Uncovering the spartans suicide mission on steven pressfield's gates of fire

This study focuses on the historical events that appear in the novel Gates of Fire, especially on the battle of Thermopylae. The novel Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield is a novel that tells about the desperate action of the Spartans and the Greeks in repelling the massive Persian invasion. Spartan's story is told in heroic narration from its ancient sources and contains a myth within it. This novel also applied a similar approach to retelling about Spartans with the battle of Thermopylae and its 300 Spartans become key aspects within it. Because of it, this made the novel bring the misconception about the actual event of the Greco-Persian Wars. Thus, this study tends to understand how this novel is reflecting the real event and also understanding about the 300 Spartans and their sacrifice. In order to understand what really happens in the event, this study needs to see the novel through its reference and needs to apply the theory of mimetic. The researcher also uses the qualitative method to analyze and explain its finding in the process. As a result, the novel gives detail on the Greco-Persian war's events and covering a major battle in the battle of Thermopylae and the famous 300 Spartans. The novel also tell other battle such as the Sea Battle of Artemisium and Salamis, the Sack of Athens, and the Battle of Plataea. Moreover, this research also found that in the real event, Spartan's suicidal mission that writes in the novel is initially not a suicidal mission, and it is only Spartan's political movement to understand his ally and foe. However, the battle end quicker than anticipated. This loss then shocked the Spartans in their homeland.