 Some passages from the Classical authors Aeschylus , Diodorus , Herodotus and Plutarch are split over the movie to give it an authentic flavor . Aeschylus becomes a major source when the battle with the " monstrous human herd " of the Persians is narrated in the film . Diodorus ' statement about Greek valor to preserve their liberty is inserted in the film , but his mention of Persian valor is omitted . Herodotus ' fanciful numbers are used to populate the Persian army , and Plutarch 's discussion of Greek women , specifically Spartan women , is inserted wrongly in the dialogue between the " misogynist " Persian ambassador and the Spartan king . Classical sources are certainly used , but exactly in all the wrong places , or quite naively . The Athenians were fighting a sea battle during this . 
