Jes Beard . The Spartan King dismissed most of the army and formed a rear-guard of around 1,500 men, including his 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans and a few hundred others, many of them slaves. This movie is for those who crave real history, even if much of what occurred may be lost to the ages. The Spartan 300 weren’t supposed to be holding the pass by themselves; instead, their absent army would be replaced by troops from other states. Before going into much more detail about the events that took place leading up to and during the Battle of Thermopylae, here are some of the most important details of this famous battle: 1. Battle of Thermopylae, in which the Spartan King Leonidis, played by Richard Egan, led a remarkably small number of men to victory over an invading Persian army led by evil King Xerxes that was about 20 times as large. The 300 Spartans The hopeless but ultimately inspiring defense of their country by a band of 300 Spartan soldiers against an immense army of Persian invaders in 480 B.C. Two decades before she would gain fame and some fortune as Alexis Carrington on Dynasty (1981), Dame Joan Collins starred as Esther in this melodramatic, routine Biblical story. For the wider establishing scenes of the battle, one battalion was retained to play both Greeks (about 450 soldier-extras) and Persians (some 650 soldiers). One of the final images of the film is the stone memorial bearing the epigram of Simonides of Ceos, which the narrator recites in honour of the slain 300 Spartan men's bravery : "Oh stranger, tell the Spartans that we lie here obedient to their word. However, the film's budgetary constraints reduced the numbers drawn to only two battalions (approximately 1,100 men). The 300 Spartan hoplites of The Battle of Thermopylae VS The 189 Swiss Guards of The Sack of Rome (1527) Rules : No outside help To the death 2 hours prep for both sides 1000 meters starting distance Weapons, armour and gear they had at their battles Scenario 1: They're fighting in a clear flat open field A dramatization of the Battle of Isandlwana, where the British Army met its match against the Zulu nation. Leonidas is killed in the melée. The working title was Lion of Sparta. It is a fictional retelling of the events leads to the battle between the Spartans and the Persians, and the events that the battle eventually leads to. Leonidas and his 300 Spartans and The Battle of Thermopylae. They are subsequently reinforced by about 700 volunteer Thespians led by Demophilus and few other Greek allies. Leonidas, one of Was this review helpful to you? The northern Corinthian site doubled as Thermopylae and the surrounding areas as it had become impossible to shoot at the actual location in Thermopylae. 64 of 80 people found this review helpful. Despite the odds, the Spartans will not flee or surrender, even if it means their deaths. During World War I, a British aristocrat, an American entrepreneur, and the latter's attractive young daughter, set out to destroy a German battlecruiser, which is awaiting repairs in an inlet just off Zanzibar. Set in 480 BC. Monument at Thermopylae dedicated to King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans The monument above was designed by Basil (Vasilios) Phalereus and was erected in the 1950's opposite the hill of Kolonos, which is where the remaining Spartan and Thespian hoplites died. he 300 Spartans “legend” is quite famous among history fanatics as it presents a small army going against all odds. They also kept the focus on the bravery of the Spartans, and that all of Greece not only wished them well, but could help, as with the Athenian fleet, not some CGI generated storm.This was also marked by good acting all around, from Richard Egan as Leonidas, and all the supporting cast. Like many Hollywood movies which are ‘based on a true story,’ 300 (2006) takes its share of artistic liberties in retelling the events of Thermopylae. On the last day of the battle, Leonidas was surrounded and sent most of his troops away covering their retreat with a valiant last stand. For closer compositions of the fighting and encampments, military extras were called (call-sheeted) by company-size or smaller units, in meeting the specific needs of the day's shooting schedule. [citation needed], In 1970, despite the attributed Cold War connotations, the film was dubbed in Russian and shown in the USSR. The working title was Lion of Sparta. The Greek force of approximately 7,000 men, 300 of which were Spartans, chose Thermopylae as the first line of defense, a narrow pass between the mountains of central Greece and the sea. The Spartans themselves brought 300 Helots, basically enslaved people, to assist. The 300 Spartans is a 1962 CinemaScope epic film depicting the Battle of Thermopylae. It stars Richard Egan as the Spartan king Leonidas, Sir Ralph Richardson as Themistocles of Athens and David Farrar as Persian king Xerxes, with Diane Baker as Ellas and Barry Coeas Phylon providing the requisite romantic element in the film. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Use the HTML below. In Corinth, Themistocles of Athens wins the support of the Greek allies and convinces both the delegates and the Spartan representative, warrior king Leonidas I, to grant Sparta leadership of their forces. When the ship's sadistic master-at-arms is murdered, Billy is accused and tried. One of which is a statue of King Leonidas I, portrayed as bearing a spear, and shield. If you enjoy a lot of blood, then watch "300". The Greeks constantly beat back the Persians, and following the defeat of most of his personal bodyguard in battle against the Spartans plus the killing/death of Xerxes' own two brothers, Xerxes begins to consider withdrawing to Sardis until he can equip a larger force at a later date. [2] It stars Richard Egan as the Spartan king Leonidas, Sir Ralph Richardson as Themistocles of Athens and David Farrar as Persian king Xerxes, with Diane Baker as Ellas and Barry Coe as Phylon providing the requisite romantic element in the film. A detailed look at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC Greece between Leonidas and his 300 Spartans versus Xerxes' 250,000 Persian invaders. "300" is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. 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