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"Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield - How accurate?
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Mythos_Ruler View Drop Down
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Posts: 0 		  Quote Mythos_Ruler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield - How accurate?
    Posted: 18-Jun-2005 at 15:45
How accurate is the novel "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield? I just finished reading the book myself and found it a refreshing read. I was just wondering how accurate his portrayal is of Spartan society, phalanx warfare, and the actual battle itself.

BTW - I recommend all on this forum pick up a copy of this book. My paperback was only $7.99 at Barnes and Nobles.
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philiptheuniter View Drop Down
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Posts: 0 		  Quote philiptheuniter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2005 at 21:12
I've been meaning to read it. Thanks for the review, sounds like it is great.
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Posts: 694 		  Quote TheodoreFelix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2005 at 23:36
Not very accurate. The whole book is one big fictionalization. The characters, sub-plots, side-stories and even the battle in general is very....romanticized. Some of the stuff that occur will also turn your stomach. The very nature of the phallanx is very glamorized.

With that said. I though t it was one of the best historical fiction novels I have ever read. The amoung of emotion it brings out, the character development and sub-plots just bring you in entirely. It is a GREAT book.

Edited by Iskender Bey ALBO
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Posts: 439 		  Quote Lannes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-Jun-2005 at 14:39

Originally posted by Iskender Bey ALBO

Not very accurate. The whole book is one big fictionalization. The characters, sub-plots, side-stories and even the battle in general is very....romanticized. Some of the stuff that occur will also turn your stomach.

Hmm, a few amazon.com reviewers praised it for its historical accuracy.  Here's part of someone's review: 

The text centers around a fictional Spartan squire named Xeones, the lone Laconian warrior to survive the battle (albeit with a multitude of serious wounds). In reality, the only Spartan to survive was a fellow named Aristodemus. Supposedly, he was a messenger who tarried along the path to Thermopylae and missed the battle. He spent the rest of his life in disgrace in the eyes of his fellow Spartans, despite a heroic showing at the battle of Plataea (the decisive battle of the Persian war).

Back to Xeones. Pressfield's presentation of the story is nothing short of brilliant. Captured by the Persians, Xerxes orders his personal historian to record the infantryman's story. Through the persona of Xeones, we are informed of events in the Persian war before, during and after the battle of Thermopylae. Xeones interacts with historical figures on both sides of the war, such as the Spartans Leonidas and Dienekes, as well as Xerxes, Orontes and Artemisia.

Granted, this guy might not be the best to speak of historical accuracy given that he got Aristodemus's reason for not being at the battle mixed up (Aristodemus had actually been sent back home by Leonidas because of some illness, along with another.  Pantites is the messenger he refers to.)

Originally posted by Iskender Bey ALBO

The very nature of the phallanx is very glamorized.

Heh, what do you mean?  (This guy's gotta be one hell of an author if he can make a phalanx seem glamorous...)
τρέφεται δέ, ὤ Σώκρατης, ψυχὴ τίνι;
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TheodoreFelix View Drop Down
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Posts: 694 		  Quote TheodoreFelix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-Jun-2005 at 14:45
Granted, this guy might not be the best to speak of historical accuracy given that he got Aristodemus's reason for not being at the battle mixed up (Aristodemus had actually been sent back home by Leonidas because of some illness, along with another. Pantites is the messenger he refers to.)


This whole part is mentioned within the book, so i dont know what that guy is talking about. It was mentioned later on.


Heh, what do you mean? (This guy's gotta be one hell of an author if he can make a phalanx seem glamorous...)



If I did tell you, I would ruin an awesome and incredibly emotional ending to the story.


The story does follow the timeline of that war. Battle to battle. Its just most of the characters are fictional. In a sense he creates a story within a historical event



Edited by Iskender Bey ALBO
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