The Movie 300: Comparison Of The Movie 300

1057 Words3 Pages

“Fight with your head, then you fight with your heart.” (1) is the epitome of what the Spartans lived by. They were the most courageous and honorable soldiers in history and this was shown in the Battle of Thermopylae. Leonidas, the king of sparta, is the leader of this army whom are 300. He was well respected and honored by many because he showed so much bravery and strength as a leader. This battle was between the Persians and the Greeks who both fight to protect what’s theirs. The leader of the Persians was Xerxes and his army was called the Immortals. Many events occurred before, during, and after the Battle that affected the outcome of it all. The Spartans were tested and the Persians never seen an army so merciless. The movie 300 portrays …show more content…

In history, the events that lead to the Battle of Thermopylae was that Darius began building a whole new army that he wanted to return with against the Persians. The Persian invasions just ended with the Athens at the Battle of Marathon. The Spartans were not the only ones going into battle. Many alliances were formed in order to defeat the Persians including the Thespians, Thebans, soldiers from Mycenae and other Greek states. The battle lasted over three days and for the first two days the Greeks were able to fight off the Persians. “Their longer thrusting spears and their heavy shields and body armor gave them a distinct advantage over the Persians, who were equipped with shorter javelin-type spears, wicker shields, and armor made only of woven linen”(2). The Spartans had great war tactic and …show more content…

Firstly, Leonidas receives a message from the Persian messenger that is sent and he asks for Earth and water in return. Secondly, Leonidas speaks to the Oracle and they tell him not to go to battle, but he does so anyways. Thirdly, he commands his army to build the Phocian wall because he knows that when the Persians strike them here it will allow them to fight less soldiers at once. Lastly, the 300 men and Leonidas all head north to the hot gates which is a narrow passage and prepare for battle. This is also where Leonidas meets Ephilates and he asks if he can be in the army, but Leonidas says he is not fit to be a Spartan. All of these events are similar to what happened in history. All of these things lead to the Battle of

Show More
Related

  • Battle Of Thermopylae Essay

    2584 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Battle of Thermopylae was the first between the Greeks and Persians during the Persian invasion of 480 – 479BC. The Greek force was very small compared to the Persians but was determined to make a stand against the huge army of 300,000 Persians suggested by modern historians compared to Herodotus account of the army consisting of 1700 000 men. The Greeks chose to defend a narrow pass, or gap, between the mountains of central Greece and the sea, called Thermopylae.

    Read More

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

    1124 Words  | 3 Pages

    “No man ever proves himself a good man in war unless he can endure to face the blood and the slaughter, go against the enemy and fight with his hands.” The preceding was quoted from “The Spartan creed” by the poet Tyrtaeus. There are two authors in this primary resource reading which include Tyrtaeus as well as Xenophon, whom authored “The laws and customs of the Spartans”. These two works give great detail to the Spartan society. As history has presented it, Sparta was a smaller polis and yet was one of the most, if not most, influential societies in history. What we know of this culture comes to us from excavation of its heritage as well as literary works such as these. But are these “eyes” into history factual and creditable enough to base our own interpretations of such a masterful race? These writings are great resources for Spartan’s war enhanced values and societal customs, but lack in evidence of governmental affairs and religion. This lacking may have been due to both writer’s motives for their work.

    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

  • Themistocles Essay

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    When the Persian fleet had arrived at Aphetae, Eurybides, the commander of the small amount of ships that Sparta had sent, wished to turn tail, and return home. Themistocles used bribe of thirty talents to keep him, and his ships at the front. (Herodotus, 1954) Themistocles, seeing the overwhelming navy of the Persians conducted a plan: When the fighting broke out, the highly-trained Greeks would allow themselves to become encircled. At the first blow of the signal horn, the triremes would form a ‘close circle – bows outward, sterns to the centre.’ From this position, they had no mobility; the only direction in which they could move was forward, and that is exactly what they did. On the second signal blast, these lighter and faster Greek triremes rammed the Persian ships, and with their bronze-sheathed battering rams on the bow of the ships, caused great damage to the enemy ships. (Herodotus, 1954) Another tactic that Themistocles used was his discussion to initiate the battle in the mid to late afternoon. One cannot fight at sea when dark, and he knew that; making sure that this was done minimised casualties for the Greeks and tired out the Persian men, who had been ready to begin fighting since the very early morning. Overall, this decision made sure the battle had a fast conclusion. When they got word of the massacre at Thermopylae, however, Themistocles called a retreat, as they were only holding the pass to prevent Xerxes using his navy to assist his men at Thermopylae, and at this moment in time, there were no men at Thermopylae that were worth protecting, anymore. (Last Stand of the 300,

    Read More

  • A review on Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield

    1265 Words  | 3 Pages

    After his army's victory in Thermopylae, King Xerxes fervently wanted more information on the rare soldiers that confronted his limitless army, those reckless Spartans that faced insurmountable odds and refused to surrender even though their only alternative was gruesome death.

    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

  • Views on Death in Ancient Greece

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    The war between the Athenians and the Spartans as written by Thucydides was a great one that no other that had ever occurred could be compared to, so says Thucydides. Thucydides views the preparations on both sides to have been perfect and that the Hellenic race was joining the war as well. He considers it the greatest faction yet recognized in history, of the barbaric world rather than to the Hellenes alone. From the second chapter of his book, it is clear that the war between these two groups was not to the advantage of the Athenians. They lost in the war and most of their people were killed. An ancestral funeral ceremony is performed to bury those who had died in the war.

    Read More

  • Gates of Fire

    2763 Words  | 6 Pages

    Before Xeones became a squire he tells of the agoge, which is the thirteen year training program for the Spartan youth. He tells about Alexandros and how they became close friends through the years of training. When Xeones becomes Dienekes squire all of his duties change and he started to see more of the battles. He tells of the many battles he was at and what they were like. Xeones explains the bravery of the Spartans when they were in battle and what the individual soldiers were like. Eventually the Spartans learn that the Persian army was coming to take over all of Greece. Xeones then explains what the Spartans did to prepare for the invasion. The Spartan army sent a group of three hundred highly trained soldiers to Thermopylae to defend the pass until the rest of Greece could prepare their armies.

    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

  • 300: An Analysis Of The Movie: Zack Snyder's 300

    867 Words  | 2 Pages

    Zack Snyder’s 300 is a movie filled with offensive comments and brimming with controversy, yet it is the most refreshing sword and sandal film I’ve recently watched. It is not because of the blood, gore, or muscular men running around in black underwear and red capes. No, it is because this movie gave us Gorgo, Queen of the Spartans. Gorgo is not a standard weak woman who is isolated, glamourous, and on display (Mulvey, 753). She is “a loyal wife and Spartan patriot who fights the good fight on the home front” (Scott).

    Read More

  • Battle Of Thermopylae Research Paper

    919 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Battle of Thermopylae began in 480 BC and was a product of the Greeks attempt help defend the Ionians from the Persians. This irritated the Persian Emperor, Xerxes, because he thought of Greece as a small kingdom that had no place revolting against the Persian Empire. The Athenians sympathized with the Ionians because the Persians had also tried to invade Greece on multiple occasions. The Athenians provided feeble help to the Ionians and in retaliation the Persians struck at athens (23B). Xerxes was known to be irrational with his temper, and may have thought of his invasion as retaliation for the fact that his father, Darius the Great, was defeated at the Battle of Marathon against the Greeks. His temper was so great that at Hellas Point he had the water whipped because it would not obey him (E49). One of several Greek war leaders in the Battle of Thermopylae was Leonidas, the second born son of King Anaxandridas. It was not until his half brother was killed under controversial circumstances that Leonidas rose to power (G72). Apart from misconceptions spread by the popular film “300,” the three hundred Spartans did not go into battle alone, and were accompanied by over eight hundred allies. Nevertheless, the Persians still outnumbered the Greeks ten to one, which is why it is incredible that the Greeks were able to hold them for three days before eventually losing that specific battle. Despite losing the battle in terms of soldiers and defending greece, the battle of thermopylae was somewhat successful in that it was a demonstration of the courage of greek soldiers, impressive battle tactics,

    Read More

  • The Causes and Effects of the Peloponnesian War

    1350 Words  | 3 Pages

    When examining the causes for the Peloponnesian War, which was between 431-404 B.C., there are a number of causes that factored into the cause of this war. However, one of the most important causes to this war was largely due to the fact that the Spartans feared the growing power and success of Athens. The Spartans were “particularly alarmed at the growing power of Athens” (Cartwright, “Peloponnesian War”). During the Persian war in 479 BC, Athens grew fiercely strong with power with help of its many allies and continued with their no mercy attacks on Persian territories. When the Persians left Greece, Athens further enraged Sparta when they built large and tall walls around its empire in the event of an attack, which was mostly thought to be from Sparta if it happened.

    Read More

  • Peloponnesian War

    2670 Words  | 6 Pages

    Although the Spartans and Athenians fought for almost 20 years, there was a time when they lived in harmony. Almost 15 years before any disturbances the Athenians and Spartans fought together in the Persian war. During the Persian war, the Spartans were thriving in their fight against the Persians, however over time the Persians began to grow stronger. After being to lose their fighting streak, the Athenians came in to help the Spartans and bring an end to Persian dominance once and for all (The Delian League, 1). After defeating the Persians in 449 B.C., the...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Persian Wars

    424 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Persian wars were a series of battles between, the strong and unified Persian empire, and the weak unorganized Greek polis. The first war begin with the revolt by the Ionians against their Persian subjugators. The Ionians were, at first, able to capture the capital of sardis, with help of city states of Athens and Eretria. However, this did not last, as without the continued backing from the Athenians and Eretrians, the Ionians were soon completely defeated. Furthermore, The Ruler of Persia, Darius, was not contempt and dispatched his troops against, the upstart poleis of Athens and Eretria. Next followed, a complete destruction of Eretria polis, as Darius' forces enslaved its population and burned the city to the ground.

    Read More

  • Why the Greeks Won the Greco-Persian War

    1577 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are times in history that something will happen and it will defy all logic. It was one of those times when a few Greek city/states joined together and defeated the invasion force of the massive Persian Empire. The Greeks were able to win the Greco-Persian War because of their naval victories over the Persians, a few key strategic victories on land, as well as the cause for which they were fighting. The naval victories were the most important contribution to the overall success against the Persians. The Persian fleet was protecting the land forces from being outflanked and after they were defeated the longer had that protection. While the Greeks had very few overall victories in battle they did have some strategic victories. The Battle of Thermopylae is an example of a strategic success for the Greeks. The morale of the Persian army was extremely affected by the stout resistance put up by King Leonidas and his fellow Spartans. The Greeks fought so hard against overwhelming odds because of what they were fighting for. They were fighting for their country and their freedom. They fought so hard because they did not want to let down the man next to them in the formation. Several things contributed to the Greeks success against the Persian invasion that happened during the Second Greco-Persian War.

    Read More

More about The Movie 300: Comparison Of The Movie 300

Open Document