Sparta Didnt Pain On Abs Film Analysis
Spartans Didn’t Paint on Abs
Zander Hayes
HY 105
300 is a film about the Battle of Thermopylae. Dictated by a Spartan soldier, Dilios, the film begins by telling the story of King Leonidas’ childhood. The story skips ahead to his kingship, where messengers from the Persian godking Xerxes threaten the Spartans and demand their surrender. Leonidas refuses, and attempts to take the Spartan army to meet Xerxes’ forces.
However, the senate denies his request so Leonidas is forced to take only 300 soldiers to fight
Xerxes’ army of over 200,000. The Spartan army makes a stand at the Hot Gates so that the vast number of Persians cannot overwhelm them. After the Spartans hold steady for three days, …show more content…
Again, the filmmakers portray Leonidas as a caring king who wants only the best for the Greek people. Yet another liberty with history taken by the filmmakers is the scene where the Arcadians abandon the fight. We already know that the Arcadians in the film represent a much more diverse group of Greeks, but the Spartans did not stand alone to face their death as they did in the film. The Thespian and Theban soldiers remained alongside them. The filmmakers made this choice because the Spartans fighting and sacrificing themselves alone is significantly cooler and more meaningful. The reason for these scenes and historical imaginations is to show that Leonidas and the Spartans are infallible defenders of freedom, justice, and the Spartan way of life.
The film is great for understanding the Battle of Thermopylae, if you take it with a grain
2
of salt. Some things should be fairly obvious inventions, like the monstrous nature of the
3
Persian soldiers and the role of the Ephors in preventing Leonidas from fighting. Other things
don’t necessarily matter, like how Ephialtes is a cripple in the film and the numbers of the
Persians are exaggerated. These changes serve to smooth out the plot and make it easier
Zander Hayes
HY 105
300 is a film about the Battle of Thermopylae. Dictated by a Spartan soldier, Dilios, the film begins by telling the story of King Leonidas’ childhood. The story skips ahead to his kingship, where messengers from the Persian godking Xerxes threaten the Spartans and demand their surrender. Leonidas refuses, and attempts to take the Spartan army to meet Xerxes’ forces.
However, the senate denies his request so Leonidas is forced to take only 300 soldiers to fight
Xerxes’ army of over 200,000. The Spartan army makes a stand at the Hot Gates so that the vast number of Persians cannot overwhelm them. After the Spartans hold steady for three days, …show more content…
Again, the filmmakers portray Leonidas as a caring king who wants only the best for the Greek people. Yet another liberty with history taken by the filmmakers is the scene where the Arcadians abandon the fight. We already know that the Arcadians in the film represent a much more diverse group of Greeks, but the Spartans did not stand alone to face their death as they did in the film. The Thespian and Theban soldiers remained alongside them. The filmmakers made this choice because the Spartans fighting and sacrificing themselves alone is significantly cooler and more meaningful. The reason for these scenes and historical imaginations is to show that Leonidas and the Spartans are infallible defenders of freedom, justice, and the Spartan way of life.
The film is great for understanding the Battle of Thermopylae, if you take it with a grain
2
of salt. Some things should be fairly obvious inventions, like the monstrous nature of the
3
Persian soldiers and the role of the Ephors in preventing Leonidas from fighting. Other things
don’t necessarily matter, like how Ephialtes is a cripple in the film and the numbers of the
Persians are exaggerated. These changes serve to smooth out the plot and make it easier