"[7] The story was inspired by a hypothetical question Erwin had read[1] on the social news website Reddit about whether or not a modern U.S. Marine battalion could completely wipe out the entire Roman Empire.

champion,[8] responded to the question by offering online a short fiction account about how a unit of Marines accidentally traveled back in time and ended up battling with Roman legions during the reign of Augustus.

[12][13] The story is a fictional account of what might happen if a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of 2,200 men were to be somehow transported through time from their base in modern-day Kabul, Afghanistan to the time of the Roman Empire when being ruled by Augustus Caesar, appearing near the Tiber River in 23 BC with their full allotment of equipment - M1 Abrams battle tanks, bulletproof vests, M249 SAW light machine guns, M16A4 rifles, and grenades, but with no way to resupply with fuel or ammunition when depleted.

He expanded that, while Marines would begin with a huge advantage, their inability to be resupplied as they depleted their ammunition and fuel would result, after a few days of devastating the Romans, in a complete reversal of fortune.

Gianni Nunnari, founder and owner of Hollywood Gang Productions and producer of the action adventure motion pictures 300 and Immortals, had been announced as co-producer of the project.

[3][19][20] On October 21, 2011, Reddit administrators explained that the licensing terms were designed to protect the site from potential legal action,[21] and that they did not intend to block the production of the movie.