Gladiator movies like Spartacus and Gladiator are a lot of fun to watch, but how historically accurate are they? Do the films correctly depict the culture, technologies, and aesthetics of the ancient world? An analysis of one or more of these films would be interesting to read.
300 isn't about gladiators either. It's about the Battle of Thermopylae between the Greek Spartans and the Persians so there were no Romans or gladiators involved. The movie Spartacus would fit better instead with the gladiator theme because it's set in Rome about a gladiator slave. – dsoumilas9 years ago
I am wondering what you would refer to this genre of movies as? A google search revealed to me that all these films (300 and Troy included) were popularly lumped into the "gladiator epic" genre. Perhaps that is an issue that could be included in the article. – Marcie Waters9 years ago
I think this can also open a broader discussion about the way we approach classical history. Has it become too remote and therefore uninteresting so we have to spice it up? – DClarke9 years ago
What this topic is dealing with ("gladiator films") could lead into mentioning the sword-and-sandal genre of films from the mid-20th century. Those films were also period pieces set in ancient times (or Roman times in this case) whose main focus was likewise on battles, adventure, and entertainment value with historical accuracy not necessarily mattering as much as the former traits. – dsoumilas9 years ago