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A few weeks ago I went to see the movie 300. While I won’t spoil the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it, in a nutshell, it involves the Greek effort to repel a ten-fold Persian horde back into Asia out of Greece thereby saving their culture. When I was standing in line to go in, I heard someone shout out, “THIS IS SPARTA!” which was part of the featured dialog in the trailer. I turned around, and the guy was this young fellow with a squared, pointy, ancient-looking beard. I guess he and his friends were exited about going to see the movie. At any rate, I’d recommend it if you don’t mind a little gore.
I’ve always been a fan of the “sword and sandal” movies like Troy and Gladiator and such, so I enjoyed it. But, now to the point of this post - I’m pretty much an ignoramus when it comes to history, so whenever I see a movie that’s supposedly historically-based, I try to research to see how accurate it was after I saw it since I wouldn’t know the difference otherwise. I’ve been off this week, and frankly, a little bored the past few days. So rather than reading the Wikipedia version of the Battle of Thermopylae on which the movie is based, I went a little further and found some interesting stuff. There is some, to use Georges in Montreal’s term, “moppography” or long hair in the movie, but there is not enough to put it up into the LOTR realm. Moving on, I read of several references to the Spartan soldiers who had the custom of growing their hair very long, supported by historical accounts. They would tightly braid their hair as added protection together with the bronze helmets to protect their heads from sword-blows.
This first excerpt is from Herodotus, and ancient Greek historian.
“208. As they were thus deliberating, Xerxes sent a scout on horseback to see how many they were in number and what they were doing; for he had heard while he was yet in Thessaly that there had been assembled in this place a small force, and that the leaders of it were Lacedemonians [Spartans] together with Leonidas, who was of the race of Heracles. And when the horseman had ridden up towards their camp, he looked upon
them and had a view not indeed of the whole of their army, for of those which were posted within the wall, which they had repaired and were keeping a guard, it was not possible to have a view, but he observed those who were outside, whose station was in front of the wall; and it chanced at that time that the Lacedemonians were they who were posted outside. So then he saw some of the men practicing athletic exercises and some combing their long hair: and as he looked upon these things he marveled, and at the same time he observed their number: and when he had observed all exactly, he rode back unmolested, for no one attempted to pursue him and he found himself treated with much indifference. And when he returned he reported to Xerxes all that which he had seen.
209. Hearing this Xerxes was not able to conjecture the truth about the matter, namely that they were preparing themselves to die and to deal death to the enemy so far as they might; but it seemed to him that they were acting in a manner merely ridiculous; and therefore he sent for Demaratos the son of Ariston, who was in his camp, and when he came, Xerxes asked him of these things severally, desiring to discover what this was which the Lacedemonians were doing: and he said: "Thou didst hear from my mouth at a former time, when we were setting forth to go against Hellas, the things concerning these men; and having heard them thou madest me an ob ject of laughter, because I told thee of these things which I perceived would come to pass; for to me it is the greatest of all ends to speak the truth continually before thee, O king. Hear then now also: these men have come to fight with us for the passage, and this is it that they are preparing to do; for they have a custom which is as follows;--,whenever they are about to put their lives in peril, then they attend to the arrangement of their hair. Be assured however, that if thou shalt subdue these and the rest of them which remain behind in Sparta, there is no other race of men which will await thy onset, O king, or will raise hands against thee: for now thou art about to fight against the noblest kingdom and city of those which are among the Hellenes, and the best men." To Xerxes that which was said seemed to be utterly incredible, and he asked again a second time in what manner being so few they would fight with his host. He said; "O king, deal with me as with a liar, if thou find not that these things come to pass as I say."”
From: Herodotus. The History of Herodotus. Volume 2. Trans. Macaulay, George Campbell. Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2456.
This second excerpt is from Xenophon.
“For the actual encounter under arms, the following inventions are attributed to Lycurgos: the soldier has a crimson-colored uniform and a heavy shield of bronze; his theory being that such equipment has no sort of feminine association, and is altogether most warrior-like. It is most quickly burnished; it is least readily soiled. He further permitted those who were about the age of early manhood to wear their hair long. For so, he conceived, they would appear of larger stature, more free and indomitable, and of a more terrible aspect. So furnished and accoutered, he divided his hoplites into six morai [regiments] of cavalry and heavy infantry. Each of these hoplite morai has one polemarchos [colonel], four lochagoi [captains], eight penteconters [lieutenants], and sixteen enomotarchs [sergeants]. At a word of command any such morai can be formed readily into either enomoties [single-file], or into threes [three files of men abreast] or sixes [six files of men abreast].”
From: Xenophon (c.428-c.354 BCE). http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/xenophon-spartanwar.html
I love the part about “more free and indomitable!”
Finally, here is the clincher. I found this on another site downing long hair, but making the Spartan connection. The logic for making the argument seems a little specious, if you ask me. There was no given author either, further leading me to believe that the author might not have been solidly grounded in his or her argument although it goes on for a very long time. I donÂ’t agree with the traditional interpretation of the verse downing long hair, obviously.
“The reason Paul dealt with this issue [long hair on men] so strongly in his Letter to the Corinthians was because Corinth was the capital of Southern Greece at that time, and Southern Greece was the homeland of the Spartans. The Spartan warriors were renowned for their custom of letting their hair grow long. They were also believed to be descended, like the Israelites, from Abraham (I Macc. 12. 21, Spartans being there called by their alternative name "Lacedemonians"). Hence there might have been thought to be a similarity between the long hair of the Spartans and the uncut hair of the Israelite Nazirites, the most famous of whom was the warrior Samson. Being admired for their martial prowess, the long-haired Spartans were liable to be held up as a role model. Christian males in Corinth may have been tempted to copy the Spartan hair style, both because of social prestige and for the fact that it might be compared to that of the Biblical Nazirites.”
From: http://www.christianhospitality.org/hair.htm
So, there it is - more knowledge about long hair through the ages. I just went to see a movie, got bored and learned something new.
Hey
Matt
Seems like an interesting movie to see as Troy & Gladiator was to I enjoyed both of them Ive made a note of the movie so i will be watching this movie to !
Axel
I love to read about history, it fascinates me.
That movie is great too. :)
Fascinating reading, Matt! Whereas I probably would not have gone to see this movie before, I now will.
I appreciate the time you took to research and report.
George
Great info and nice presentation! Thanks.
I would also like to add this:
I don't know exactly what Paul had in mind when he said that that it was a 'shame' for a man to have long hair but...
1. He never said longhaired men wouldn't be save.
2. Never said it was a sin.
3. And if a preacher ever brings up Paul's famous hair quote let
him remember that having one's beard shaved off was also considered to be "a shame."
Your post just warmed my heart as I've read extensively on ancient Greece and your research was spot on. I haven't seen the movie yet
as I know a bit about what happened and feared Hollywood would screw with it. I love history and good films depicting it so based on your comments I'll rent or maybe buy it.
Thanks for the post
Kevin
Hi Kevin and others,
I focused mainly on what I had found on long hair since that is the topic of the board. Pertaining to the accurate portrayal of history, some say that Herodotus added as much fancy to his recording of history as he did fact. I guess on that subject we'll never really know! Scholars have accused Livy who wrote a Roman history of the same type thing, but either way, when Livy wrote how Hannibal and his Carthaginian troops used spoiled wine that had turned to vinegar to melt and dissolve rocks so he could get his elephants through the Alps to Italy, it probably is possible to do that if one had enough vinegar although it is somewhat fantastical.
I will add that Hollywood did add in a lot of elements to the film that almost subliminally appeal to a darker side of the viewer. While the historical elements are rather close to history as it is recorded, the portrayal of the Persians for example is more comicbook-like than actuality. They are made out to be more villainous and "wierder" in probably all ways than they really were. While I don't know much about the Persian Empire of that time, the history we in the West read was written by those who opposed the Persians, thus coloring them as hellish foes without blatantly stating it. If we were able to have an Eastern version of the same events, it might seem a little different. The Persians did have a thriving culture and empire until Alexander pretty much finished it off after these events in the movie took place a hundred or so years later.
The movie almost plays along with the "us versus them" or "Western values versus Eastern values" dichotomy. It goes thus: The Greeks and Greece are bastions of civilization in a barbarous world who repelling the invaders save the basis Western culture (democracy, freedom, etc.). Also, the Persian main characters are played by actors of African descent in the movie, which almost borders on being a continuation of the highly-debatable, almost laughable philosophy in which the lighter races are the bearers and preservers of culture to the rest of the "darker" races and tribes of man. (Compare to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness or Rudyard Kipling's "White Man's Burden") Also, the Spartan troops joke about the Athenians (fellow Greeks) being "boy-lovers" although the Spartans themselves in actuality were said to have engaged in the same type of male relationships.
Now, finally, the movie is based on Frank Miller's graphic novel by the same name, and follows that book very closely. That being said, the historical basis of the movie is rather sound, but the portrayal of the various elements within the events as they happened is rather fanciful for entertainment purposes.