Zack Snyder’s dip into ancient Greek history in 300 focused on the Battle of Thermopylae, but the true story had a few details the movie left out or changed. 300 depicts the legendary Battle of Thermopylae, a decisive moment in the Greco-Persian War. The Battle of Thermopylae has long been the stuff of legend, and King Leonidas has become a worldwide symbol of bravery and courage. Leonidas stood against the invading Persian army, led by King Xerxes I, and though he met his demise there, he now lives on forever through history.
300 was one of Zack Snyder’s best movies, and one that rocketed him into fame. After 300‘s success, he made a few very prominent films, like Watchmen and, eventually, Man of Steel and Justice League. It’s easy to see why Snyder’s second feature-length film became so popular: 300 is filled with memorable quotes and intense action scenes that make it a thrilling movie. While it’s certainly a good action movie, 300 also deviated from the true – and remarkable – story of the Battle of Thermopylae.
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The Battle Of Thermopylae Wasn’t Just Between the Spartan & Persian Armies
There Were Many More Greek Soldiers Than The 300 Spartans
Understandably, the soldiers who fought in Battle of Thermopylae were much more varied and complex than 300 depicted. While the bulk of the fighting forces at Thermopylae were Spartan and Persian, the Spartans were joined by Greek troops from various other Greek city states, like Arcadia, Boeotia, and others. In terms of strength, the Greek forces had about 7,000 troops (via Reed University), while the Persian King Xerxes I commanded somewhere between 70,000 and 300,000 men (via Encyclopedia Britannica). Though the Greek forces were heavily outnumbered, they benefited from the terrain of Thermopylae.
Thermopylae is a mountain pass along the Eastern shore of Greece, near the Malian Gulf. There were three main bottlenecks along that pass, known as the Hot Gates due to the hot springs located there. The Hot Gates were only about 100 meters wide at the time, which meant that the Greeks could effectively form a wall there and only allow a few hundred Persians to attack at a time. That effectively eliminated the Persian’s size advantage, and the Greek phalanx formation meant they could hold out indefinitely by using their spears and shields as a nearly impenetrable barrier.
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It’s also important to note that the Battle of Thermopylae was only one conflict in a larger war, the Greco-Persian War, and that it hinged upon another battle. The Spartans and Greeks at Thermopylae were supported by another group of Greek warriors, mainly Athenians, who held back the Persian navy at the natural bottleneck near Artemisium. The Greek forces at the Battle of Artemisium, which was depicted in 300: Rise of an Empire, kept the Spartans safe from naval attacks, and they were critical in allowing the Spartans to hold out for so long.
Greco-Persian Wars: When The Battle Of Thermopylae Took Place
300 Is Set Almost 500 Years Before The Advent Of Christianity
The Battle of Thermopylae was a decisive moment in the Greco-Persian Wars, but it wasn’t the first or last confrontation of the conflict. The Greco-Persian wars began 11 years before 300 took place, in 491 BCE. In that year, the Persian ruler at the time, Darius I, sent messengers to announce the invasion to the Greek city states, and the messengers sent to Athens and Sparta were killed in response. The first Persian invasion ended at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, where Darius I was killed.
Timeline of the Greco-Persian War | |
|---|---|
Event | Year |
Battle of Marathon | 490 BCE |
Battle of Thermopylae | 480 BCE |
Battle of Artemisium | 480 BCE |
Battle of Salamis | 480 BCE |
The Persian Invasion of Greece Ends | 479 BCE |
The Greco-Persian War Ends | 449 BCE |
Ten years after the Battle of Marathon, King Xerxes I began the second invasion of Greece. Thus, the Battle of Thermopylae and 300 both took place in 480 BCE. That was also the year the Battle of Artemisium featured in 300: Rise of an Empire took place, which was happening at the same time as the Battle of Thermopylae. Because of the Spartan efforts at Thermopylae and the Athenian efforts at Artemisium, the Battle of Salamis was a decisive Greek victory, and the second Persian invasion of Greece ended just a year later, in 479 BCE.
Notable Figures Involved In The Battle Of Thermopylae
Many Characters In 300 Were Real People
One of the things 300 depicts most faithfully about the Battle of Thermopylae is the key figures involved in the conflict. As the movie suggested, there were three people who had the most individual effect on the battle: King Leonidas of Sparta, King Xerxes I of Persia, and the traitor Ephialtes. Leonidas and Xerxes I obviously commanded their respective armies and provided most of their strategy, but Ephialtes had a different role. He was a Greek citizen who betrayed the Spartans and led a segment of Xerxes I’s army through a hidden pass at Thermopylae to outflank the Spartans.
The Battle Of Thermopylae’s Outcome Explained
300 Portrays The Consequences Of The Defeat Fairly Accurately
In broad terms, 300 depicted the end of the Battle of Thermopylae faithfully. After Xerxes I used Ephialtes’ hidden path, the Spartans lost control of the Hot Gates and thus lost their positional advantage. Leonidas then called a War Council, during which many of the assembled forces decided that retreat was the only option. Leonidas and the Spartans, however, decided otherwise (via Encyclopedia Britannica).
However, as the majority of the Greek army retreated, Leonidas, his 300 bodyguards, some helots (people enslaved by the Spartans), and 1,100 Boeotians remained behind, supposedly because retreating would defy Spartan law and custom.
Interestingly, there were far more than 300 troops who remained at the Hot Gates. There’s also quite a bit of contention about what exactly Leonidas’ goals were in holding the pass. Some scholars believe Spartan law truly did forbid retreat, others argued that the law came as a result of Leonidas’ actions, and others still posited that Leonidas was simply providing a rearguard so that the majority of his forces could retreat without being run down by Persians. In any case, the Battle of Thermopylae ended with a Persian victory as Leonidas and his remaining forces were killed, though they suffered tremendous losses themselves.
The Spartan defeat at the Battle of Thermopylae then caused the Athenians at Artemisium to retreat, as they were providing naval support for the Spartans and no longer had a reason to hold the pass. After the Greek retreats, the Persians would make considerable headway into the Greek mainland, eventually pillaging and burning Athens. After that, Xerxes I wanted to end the war quickly after suffering devastating losses at Thermopylae and Artemisium, and he attacked the Greek fleet where they retreated, at Salamis. The Greeks were able to decimate the Persian fleet there, and the Persian invasion ended just a year later.
How Accurate Was The Battle Of Thermopylae In 300
Details Were Altered, But The Broad Story Is Faithful
Broadly speaking, 300 got the gist of the Battle of Thermopylae correct. The major moments of the battle, from the Spartans’ defense of the Hot Gates to Ephialtes’ betrayal and Leonidas’ decision to stay back, were faithfully recreated. 300 also includes glaring historical inaccuracies in the name of creative liberty, though. For example, Ephialtes did not have any birth defects, there were far more than 300 Spartans who stayed behind and died at Thermopylae, and many parts of Spartan society were exaggerated or idealized.
It’s also worth noting that the two main primary sources detailing the Battle of Thermopylae – Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus – offer contradictory accounts of the battle. In a way, there is no one agreed-upon and well-defined account of the events of the battle, simply due to the passage of time.
There are also smaller inconsistencies in 300, like the fact that Xerxes I didn’t actually send any messengers to Leonidas; his father, Darius I, did. The famous “This is Sparta!” line would have taken place 10 years prior, when Darius I’s messengers were killed. Even with those glaring historical inaccuracies, though, 300 serves as a fairly faithful retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. The balance between telling a good, dramatized story and offering a faithful account of history is a hard one to find. 300 may not have been a perfect account of the Battle of Thermopylae, but it was an entertaining film.
How The Changes To The Battle Of Thermopylae Impacted 300
The Deviations From Real Life Both Helped And Harmed The Movie
300 is a highly stylized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae, and never purports to be the most historically accurate movie set in ancient Greece out there. Given that it’s already based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller and, even within the movie itself, is a depiction of events as told by a soldier present, most viewers already assume 300 takes considerable liberties with historical facts. However, the changes impact the film regardless, with some being a benefit for 300 as a movie, and others having questionable consequences.
One of the most notable alterations in 300 is the portrayal of the Persian army. Zack Snyder’s movie depicts Persian soldiers as monstrous beings, including creatures with disfigured appearances and imposing physiques. This creative choice amplifies the sense of danger and heightens the stakes for the Spartan warriors, casting them as underdogs facing insurmountable odds. By exaggerating the threat the Persian army were and portraying them as an “evil” force akin to something seen in the likes of The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, 300 intensifies the dramatic tension, making the Spartans’ stand appear even more heroic.
While 300 succeeds as a visually stunning and emotionally charged movie, being more historically accurate could have improved it in a few ways.
It’s not only changes to Xerxes’ army that make 300 better, either. The bare-chested look of the Spartan soldiers highlights their physical prowess and makes them seem even more fearless – but it’s also, sadly, inaccurate. However, this depiction emphasizes the Spartans’ dedication to combat and their austere lifestyle, reinforcing the idea that Leonidas and his warriors were the toughest on the battlefield.
The final notable creative decision is also arguably 300’s greatest strength. 300 simplifies complex historical events to focus on the valor and sacrifice of the 300 Spartans. By centering the story on King Leonidas and his handful of most trusted soldiers, 300 crafts a more intimate and emotionally resonant tale. This streamlined approach allows audiences to connect deeply with the protagonists, fostering a sense of camaraderie and investment in their fate.
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However, 300’s changes to real-life events also create some drawbacks. For example, The exclusion of the other Greek city-states that fought alongside the Spartans diminishes the collective effort of the Greek resistance. Historical records indicate that. By omitting Sparta’s allies, 300 overlooks the unity and collaboration that were crucial to the Greek defense. It can be argued that, had 300 been more accurate in this regard, the final victory of Xerxes would have felt like an even greater defeat for the heroes of the story.
Speaking of Xerxes, the depiction of the Persian King as an androgynous and flamboyant figure has been criticized for reinforcing negative stereotypes. The characterization of King Xerxes in 300 reduces a complex historical figure to a caricature, stripping away the nuances of his leadership and the Persian Empire’s sophistication. Such portrayals risk alienating viewers familiar with the historical context and contribute to a skewed understanding of ancient cultures.
All in all, while 300 succeeds as a visually stunning and emotionally charged movie, being more historically accurate could have improved it in a few ways. While 300 is loved for its stylized action and compelling storytelling, Zack Snyders’s artistic choices contribute to its dramatic appeal but also risk misinforming viewers about the complexities of the Battle of Thermopylae. A more historically faithful approach could have preserved the movie’s entertainment value while offering a richer and more accurate depiction of this pivotal moment in history.
Sources: Reed University, Encyclopedia Britannica
300
8/10
- Release Date
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March 9, 2007
- Runtime
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117 minutes
