Last night History channel had a special on the battle of Thermopylae. Fascinating the way the Persians engineered their invasion by crossing the sea with a type of caisson bridge.
The training techniques for the Spartan's make gladiators look like girls. Mothers gave up their boys at the age of seven for military training. The King's son had to prove himself by killing or lion ... or he was killed by the lion. Brutal.
It will be on again March 30th.
http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=214233
Saw that - it was GREAT. I wish I had taped it.
I just wish they would stop giving Pressfield the coverage he gets. I read Gates of Fire and its an o.k. novel, but not history and Pressfield isn't an historian, as anyone who reads Gates of Fire would know. HE alos isn't a particularly good novelist - in my opinion.