UnholyMudcrab posted... This isn't strictly related to 300, but I'm in the mood to trash Sparta
People bring up the Laconic "if" like it's some prime example of Spartan badassery, but they always conveniently leave out the fact that after the Spartans sent that reply, Philip of Macedon invaded and utterly handed them their asses like he promised them he would.
And they lost to Thebes before that in the Battle of Leuctra relatively shortly before that.
Also, I thought that Macedon fought and defeated Sparta in 331 BCE at the Battle of Megalopolis, which happened after Alexander was on the throne. Said battle was conducted by Macedons regent in Greece, Antipater, since Alexander was busy conquering Persia. So it wasn't Philip who beat them, while Philip is responsible for dealing with Thebes/Athens while he was alive. Also, as fate would have it, the Spartan revolt before the Battle of Megalopolis
was funded by Persian money. Oh the irony.