (Dandemaev and Lukonin, 1989: 156). Everyone from the highest nobles down were defined as bandaka (the slaves of the Great King) (Kurht, 1995: 687), or 'those who wear the belt of dependence' (Wiesehoefer, 1996:31). This meant that taxation was due in money, precious metals, goods, military service and labour.

http://hsc.csu.edu.au/ancient_history/societies/near_east/persian_soc/persiansociety.html

Considerable looking around on the web found lots of Iranian-run sites proclaiming the absence of slavery in ancient Persia, but without any documentation for the claim.

I found the last two sentences of the quote above particularly enlightening. In Persia, as in all absolute monarchies and dictatorships, everybody except the monarch/dictator was by definition a slave. The Persian Empire's rule was often benevolent relative to those empires which preceded and followed it, but slavery is still slavery even when the slave is treated well.

The essence of individual freedom is that the government is unable to do certain things to you. The Great King of ancient Persia had no constraints at all on his actions.

[betsyross1776]

We studied this when I was in school. Everybody learned the story of the three hundred and the stand they took to protect the Greek democracy. We don't teach that anymore, now they probably would teach how bad those evil Spartans were and how many Persians they murdered while just cruising through the pass.We need to change the school system if we don't teach about the sacrifice of history made by people for freedom. We are the taxpayers, if the schools don't do this , don't support the schools.

[MARenzulli]

I disagree with the author's assertion. The fact is, for the past 60+ years the United States government has dedicated itself to manipulation and control of the world asserting itself as an empire despite the warnings of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

For more information, I suggest you and read the book "The Sorrows of Empire" and "Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire" both written by former C.I.A. analyst Chalmers Johnson.

Any semblence of the United States retaliating for the events surrounding 09/11 are unjustifiable due to the U.S. government's actions of intervening militarily and politically in places like the Middle East and, yes, sending foreign aid to countries like Israel, Egypt and the like which radicalizes and provokes people, like Muslims, to become terrorists.

If our own history of resisting the British Empire is any guide, people ultimately will never and should never submit to be ruled by another.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. You all are going to insult me with insinuations that I am "disloyal to our country/troops" or are "un-American" but, hey, the truth hurts.

[kennyo]

Iranians are the most affluent and educated minority group in America. If we set our minds to it, we could literally change the world. This Norooz, I hope all Iranians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, resolve to finally unite in an effort to redeem the reputation of our ancestors...and...My documentary film about Cyrus The Great (www.spentaproductions.com) has languished for a mere want of $400,000.

Connect the dots,genius!

[Mashood]

Spartan society was nothing more than ruling homos. At a very young age, boys were sent to learn about being a "man". He was taught not only combat techniques, but was also buggered by teachers and students alike. This was suppose to form a relationship with his comrade...they were to become manly men first.

[kennyo]

I despise people who use the term BCE, using the term tells me that they are so politically correct that they are beyond redemption.

...as well as "democracy" and "gender equality."

[Sherman Logan]

What stretches the limits of hypocrisy is that there isn't a single shred of archeological evidence that the Persians ever owned slaves.

Esther chapter 7:

"3 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king."