Swords and Cinema

A dive into the authenticity of battle scenes in epic films set in the Greco-Roman world—from Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus to Ridley Scott's Gladiator.

The battles and sieges of the Classical world have been a rich source of inspiration to film makers since the beginning of cinema and the sixties and seventies saw the golden age of the "swords and sandals" epic, with films such as Spartacus. Ridley Scott's Gladiator led a modern revival that has continued with the release of films like 300, The Eagle and Centurion and HBO's mini-series Rome.


While Hollywood interpretations of Classical battle continue to spark interest in ancient warfare, to casual viewers and serious enthusiasts alike they also spark a host of questions about authenticity. What does Hollywood get right and wrong about weapons, organization, tactics and the experience of combat? Did the Spartans really fight clad only in their underpants and did the Persians have mysterious, silver-masked assassins in their armies? This original book discusses the merits of battle scenes in selected movies and along the way gives the reader an interesting overview of ancient battle. It should appeal to the serious student of ancient warfare, movie buffs and everyone in between.

"Jeremiah McCall impresses us with detail on the motion pictures relevant to ancient history . . . an honest and informative style." —UNRV.com
"The author has managed to produce a readable, informative, and credible perspective. His work is entertaining and his conclusions have an authoritative feel to them. Enjoy." —FIRE Project