The Stuff of Legend
The Second Persian invasion of Greece was a defining moment in European history. If the Persians have won, there might not be such a thing as Western civilization.
"300" and its sequel, "300: Rise of an Empire", made a killing at the box-office. Both were loosely based from the events that happened in Greece from 480-479 BC. The First Persian invasion of Greece was due to the revolt of the cities of Ionia against Persian rule. The city-states of Athens and Eretria supported them, prompting Darius I to punish them. A war ensued, ending with Athens' victory over the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. Darius I was vanquished, but not Xerxes, his eldest son.
Darius I wanted to annex Europe to his empire, which was thwarted. Xerxes I shared his vision, and it seemed to be a possibility after his army annihilated the Allied forces, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, in the Battle of Thermopylae. Leonidas's forces put up a fight, though, holding up the Persians for seven days. This led to the Battle of Salamis, where the alliance of Athens and the other city-states, under Themistocles, crushed the Persian fleet. Greek culture, which Western civilization would spring from, wouldn't blossomed if Xerxes and his forces were victorious. Instead, he retreated to Persia and let Mardonius - and what remained of the Persian army - to continue the conquest. Defeat was imminent, the city states in the mainland - and in the Aegean Islands - assured of freedom. This would turn Athens into a major power. The Golden Age followed.
Zac Snyder's "300" was based from the 1998 comic book limited series (of the same name) by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. It was a retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae from the perspective of Leonidas. Miller, in turn, was inspired by Rudolph Maté's "The 300 Spartans" (1962), which he saw when he was a lad. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which recognized creative achievement in American comic books, honored Miller and Varley in 1999. The big-screen version was notable for the well-toned abs of the Spartan troop. Gerard Butler became a star, while Michael Fassbender, notable for playing Magneto in "X-Men: First Class", was part of the supporting cast. The movie grossed about 71 million US dollars, breaking a number of box-office records.
"300: Rise of an Empire" didn't deviate from the same formula that made its predecessor a commercial success. It also came first, earning 45 million US dollars. Snyder co-wrote the screenplay, but he wasn't the director; Noam Murro, an Israeli-born filmmaker, took the helm. The movie may not be accurate in retelling what took place before, during, and after the Battle of Salamis, but the film showed how significant that war was. One must visit the Salamis Island to see the monument that commemorate the event. Then there was the Serpent Column, honoring the alliance of the Greek city-states, located in Istanbul. It was part of the ancient Greek tripod, originally found in Delphi, before Constantine I relocated it to Constantinople in 324 AD. (Constantinople was the former name of Istanbul, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.)
Watch the film for Eva Green, who played Artemisia I of Caria, ally of Xerxes during the war. She fought at the naval battles of Artemisium and Salamis, and in that movie, the French actress was kicking.
