Inaccuracy in 300

Inaccurate representations of classical history are a key reason right wing ideology and white supremacists continue to draw on lines and symbols from the classics to mobilize and energize their followers. We observed the manifestations of such ideology on January 6th, 2021 as domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol. Some wore shirts which read, 6MWE, an abbreviation for six million wasn’t enough, referring to Jewish people who were killed in the holocaust. Others created a gallow and hung nooses in front of the capitol. Others wore replicas of Spartan helmets and even flew flags with ‘Molon Labe’ or the english translation, ‘Come and Take Them’, which Spartan king Leonidas supposedly shouted to the Persian army at the battle of Thermopylae.[1] For many classicists, this representation of our study at such an event is frightening and concerning. However, it must force us to grapple with the connection between the classics, radical conservatism and white supremacy. It also informs us of the classical inaccuracies, which are being used as justification for these radical beliefs.

A foremost example of such historical inaccuracies is 300, a movie released to theaters in 2007, which follows the Spartan king, Leonidas, as he defends the Greek city states by fighting the Persians with 300 fellow Spartans. In the movie, Leonidas even famously yells, “come and take them, Persians”. It was such a success that it grossed over 200 million dollars domestically, influencing a large audience across the country.[2]

The most notable inaccuracies in 300 are the choices in casting. These choices are likely the aspects of the film that most appeal to white supremacists and those who took part in storming the Capitol.

None of the prominent Spartan characters are played by actors of Greek descent. Instead, they are played by British actors who “look stereotypically white”. Take for example, Spartan king Leonidas. He is played by Gerard Butler, who is from Scotland and has pale skin and blue eyes, neither of which are Greek characteristics. This poor choice is actually a recurring theme as his wife in the movie Gorgo is played by Lena Headley, from England, who also has pale skin and blue eyes. This inaccuracy becomes quite dangerous if a viewer, especially one with no prior knowledge, begins to associate white Europeans with Ancient Greece. In fact, the connection between the two is often touted by groups with aforementioned radical ideologies as they use it to justify their own racist beliefs. In this way, the classics are often manipulated by radical groups to support their own, separate ideas.

However, unfortunately the Spartans are not the only incorrectly casted group in 300. The miscasting of the Persians is perhaps more inaccurate and also more detrimental. There are many images from antiquity that depict the Persians with the same skin tone as the Greeks, or in this case Spartans but 300, again, fails to correctly cast this ethnic group. Rather, many of the main Persian characters are played by actors who claim no Iranian ancestry (modern-day Persia). The first Persian to make an appearance in the popular movie, who delivers a message to Leonidas and incidentally is also the first to die, is played by Peter Mensah, an actor of Ghanian ancestry, with a dark complexion. This misrepresentation results in a very apparent contrast in skin color between Spartans and Persians. As Spencer McDaniel wrote in a review, “this sets up a clear dichotomy; in the film’s universe, all white people are heroes… and all people of color are villains from the start.”[3]

The villainous aspect of the Persian is created by how the movie portrays the battle of Thermopylae - as a fight to protect the freedom of men and women alike against the onslaught of an imperial Persian horde who wishes to enslave the Greeks. This, again, is an inaccurate representation of classical history in the film. The Persians were widely known for their benevolent treatment of conquered subjects. In some cases they did enslave local peoples (which is definitely wrong) but Sparta practiced slavery as well. In fact, only a small portion of Sparta’ society was free. A staggering eighty percent of the population, numbering over 200,000, was enslaved as Helots, descendants of formerly conquered city-states who generally worked on farms.[4] Despite their prominence in Spartan society, they are hardly mentioned during the movie. Thus the tension between the two groups is incorrectly portrayed as a fight to protect the freedom of all in Sparta, whereas in truth few were actually free.

This misrepresentation could lead viewers to support their pre-existing Eurocentric beliefs, such as crediting ‘white Western civilisation’ for the protection of personal freedom from the ‘uncivilised East’, which in 300 is shown to consist of people of color. This is simply not the case. Both Spartans and Persians practised enslavement of conquered people and both ethnic groups shared the same skin tone. However, to audiences with no other knowledge on the subject, the former is true. While this is the fault of the movie producers who falsely claim 300 is “90% percent accurate”, the platforms which make such a movie accessible must also be held accountable.[5] If Twitter can censure a tweet as being untruthful, platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, or Xfinity should stamp movies as historically inaccurate.  Such a move would be entirely consistent with the practice of rating movies on the basis of their content so that audiences know what they are consuming. Although these measures would not take away from the racism in a popular film like 300, at the very least they would dissuade audience members from associating classical history and events with racial conflicts, maybe even prompting viewers to learn more about the topic from other sources as well as limit the inspiration that white supremacists, such as those who stormed the capitol, can draw from such movies.

Notes

[1] “Capitol Terrorists Take Inspiration from Ancient World.” Pharos, 14 Jan. 2021, https://pharos.vassarspaces.net/2021/01/14/capitol-terrorists-take-inspiration-from-ancient-world/.

[2] “300.” Box Office Mojo, https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3191965185/.

[3] McDaniel, Author Spencer. “Debunking the Movie '300'.” Tales of Times Forgotten, 17 Jan. 2021, https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2019/11/03/debunking-the-movie-300/.

[4] Lewis, David M. “Helots.” Oxford Classical Dictionary, Oxford, 22 Dec. 2015, https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3000.

[5] Finke, Nikki. “Director Zach Snyder Does 30 on '300'.” Deadline, Penske Media Corporation, 14 Mar. 2007, https://deadline.com/2007/03/director-zach-snyder-does-30-on-300-1580/.