Given that Alexander the Great's life is essentially a collection of myths and legends, the chronicle of Thermopylae (which occured a century before) is also subject to the same dilutory effect of time.
Also, Greek historians were orators, given to embellishment, exaggeration and pure fantasy - Herodotus' The Histories is a good example. Herodotus puts Xerxes' army at nearly three million men - and that is only the fighting men, not including support and logistics. Entertainment was as important as historical record.
Rorke's drift, on the other hand, is documented by modern historians with reliable sources. I think I'll put more credence in those accounts of bravery than those at Thermopylae.
I'll still go see it, I think. These kind of films are few and far between (probably because occasionally you end up with **** like Alexander or Troy).
