300 Greek History

512 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How the Greeks were able to win the Persian Wars

Americans will take anything and twist it for financial gain. In the movie 300, some events of history were kept while others were slightly altered. The movie portrayed great aspect about Sparta that were essential to history such as their honor to their community, their belief in order, and the strength within their men and women. Although other events were changed, we have to remember this a movie and should not be recorded as accurate history.
People of Greece are mainly known for the way they did things. A consistent between lecture and the reading of Zoroastrianism is the belief that the Lord Mazda was the all-knowing while Xerxes was his “bodily messenger” on Earth. An identical example is given in the reading of Lycurgus and the movie 300 when the Spartans consult the oracle before engaging in war.
Spartans like most Greeks took pride in themselves. There was evidence of this given in the movie, during lecture, and in the reading of Lycurgus. It was the ability to do without fear that was held for the most honorable. The Spartans had an entire lifestyle from birth to manhood that easily showed who was the strongest and fittest. They took pride in being who they were. This was shown greatly in the movie from the women letting it be known that only they birth …show more content…

The movie made it seem as if it was an automatic fight between Persia and Sparta. Once one gets past that part of inaccuracy, then the move portrayed a horrible image of the family during Spartan time. We know this to be false through our readings and lecture. All Spartan men had time for was training, battle, and the small amount of time they needed to make a baby. The idea of love, companionship, and the family did not exist at home, but on the battlefield with the one he was gone to di with or die fighting for. The film writers basically tried to incorporate the American Dream into

Show More
Related

  • “To face the blood and the slaughter” Spartan Society and Values according to Tyrtaeus and Xenophon

    1124 Words  | 3 Pages

    “To face the blood and the slaughter” Spartan Society and Values according to Tyrtaeus and Xenophon

    Read More

  • Spartan and Persian Ideology

    1042 Words  | 3 Pages

    As with most historical re-enactments, 300 places significant exaggeration on each civilizations central city-state ideologies and this is reflected in each scene by the actions of the individuals throughout Zack Snyder’s film. The representation of the Spartan warrior mentality through scenes depicting young Spartan children throughout their childhood participating in multiple life threatening challenges; are seemingly accurate as the primary purpose of Spartan schooling was to produce perfect soldiers, through strictly disciplined military training that began for all boys at the age of 7 as they left home to join the agoge. The agoge was set up in order to weaken family ties and create personal identity. These children were usually allotted no shoes, little clothing and educated through a vigorous training schedule of boxing, wrestling, javelin and discus throwing. They suffered through harsh conditions and were taught to take satisfaction in enduring pain and hardship, as well as to value strengt...

    Read More

  • Spartan Society Essay

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    The three aspects of this worldview often when illustrated in historical works, such as in Spartan Society, need to be understood and examined together because of the large amount of overlapping in worldview concepts. For example, the humanistic view of Lycurgus and his many great accomplishments does not only prove the emphasis of human accomplishments as seen in ancient Greek humanism, but as they are often put in contrast to the other countries and described as these ideals that the “other” cannot attain proves to illustrate the idealism present in the worldview of the ancient Spartan people. Lycurgus, as recorded in Spartan Society, also is seen in a rationalistic way of thought. Xenophon will even say, “I certainly admire him and consider him in the highest degree a wise man” (Spartan Society, 166). Lycurgus, the highest of wise men, is the leader, and the man who does not follow the ways of the “others,” but takes the high road and creates the ideal society through his many great accomplishments. The “others” or sometimes referred to as “elsewhere” is mentioned frequently in this account of this great

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'The Warrior Ethos'

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    Things are now different in our American culture, but in the core of the test for your manhood it is inherently the same. For example, young men and women who join the US Military have to undergo their own “agoge” which would be boot camp/basic training, the most rigorous of these would be the United States Marine Corps Boot Camp, the Marines go through the most grueling time of their life during their agoge.Which in turn gives them the ultimate sense of pride in who they are because of the hardship Marines face during their agoge they tend to emulate the Spartans, not only for their warrior pride but in their moral values.Other things the Spartans valued, respect for elders and more senior military members have also transferred over to our culture in the form of modern military respect and

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Battle of Thermopylae

    1519 Words  | 4 Pages

    The battle of Thermopylae was the Greek’s first stand against the massive army of King Xerxes, and was the most influential battle of the entire war. Up to this point, the Persian army was seen as too massive and powerful to be stopped. The once warring city-states of Greece knew they couldn’t stand against the Persians alone, and knew in order to defend their homeland they would have to unite. A unity of command was agreed upon; King Leonidas of Sparta was chosen to lead the Greek forces. He was chosen to lead because of the unsurpassed warring abilities the Spartans were so well known for made him perfect for the objective of stopping the Persians.

    Read More

  • Halloween Movie Analysis Essay

    509 Words  | 2 Pages

    “A New Historicist article… teases out the many contributing causes that brought about disparate social elements in that way” (Mays, 2352). The movie shows the build-up to the battle of 300 Spartan soldiers against the armies of Persia, albeit in artistic and stylized manner. It covers the tensions and political drama that led to the clashing of men, as well as showing the historical context in which it took place. “..New Historicism doubts the accessibility of the past, insisting that all we have is discourse” (Mays, 2351). 300 doesn’t concern itself with trying to trying to access the past, but puts on an artistic representation of what happened that can be discussed in a modern

    Read More

  • Herodotus Xerxes Invades Greek Summary

    1332 Words  | 3 Pages

    An example of Spartan pride in the source would be when Leonidas ordered his allies to retire because he wished to secure the whole glory for the Spartans. “He therefore commanded them to retreat, but said that he himself could not draw back with honor; knowing that, if he stayed, glory awaited him, and that Sparta in that case would not lose her prosperity.” (Herodotus. The Histories). It’s said that Leonidas sent them away because he wanted the allies safe. Herodotus thinks that Leonidas gave the order because he thought them to be resistant to keep fighting. According to the primary source, Spartan culture seems primarily based on having an organized combative stability as well as having a strong military

    Read More

  • Sparta: Infrastructure, Social Structure, and Superstructure

    1515 Words  | 4 Pages

    Like most Greek states of the Archaic and Classical Era, the Spartan city-state was a militaristic one. Sparta, however, took the idea to its extreme. In order to become the best soldiers, Spartan citizens had to dedicate their entire lives to the occupation. In fact to be a soldier – a hoplite – was the full infrastructure of Spartan society. While most Greek city-states looked down on labor, physical work, and even working for profit, they still had to work for a living, produce something. “The Spartans a...

    Read More

  • Plutarch's Life Of Sparta

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    Firstly, the rejection of luxury and avarice invariably results in a focus on military pursuits. Secondly, the apparent equality belies a vast slave network (common in antiquity, but the unique brutality of the Spartan kind can only bring to mind the Gulag). Lastly, intellectual sterility sets in. Sparta, intellectually, seems to be only good at cracking jibes (Athenian: “I can imitate a sparrow” Spartan: “So what, I have heard the real thing” upon approaching the walls of a city, a Spartan said, "What kind of women live here?"). Their poetry is stale and militaristic; their women are absolutely free; children are encouraged to steal; sex is made to resemble rape; parents mourn when their children return safe from war, and celebrate when they die: this is the weirdest state ever. The book “On Sparta” is a well written book as well is most of Plutarch’s

    Read More

  • Comparing Ancient Athens And Sparta

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sparta was a war-like Greek city-state that had 2 main ranks of society. There were the Spartans, who were citizens that would receive an education that emphasized self-control, courage, obedience, and discipline. They both have the upper class, which are the citizens of the city-state. They were usually wealthy, and they didn’t spend much time at home or around their families.

    Read More

  • Sparta vs. Athens

    2029 Words  | 5 Pages

    The cultures of two of the most prominent Greek poleis, Athens and Sparta, were demonstrated first in the Athenian battle at Marathon against the Persian Empire in 490 BC, in which the Athenians commanded the battle through a democratic command, separated from the enemy by the freedom of the people, and then by the Spartans in 480 BC at the battle at Thermopylae (in the second Persian invasion), in which the Spartans showed their will to never retreat from the enemy in their fight to their deaths. In Sparta, while all citizens were socially equal, no man having more than another, the amount of political power ranged greatly from man to man. In Athens, while all men had equal political power and opportunities, the wealth ranged greatly from the rich plantation owners to the poor farmers. This contrast of political power in comparison to social equality had a presence in both battles, greatly dictating how each polis fought in the battle.

    Read More

  • The Mystery of Thermopylae

    1289 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many attributes have made the Spartans stand out from other Greek civilizations; their military, their society, and the battles they waged. Spartans were a militaristic state in Greece, their motto was “Ether with it, or on it” (meaning ether you won the battle or died trying). Sparta was also rivals to Athens at the time and would often compete in sports or fight in skirmishes much like two rival high schools. Out of everything that Sparta was the one thing most people think of when they hear the word Sparta is the battle of Thermopylae. No other Spartan conflict has been exploited as much as the battle of Thermopylae. Contrary to what you may or may not believe the Spartans were not the o...

    Read More

  • Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast

    495 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Persian war brought massive change to the people of both Sparta and Athens. The Persians were great conquerors who crushed rebel cities with ease. King Darius sent a large force to punish Athens with its interference. The Persian army landed at Marathon where Athenian forces attacked. Though they were outnumbered 2 to 1 they emerged victorious. Athens had convinced Sparta and other city-states to join them in their battles.

    Read More

  • The Lycurgan Reforms Analysis

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    The one thing we know for certain about Spartan society is that we don’t know much about it. Very few documents and artifacts about the Spartans have been discovered, but the ones that have tell us everything we know. Two of these works are Plutarch’s On Sparta and Xenophon’s Spartan Society. One of the main things these two accounts focused on was the Lycurgan reforms. Through their stories and writings Plutarch and Xenophon had both some similarities and differences when talking about the political, economic, militaristic, and social reforms. One of the main differences when comparing these two writings is how Plutarch gives a historical account of Spartan society and tries to keep objectivity

    Read More

  • Greek Cities: Athens vs Sparta Essay

    581 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sparta was a city-state based on strict military ruling, at the age of seven a young Spartan would start out training and be trained into killing machines. When a Spartan baby is born, high elite Spartan soldiers would observe the baby to see if it was healthy and strong, if not the baby was ill and weak so it would be taken up a mountain and left there to die. This is just one example that shows how Sparta only wants a strong army and doesn't care about anything else. Strict rules of the government made it so that every Sp...

    Read More

More about 300 Greek History

Open Document