An Epic War Novel, "The Gates of Fire" By Steven Pressfield

Bracing itself against an inevitable Persian invasion, S sectionalizationa endeavored to consolidate its power by conquering what she could, while she could. Those not allied with S fibera, like the seaside polity of Antirhion, attracted the military exponent of king Leonidas, who enthusiastically intended to "show her [Antirhion] the error of her ways" by dint of a protracted invasion (Pressfield. 83). The ethic: where armies brook the ability to conquer, they have a right to conquer. As a consequence, the rule of military law demands that armies be raised, soldiers be skilful and wars be fought. Each polis or kingdom in the ancient arena had a vested, vital interest in adequate as big and powerful as possible.

Have we progressed so far from this ideology today? In the modern world, combative military campaigns are waged when victory appears swift and imminent. In other(a) words, the right to wage war is predicated in large part by the ability to do so. Also, modern empires such as the United States have a vested interest in insist themselves militarily, if only for the continued economic dominance that military bodily process is thought to procure (The Economist 27). Even the most nanve observer of international affairs will concede that the military demeanour of the modern superpower is directed in large part by economic concerns and reasonable certitude of victory.

The nations of the modern world perceive this phenomenon very acutely, and strive to develop their militaries according

Another feature of military justice in the ancient world is total-war. Total-war demands that city-state decide to what extent it will force its opposition. The Persian way was to fully expend its wrath upon the enemy. In Athens, after the Athenians had fled the acropolis, "plans were approved for the razing of all temples and sanctuaries of the Hellenic gods ad the torching of the remainder of the city" (Pressfield 190). According to "Gates of Fire", Sparta was less(prenominal) bloodthirsty. Upon defeating the defiant Atirhion army, King Leonidas ordered his men to halt the search of the vanquished (116). Having cowed his opponents, he was free to regard them as allies quite than enemies. This gesture, surely as strategic as it was benevolent, nonetheless reveals the stark character to be prudent and reluctant to rampage without reason.

Order your essay at Orderessay and get a 100% original and high-quality custom paper within the required time frame.