Another battle and one of the most famous in history, that has become a by-word for self-sacrificing heroism:
On
August 11, 480 BC the Persian army, led by Xerxes, finally overrun the mountain pass in Thermopylae, Greece that had been heroicly defended down to the last man by a Greek force of 300 Spartan Elite Hoplites, commanded by their King Leonidas, and a 700 strong Thespian militia.
So much is known about the Battle of Thermopylae, its historical background and aftermath that I dont have to go into any more detail.
Instead, here is a wonderful, but possibly not terribly accurate, painting of Leonidas and the Spartans last minute preparations for the final Persian onslaught, by the French artist Jacques-Louis David, best known for his interpretations of glorious moments in Greek and Roman history and for his sycophantic portraits of Napoleon I.
Leonidas, by Jacques-Louis David
Please observe the Spartan warrior top left, who with the hilt of his sword engraves into the stone the immortal words:
Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by,
that here, obedient to their laws, we lie
1492 Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia Lanzol is elected Pope Alexander VI. Probably even better known as the father of the two offsprings in his celibate life, Cesare and Lucretia Borgia, he is nevertheless famous in his own right, as possibly the most corrupt and debauched of all Italian Renaissance Popes, which is by no means a small achievement. If there was one positive aspect to his career as head of the Catholic Church, then it was his patronage of many great artists whom he commissioned to glorify his reign with buildings and statues in the Papal city.
1984, President Ronald Reagan, of Bedtime for Bonzo fame, had the nation in stitches when he declared on public radio during a voice test:
"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes. The Soviets didnt find that very funny, but then they were not known for their great sense of humour,apart from Krushchev of course. Reagan thus started a tradition of stand-up-comedy as an important means of US-American politics, of which the current President is, with no doubt, an unsurpassed master.
Full list:
Wikipedia
Edited by Komnenos