During the movie “300” (cover photo), an epic action film based on the 1998 comic book, there’s a pivotal moment before the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), where King Leonidas of Sparta responds to Daxos, a fictional representative of the Arcadians, who questions Sparta’s commitment to the battle against the Persian army of Xerxes.

Daxos expresses disappointment, suggesting that Sparta should have brought more soldiers to match the commitment of the Arcadians. In response, King Leonidas turns to the soldiers beside Daxos, who represent different trades and are part of the coalition forces: a potter, a sculptor, and a blacksmith. Leonidas then contrasts these diverse occupations with the unified Spartan soldiers behind him. He asks each of the coalition soldiers about their professions, illustrating their varied backgrounds. When he turns to the Spartans and asks them what their profession is, they respond with their iconic battle cry, emphasizing their singular dedication and training as soldiers.

The movie “300” takes significant liberties with historical accuracy, as it is largely fictionalized. Many aspects of the film, including the portrayal of characters, events, and tactics, are exaggerated or invented for dramatic effect. After all, it is based on a comic book, as mentioned above. For example, the clothing and armament of the soldiers is quite far from reality as well as the numbers of those involved.The Greeks fielded 5 to 7 thousand soldiers – of which 3-4,000 were from the Peloponnese including the 300 Spartans and the rest from Central Greece. They marched against about 300,000 Persians). Also about the persons involved, such as Daxos, and appear to be pure figments of the imagination, events, such as the meeting of Leonidas and Xerxis ect..

However, this dialogue did occur in reality, albeit not between King Leonidas in 480 BC, but rather between the Spartan king Agesilaus and his allies during a campaign in Asia Minor about a century later, in 395 BC.

In 396 BC, Agesilaus II, the Spartan king, embarked on a military campaign into Asia Minor as a part of Sparta’s effort to extend its influence beyond the Peloponnese. His army consisted of 30 Spartans, 2,000 neodamites¹ and 6,000 allied soldiers. “..When he once heard that the allies were displeased with the continuous campaigns, because the Spartans were few but many followed them, wishing to demonstrate their numbers, he ordered all the allies to sit mixed together, but the Spartans separately by themselves. Then he called upon the potters to stand up first, and when they stood up, he called upon the smiths, then the carpenters in succession, and the builders, and each of the other trades. Almost all the allies stood up, but none of the Spartans did; for they were forbidden to practice or learn any menial craft. Then Agesilaus laughed and said, “Do you see, gentlemen, how many more soldiers we send out than you?..”²

As for military operations Spartan king advanced initially towards Hellespontine Phrygia. There he conquered many cities along his path, he gathered substantial plunder and arrived at Dascylium, the seat of the satrap Pharnabazus II. In the ensuing cavalry battle, the Greeks suffered losses, and only through Agesilaus’ intervention did the Persian forces retreat. In the spring-summer of 395 BC, Agesilaus advanced towards Sardis. There, near the city, he fought against the forces of Tissaphernes and achieved a glorious victory, gaining abundant spoils. The defeat ultimately led to the downfall of the satrap.

The Spartan king, having reinforced his army, advanced towards Hellespontine Phrygia. Conquering every city encountered along his path, he gathered substantial plunder and arrived at Dascylium, the seat of the satrap Pharnabazus II. In the ensuing cavalry battle, the Greeks suffered minimal losses, and only through Agesilaus’ intervention did the Persian forces retreat. However, the Greek leader realized that to have hopes of success, he needed to replenish the lack of strong cavalry. Therefore, he withdrew towards the coast and began forming cavalry units with contributions from the wealthy inhabitants of the Ionian cities.

To boost morale among his men, he established awards and prizes for military units that distinguished themselves in military training. He also ordered captured enemies to be sold naked, showcasing their untrained bodies. In the spring-summer of 395 BC, Agesilaus advanced towards Sardis. There, near the city, he fought against the forces of Tissaphernes and achieved a glorious victory, gaining abundant spoils. The defeat ultimately led to the downfall of the satrap.

1. The neodamites were a social group in ancient Sparta made up of helots freed ( a subjugated population that constituted a majority of the population of regions of Laconia and Messenia) after serving in the Spartan army. The name is a combination of the words “neos” and “damos” (”young” and ”municipality”). ↩︎
2. From the Greek historian, biographer, philosopher and essayist “Plutarch, Moralia, Apophthegmata Laconica” (Πλουτάρχου, Ηθικά, Λακωνικά αποφθέγματα) «..Ἐπεὶ δ´ ἤκουσέ ποτε δυσχερᾶναι τοὺς συμμάχους διὰ τὰς συνεχεῖς στρατείας, [214a] ὀλίγοις οὖσι τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις πολλοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας, ἐλέγξαι βουλόμενος αὐτῶν τὸ πλῆθος ἐκέλευσεν ἅπαντας τοὺς συμμάχους καθίσαι μετ´ ἀλλήλων ἀναμεμιγμένους, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐφ´ ἑαυτῶν· εἶτα ἐκήρυττε τοὺς κεραμεῖς ἀνίστασθαι πρώτους, ὡς δ´ ἀνέστησαν οὗτοι, δευτέρους ἐκήρυττε τοὺς χαλκεῖς, εἶτα τέκτονας ἐφεξῆς καὶ οἰκοδόμους, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τεχνῶν ἑκάστην. Πάντες οὖν ὀλίγου δεῖν ἀνέστησαν οἱ σύμμαχοι, τῶν δὲ Λακεδαιμονίων οὐδείς· ἀπείρητο γὰρ αὐτοῖς τέχνην ἐργάζεσθαι ἢ μανθάνειν βάναυσον. Οὕτω δὴ γελάσας ὁ Ἀγησίλαος [214b] «Ὁρᾶτε» εἶπεν «ὦ ἄνδρες, ὅσῳ πλείονας ὑμῶν στρατιώτας ἐκπέμπομεν ἡμεῖς;..» ↩︎