300

Plot summary for
300 (2006)

It is spring, 480 BC Persian King Xerxes, continuing his fathers, Darius, master plan to conquer the Hellenic city-states, arrives in Hellas. The previous Persian invasion and diplomatic attempts have already turned most northern Hellas tribes and states to the Persian side. But the people of Athens and Sparta, the largest Hellenic powers at the time, feel quite insulted by the Persian emissaries requesting their surrender to Xerxes and slay them. In Sparta, King Leonidas consults the local oracle, which gives two options: either a spartan king will have to be sacrificed or Sparta will be burned to the ground. A year earlier (481, BC) a panhellenic consortium of all southern city-states have already recognized the superiority of the spartan army (the best organized and trained army at the time) and have announced King Leonidas supreme commander of the combined Hellenic army. It is then decided that a small force should block Xerxes' way to southern Hellas in the Thermopylae passage.This passage was at that time 12 meters wide.The great historian Herodotus, possibly exaggerating, states that there were 1700000 Persians(their true number could be anywhere around 100000 and 1000000) against 7000 Hellenic hoplites and slaves, including the 300 men of the spartan king elite guard. King Xerxes waited for 4 days for the Hellenes to be frightened and eventually surrender and was quite astonished by his opponents complete apathy who were following their daily program practicing and making their hair! After that Xerxes tried to convince Leonidas to drop weapons, give up his position, kneel before him and live on as a local governor under Xerxes. King Leonidas replied "molon lave", which means "Come and get them". Then the 3 days battle begun with the 300 Spartans, and 700 thespians (the other Hellenes where sent by Leonidas to protect passages to their flanks) slaying thousands of Persians with minimal losses. The whole Persian campaign would have fail if there wasn't Efialtes who showed Xerxes a secret passage to the Hellenic flanks. After a final battle lead by king Xerxes himself the Hellenic force was completely slain and their heroism and glory was written forever in history. From the beginning of the battle the Hellenes buried their dead in the spot they fell dead. After the battle signs where made for the dead of each Hellenic faction. For the pelloponisians generally (including the 300 Spartans) the sign reads(free translation) 'In this place 4000 thousand pelloponisians fought 30 millions), for the 300 Spartans(lakaedaemonians) especially the sign reads(free translation) 'Oh foreigner tell the lakaedaemonians that we are buried here obeying their laws' meaning that they never hesitated and never retreated from the enemy. The impact of the battle was enormous for both sides. The Persians' morale dropped to zero and the Hellenes lost their fear for the Persian conqueror and organized their defense. After several successful battles the Hellenes ultimately defeated the Persian army and repelled their invasion in the Battle of plataea in 479 BC. Written by Harris o Harros

When the ambitious King Xerxes of Persia invades Greece with his huge army to extend his vast slave empire, the brave Ling Leonidas brings his personal body guard army composed of three hundred warriors to defend the passage of Thermopylae, the only way by land to reach Greece. Using courage and the great battle skill of his men, he defends Thermopylae until a treacherous Greek citizen tells King Xerxes a secret goat passage leading to the back of Leonidas's army. Meanwhile, his wife Queen Gorgo of Sparta tries to convince the council to send the Spartan army to fight against the Persians. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta led his army against the advancing Persians; the battle is said to have inspired all of Greece to band together against the Persians, and helped usher in the world's first democracy. Written by Simon Stevens

In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian army in the mountain pass of Thermopylae. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most famous last stands of history. Persian King Xerxes lead a Army of well over 100,000 (Persian king Xerxes before war has about 170,000 army) men to Greece and was confronted by 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians and other Slave soldiers. Xerxes waited for 10 days for King Leonidas to surrender or withdraw left with no options he moved. The battle lasted for about 3 days and after which all 300 Spartans were killed. The Spartan defeat was not the one expected as a local shepherd named Ephialtes defected to the Persians and informed Xerxes of a separate path through Thermopylae, which the Persians could use to outflank the Greeks. Written by cyberian2005

In 480 BC, the Persian king Xerxes sends his massive army to conquer Greece. The Greek city of Sparta houses its finest warriors, and 300 of these soldiers are chosen to meet the Persians at Thermopylae, engaging the soldiers in a narrow canyon where they cannot take full advantage of their numbers. The battle is a suicide mission, meant to buy time for the rest of the Greek forces to prepare for the invasion. However, that doesn't stop the Spartans from throwing their hearts into the fray, determined to take as many Persians as possible with them. Written by rmlohner

Cast

	Gerard Butler	...	King Leonidas
	Lena Headey	...	Queen Gorgo
	Dominic West	...	Theron
	David Wenham	...	Dilios
	Vincent Regan	...	Captain
	Michael Fassbender	...	Stelios
	Tom Wisdom	...	Astinos
	Andrew Pleavin	...	Daxos
	Andrew Tiernan	...	Ephialtes
	Rodrigo Santoro	...	Xerxes
	Giovani Cimmino	...	Pleistarchos (as Giovani Antonio Cimmino)
	Stephen McHattie	...	Loyalist
	Greg Kramer	...	Ephor #1
	Alex Ivanovici	...	Ephor #2
	Kelly Craig	...	Oracle Girl