The 300 Spartans is an account of the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, in which the Greek Spartan King Leonidis, played by Richard Egan, led a remarkably small number of Greek Sparta to victory over an invading Persian army led by evil King Xerxes that was thought to number over 25,000. This spectacular conflict gave the Grecians enough time to organize a force to ultimately repel the Persians, and thus change the course of Western civilization.
Production
Genuine Greek locations — no greenscreens, just actual mountains.
Costume
Historically dubious helmets, authentically ridiculous.
Writing
Cold War speeches about freedom hit different in 1962.
Director
Rudolph Maté
Richard Egan
King Leonidas
Ralph Richardson
Themistocles of Athens
Diane Baker
Ellas
Barry Coe
Phylon
David Farrar
Xerxes
Anne Wakefield
Artemisa
Donald Houston
Hydarnes
Anna Synodinou
Gorgo
Robert Brown
Pentheus
Laurence Naismith
First Delegate
Ivan Triesault
Demaratus
Charles Fawcett
Megistias
Michalis Nikolinakos
Myron
Sandro Giglio
Xenathon
Anna Raftopoulou
Toris
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during the Cold War, the film explicitly frames Spartans as democratic freedom fighters against Persian 'slavery' — a massive historical rewrite that served 1960s political messaging.
Frank Miller's 1998 comic and Snyder's 2006 remake borrowed entire shots and lines from this film, including the 'fight in the shade' arrow line.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
