This Is SPARTA!!!

[lduke1990]

The novel was easier to read than the actual history (too many wiki articles). Although I did get through it. Frank Miller's rendition of it was relatively true to life, but with further emphasis on specific people and events, yes there was embellishment, but it's a comic you sort of expect that, and people like embellishment, that is why movies get made.

[unriggable]

I personally think that the movie would have been completely different (and not as successful) had it been based on actual history. I mean, it's much more appealing to have free-fighting unstoppable warriors rather than a immobile phalanx, right?

[lduke1990]

They were in the phalanx until it didn't make sense to do that anymore. meaning that while there was a large force coming at them, phalanx, but stragglers got run down.