"Quiet everyone! This is not a street fight. This is a democracy!" This is said by Themistocles, the Athenian commander to the quarreling members of Greek senate. The senate itself is debating whether to go at, and if yes, the plan of action for the war against 'tyranny' named Xerxes, the king of Persia. Spectacular visual effects and gallons of bloodshed apart, the film also conveys a more than subtle message. It is spelled out in pockets and displayed fervently throughout the movie. Before we go into that, let's, in short, run through the plot of the movie.
Story happens during the same time period as the first part - 300. While Leonidas of Sparta leads his 300 men at Thermopylae against a massive Persian army, another Greek hero, the Athens Commander Themistocles is trying to unite all Greek states against a dreadful backlash from Persians. Reason for this backlash is the fact that years ago in battle of Marathon, Themistocles had killed King Darius of Persia as his son Xerxes looked on. Xerxes' vengeance is guided by a lady called Artemisia - a person close to King Darius and political guide of Xerxes. She is Greek by birth and her loyalty to Persia and reasons for it are graphically displayed in most pungent details. She over the years, converts Xerxes into a God-King with sole objective of crushing Greeks. Themistocles fails to convince Queen Gorgo of Sparta to send Spartan navy to his aide in Straits of Salamis. Remember, King Leonidas is at war with Xerxes at this point. Themistocles takes on Artemisia's Armada and the rest of the movie showcases this epic 'battle of Salamis' till Artemisia dies in the end. Not to forget, Spartan navy joins Athens and the Greeks unite. Hence the name, rise of an empire.
It is said that history is written by the victorious. Few things are clear, story is inherently based on patriotic Greek records and at times rejects history for the need of drama. There are number of historical blunders committed (eg. Themistocles killing Darius and portrayal of Xerxes as homosexual psychopath are blatant falsehoods) which need not form part of this post. However, I will touch the aspects relevant to today's geopolitics and west's imagination about Asian civilizations.
The film makes numerous overtures to Greece being democratic, patriotic and free. The Greek army is inspired to fight by projecting the Persians as savage, ruthless, uncivilized murderers coming to snatch Greece's 'freedom.' Greeks are shown as torch-bearers of humane practices and strive to protect its free thought. Persians on the other hand do not follow democracy, are rules by a demi-god King. In Greece, there is no practice of employing laborers for war related hard physical labor (like paddling navy boats). Greek soldiers and marines (even children) are natural volunteers. Persians employ bonded laborers and practice war slavery. Greeks respect fallen or failed soldiers. While, Persians kill their failed generals. Bottom line : Greeks brought civilization to the world and made humans a better race. Persians are still animals in disguise of a human body.
Were the Persians really as bad? Not really, they were like any other culture looking to expand. You would have guessed by now that Persians tell a different history. Persian culture was one of the greatest cultures in the world along with few others like Greek, Roman, Indian and Egyptian. Their demonisation is inappropriate.They had excelled in arts, architecture, literature and trade. Persians invaded other lands and practiced slavery just like Greece did. They also shared good relations with neighbors. India and Persia have had historical relations in business, arts and politics for centuries. There were friends and foes in politics for every culture. Greeks were their foes owing to natural resources, proximity and strategic locations. There was nothing evil about them.
It is true that any historical war will have two sides of the story. However, 300 seems to twist history in order to demonize powers other than European. The film makers have purposely eliminated the existence of slavery and barbarism in Greece. They have neglected the practice of forced army service for Spartans - where children used to get killed while training for wars at a very young age. They have ignored countless invasions by Greece on other lands (world conquest by Alexander, fall of Troy and so on) and lack of their democratic principles on these lands. All they want to portray is that Greece (and thereby the western civilization) is the only civilization to have brought sense and sanity to the world. The world was full of barbaric people eg. Persians who needed to be shown the light of democracy. It is laughable to believe. Maybe they should read about various other experiments in governance that came from Asian powers. Take Mahajanapadas from Maurya and Chanakya to start with.
It is important to note that all western powers today consider Greece and Rome as the foundation of their nations and hence tow the same line as depicted above. Rudyard Kipling from Britain, the author of 'The Jungle Book' had mentioned about the White Man's burden in a poem and stressed upon the need to spread the light of democracy and decency to the world. West still sees the powers that oppose it as ruthless savages and offers to sanitize the world of animals. Recent invasions of Iraq and Syria by west and political lecturing by USA to Iran/India/Japan etc. are examples. West still maintains the 'holier-than-thou' approach to world affairs and as a result, end up angering the eastern powers which have now started to develop self confidence. Since the 2 millenia that have passed, Europe has seen Christianisation and Persia (Iran) has seen Islamisation. However, the animosity has not lessened. Movies are mirrors to society (Bollywood is an exception). Hence, it is fearful if the western people believe in the idea even today. A truly equal geopolitical world can only be possible if all nations and cultures respect each other.
Before I end this, it is interesting to know Iran's reaction to the movie 300 in year 2007. They outraged! Officially banned the movie and issued official statement through government! You can adhere to a religion different to your forefathers but cannot take the history of the land out of people's hearts!
Here's the link : http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1598886,00.html
Story happens during the same time period as the first part - 300. While Leonidas of Sparta leads his 300 men at Thermopylae against a massive Persian army, another Greek hero, the Athens Commander Themistocles is trying to unite all Greek states against a dreadful backlash from Persians. Reason for this backlash is the fact that years ago in battle of Marathon, Themistocles had killed King Darius of Persia as his son Xerxes looked on. Xerxes' vengeance is guided by a lady called Artemisia - a person close to King Darius and political guide of Xerxes. She is Greek by birth and her loyalty to Persia and reasons for it are graphically displayed in most pungent details. She over the years, converts Xerxes into a God-King with sole objective of crushing Greeks. Themistocles fails to convince Queen Gorgo of Sparta to send Spartan navy to his aide in Straits of Salamis. Remember, King Leonidas is at war with Xerxes at this point. Themistocles takes on Artemisia's Armada and the rest of the movie showcases this epic 'battle of Salamis' till Artemisia dies in the end. Not to forget, Spartan navy joins Athens and the Greeks unite. Hence the name, rise of an empire.
It is said that history is written by the victorious. Few things are clear, story is inherently based on patriotic Greek records and at times rejects history for the need of drama. There are number of historical blunders committed (eg. Themistocles killing Darius and portrayal of Xerxes as homosexual psychopath are blatant falsehoods) which need not form part of this post. However, I will touch the aspects relevant to today's geopolitics and west's imagination about Asian civilizations.
The film makes numerous overtures to Greece being democratic, patriotic and free. The Greek army is inspired to fight by projecting the Persians as savage, ruthless, uncivilized murderers coming to snatch Greece's 'freedom.' Greeks are shown as torch-bearers of humane practices and strive to protect its free thought. Persians on the other hand do not follow democracy, are rules by a demi-god King. In Greece, there is no practice of employing laborers for war related hard physical labor (like paddling navy boats). Greek soldiers and marines (even children) are natural volunteers. Persians employ bonded laborers and practice war slavery. Greeks respect fallen or failed soldiers. While, Persians kill their failed generals. Bottom line : Greeks brought civilization to the world and made humans a better race. Persians are still animals in disguise of a human body.
Were the Persians really as bad? Not really, they were like any other culture looking to expand. You would have guessed by now that Persians tell a different history. Persian culture was one of the greatest cultures in the world along with few others like Greek, Roman, Indian and Egyptian. Their demonisation is inappropriate.They had excelled in arts, architecture, literature and trade. Persians invaded other lands and practiced slavery just like Greece did. They also shared good relations with neighbors. India and Persia have had historical relations in business, arts and politics for centuries. There were friends and foes in politics for every culture. Greeks were their foes owing to natural resources, proximity and strategic locations. There was nothing evil about them.
It is true that any historical war will have two sides of the story. However, 300 seems to twist history in order to demonize powers other than European. The film makers have purposely eliminated the existence of slavery and barbarism in Greece. They have neglected the practice of forced army service for Spartans - where children used to get killed while training for wars at a very young age. They have ignored countless invasions by Greece on other lands (world conquest by Alexander, fall of Troy and so on) and lack of their democratic principles on these lands. All they want to portray is that Greece (and thereby the western civilization) is the only civilization to have brought sense and sanity to the world. The world was full of barbaric people eg. Persians who needed to be shown the light of democracy. It is laughable to believe. Maybe they should read about various other experiments in governance that came from Asian powers. Take Mahajanapadas from Maurya and Chanakya to start with.
It is important to note that all western powers today consider Greece and Rome as the foundation of their nations and hence tow the same line as depicted above. Rudyard Kipling from Britain, the author of 'The Jungle Book' had mentioned about the White Man's burden in a poem and stressed upon the need to spread the light of democracy and decency to the world. West still sees the powers that oppose it as ruthless savages and offers to sanitize the world of animals. Recent invasions of Iraq and Syria by west and political lecturing by USA to Iran/India/Japan etc. are examples. West still maintains the 'holier-than-thou' approach to world affairs and as a result, end up angering the eastern powers which have now started to develop self confidence. Since the 2 millenia that have passed, Europe has seen Christianisation and Persia (Iran) has seen Islamisation. However, the animosity has not lessened. Movies are mirrors to society (Bollywood is an exception). Hence, it is fearful if the western people believe in the idea even today. A truly equal geopolitical world can only be possible if all nations and cultures respect each other.
Before I end this, it is interesting to know Iran's reaction to the movie 300 in year 2007. They outraged! Officially banned the movie and issued official statement through government! You can adhere to a religion different to your forefathers but cannot take the history of the land out of people's hearts!
Here's the link : http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1598886,00.html
I have finally succeeded in reading the article, the link to which you provided me about 10 months ago. Well written. Totally agree on the "holier than thou" point of yours.
ReplyDeleteI have finally succeeded in reading the article, the link to which you provided me about 10 months ago. Well written. Totally agree on the "holier than thou" point of yours.
ReplyDelete