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Reviving the Past: Cinematic History and Popular Memory in The 300 Spartans (1962)
- Classical World
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 106, Number 2, Winter 2013
- pp. 261-283
- 10.1353/clw.2013.0030
- Article
- Additional Information
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The paper investigates the artistic, economic, and sociopolitical context of The 300 Spartans (1962), from its conception as an Italian peplum to its realization as a Hollywood epic filmed in Greece. I argue that the classical past is recreated on screen in ways that violate the historical record and becomes a vehicle whereby gender hierarchies are reproduced and morality is preached to the viewers. I conclude by showing how the revival of ancient Sparta on film is informed by important events in post-Civil War Greek history and is deployed to propagate notions of national identity, memory, and pride.