The Battle of Thermopylae : Last Stand of The Greeks - Military History Animated.
Video from Imperial Scribe
Knowing History: The 300 Spartans
"The battle of Thermopylae is one of the romanticized battles in history with more misinformation swirling around than actual concrete information. What is known is that a small Greek force stood against overwhelming odds at the pass of Thermopylae and delayed them over three days of battle. Sources: Thermopylae: The Battle For The West - Ernle Bradford Thermopylae - Hugh Last The Pass at Thermopylae, Greece - John C. Kraft, George Rapp, Jr., George J. Szemler, Christos Tziavos and Edward W. Kase" from video introduction.
Reasons Why Christians Should Study History
Below are some of the responses turned in by my students when asked to prepare a top ten list of the reasons why Christians should study history:
Serious
History is teleological – where do we stand in God’s timeline?
The events recorded in the Bible are historical.
To avoid being misled by others.
To be a more effective apologist.
People will take you more seriously (credibility).
To avoid having a narrow vision and a narrow mind.
It makes available new evangelistic opportunities.
To avoid looking at the events of the Bible as a separate world from historical events not found in the Bible – there isn’t a Bible world and the real world.
To understand the Bible in its historical setting — grammatico-historical interpretation.
To discover our cultural roots.
To see how Christianity has shaped the world, and where it has been shaped by the world.
Learn from previous mistakes so as not to repeat them.
It is interesting!
It is fun!
History can be beautiful.." from the article: Reasons Why Christians Should Study History
Scene from "The 300 Spartans" Movie (1961)
Video from FirouzanFilms
"This 1961 Epic was Hollywood's first attempt at recreating the Battle of Thermopylae. This version is supposedly what influenced Frank Miller to make his graphic novel. Though this telling is not without its own undertones of propaganda (in this case Cold War hyperbole as opposed to War on Terror rhetoric), this film suffers far fewer inaccuracies. It acknowledges the efforts of other Greeks such as the Athenians and Thespians and at least depicts the Persians as humans, and Caucasians at that." from video introduction.
The Importance of Being a Lifelong Learner
I grew up watching films like "The 300 Spartans" from 1961 and it influenced my interest in God and history. Of course, this is romanticized and inaccurate yet it gives us some idea of what happened. As Christians, we should be as widely read as possible. This not only helps us understand our culture and the time in which we live, it also helps us see how God is at work and has always been at work in the world.
You and I have a part to play but we are not the ones who direct the world around us.
Colossian 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
I hope this post will excite you and you begin reading more scripture and more history! - Andy
The Tomb of Leonidas and the 300 Spartans
Video from Takis Travels
"The story - beyond myth - is the following. The Spartans knew that the Battle of Thermopylae would be lost for sure. That's why they really did not send any army. In order not to offend the other Greeks, they sent only King Leonidas with the royal guard (300 men). And that was not the real royal guard. They were all middle-aged men who left behind them at least one son as a soldier. This is the greatness of their sacrifice. They went there by knowing that everyone would die. MUSIC: Canon in D Major by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution." from video introduction.
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