What the Battle of Thermopylae teaches us about modern politcs

Men, to prepare for today's post go ahead and think manly thoughts: Blood, pirates, power-tools, swords and sex with a red-headed girl in the back of a convertible. Women, to get a similar experience I suggest you go to your local pharmacy and drink 20 ounces of pure rottweiler testosterone.

Our story takes place about 2500 years ago in ancient Greece and Mesopotamia. Back then, most crimes were punished with crucifixion or slavery; and the way local rulers kept control was to kill, torture and/or rape anyone who dared resist. It was a harsh world, and the superpower of this era was the mighty Persian Achaemenid Empire.

It was also a world where people held grudges for generations. In 480 BC the Persian king, Xerxes I, swore that he would punish the Greeks for supporting an Ionian revolt in 500 BC, and, for his dad's defeat at Marathon in 590 BC.

Xerxes prepared his expedition with great care over seven years: a channel was dug through the isthmus of the peninsula of Mount Athos, provisions were stored in the stations on the road through Thrace, two bridges were thrown across the Hellespont. He even concluded an alliance with Carthage, and thus deprived Greece of the support of the powerful monarchs of Syracuse and Agrigentum. (*)

You might say that when Xerxes delivered his vast army to the Greek mainland, the smart money was on the Persians.

Pwned at Thermopylae What prevented Greece from becoming a vassal to the Persian Empire, was the tenacity of 300 Spartans, and 400 Thebans, lead by king Leonidas I at a narrow pass called Thermopylae. There, with a mountain on the right, and the sea on the left - the Greeks stood their ground and held off an army of at least 300,000 Persians for three days.

Ultimately, the only reason Xerxes's men were able to get through was because of a traitor by the name of Ephialtes of Trachis, who showed the Persians a way around the pass so that they could attack the Greeks from behind.

Can you imagine being a Greek at that battle? Blood on your sword, enemies piled high around you or screaming over the edge of a cliff, fighting with every ounce of strength for what you know is right, knowing that you are doomed - yet not caring.

That is a beautiful way to go. I'm not a violent guy, and if someone gave me a weapon I'm more likely to hurt myself than any enemy. But you don't have to be a war-hawk to appreciate the bravery.

"Hooah" indeed.

While the Battle of Thermopylae was a loss for the Greeks, the casualties incurred by the Persians were so high that it severely demoralized the rest of Xerxes's army. If a small band of men could stand against the Great Army and create such slaughter - what would the rest of Greece do to them?

Also, the battle was a huge inspiration for the divided Greek states to unify and eventually drive the Persians from their land.

The political lesson here: Just because a situation looks hopeless does not mean that fighting back does not have an effect. In politics and war, a loss is not necessarily a loss - as long as you can make it as difficult as possible for the enemy to continue.

This does not mean you have to engage in self-defeating activities or eschew all compromise. It's just that when your values or home is on the line; it's better to stand, fight, and lose a battle - than surrender just because you think your going to lose.

The fear of loss does not justify selling out your own people to another country, a political party or an immoral policy.

This is why those of use who care about social justice have gotten so disillusioned with conservative Democrats who are supposed to be protecting their constituents. They seem to roll over the moment they are expected to fight.

Imagine if Senator Hillary Clinton, instead of King King Leonidas I, ran the Greek side during the Battle of Thermopylae:

Spartan Soldier: Senator Clinton, the evil Persians are approaching the pass! You were elected to protect the Greek civilization - what should we do?

Clinton: Wow! The enemy looks strong, and we are likely to lose. EVERYONE SURRENDER OR RUN! I'll go ahead and buddy-up with king Xerxes and condemn the rest of you for being too partisan. Then, if at a later time it looks like the Greeks are winning, I'll come back.

I'm only partially kidding here. Please contradict me if I haven't nailed Clinton's comments and voting record for the past six years.

If our Democratic legislators were a bit more like those ancient Spartans and Thebans, perhaps today we would not be in Iraq, or we would have universal health care, or even better environmental protection - even if the Republicans were in control of both houses.

Read counterpoint here.

Tags: Thermopylae - Battle of Thermopylae - 300 - Politics - Ancient Greece - lessons