Depiction of famous battle unrealistic in 300

submitted by Thomas Renna

March 26, 2007 —

Reviewer Mat Easterwood is dead right: 300 is fantasy, not history. This movie is a cartoon in the manner of The Lord of the Rings, with no attempt to re-create the battle as described in Herodotus' The Persian Wars.

Oh well, at least director Snyder does great Spartan shields! Students might want to see the History Channel's excellent DVD Decisive Battles: Thermopylae, and also consult recent accounts of the famous battle - often dubbed the "clash of civilizations" - by Paul Cartledge, E. Bradford, and R. Matthews. Spartan enthusiasts will enjoy Cartledge's The Spartans (2004).

In my Ancient Near East course this summer we will discuss the Spartans and Greek stuff. The truth is better than fiction! Sorry, spears must be checked at the door. Spears are not a God-given right.

Thomas Renna
Spartan nut