{"id":1641,"date":"2014-03-16T19:59:07","date_gmt":"2014-03-16T14:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barrystrauss.com\/?p=1641"},"modified":"2022-03-08T14:00:37","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T19:00:37","slug":"barry-strausss-page-turning-the-battle-of-salamis-mixes-dynamic-writing-with-solid-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barrystrauss.com\/barry-strausss-page-turning-the-battle-of-salamis-mixes-dynamic-writing-with-solid-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"“Barry Strauss\u2019s page-turning The Battle of Salamis mixes dynamic writing with solid scholarship”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2019300: Rise of an Empire\u2019 Reinterprets Ancient History with 21st-Century Flair | Media Mania<\/h1>\n
By\u00a0Joy Fleishhacker<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0on\u00a0March 4, 2014<\/span>\u00a0Leave a Comment<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
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Warner Bros. Pictures provides a second installment in a film series that vivifies the long-ago Persian invasion of Greece (480 BC) with a robust amalgam of larger-than-life storytelling, fantastical and mythic touches, and sword-slashing battle scenes. The movie,\u00a0300: Rise of an Empire<\/i>\u00a0(R), inspired by a graphic novel by Frank Miller (the not-yet published\u00a0Xerxes<\/i>), takes the combat action\u2014and characters\u2019 clashes\u2014to the high seas. Produced by Zack Snyder and directed by Noam Murro, the movie will be released by in 2D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D formats on March 7.<\/p>\n

Snyder\u2019s latest is a follow-up to\u00a0300<\/em>, which was released in 2007, set in the same world and time, and closely based on Miller\u2019s superb graphic novel (Dark Horse, 1999).\u00a0300<\/i>\u00a0told the tale of how a resolute King Leonidas and his 300 stouthearted Spartans held a narrow mountain pass against the massive forces of Persian King Xerxes during the Battle of Thermopylae, fighting to the death in a legendary last stand.<\/p>\n

This adaptation focuses on adept statesman and swordsman, Athenian general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), who struggles to fuse the contentious Greek city-states into a coherent whole and lead a united navy into battle. Meanwhile, the Persian forces are amassing, an immense\u00a0\"3514xerxesarmada ruled over by the \u201cmortal-turned-god\u201d Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and led by his volatile and vengeful ally, Queen Artemisia (Eva Green). The stakes are high, and the very future of democracy may just lay in Themistokles\u2019s hands. In addition to numerous new cast members, several veterans from the first film\u2013including Santoro and Lena Headey (as the Spartan queen, Gorgo)\u2014reprise their roles. Teens can visit the\u00a0official site<\/a>\u00a0for a look at the production\u2019s lavish backdrops, dramatically lit land and sea settings, and grandiose (and graphically blood-splattered) m\u00eal\u00e9es.<\/p>\n

Movie Tie-ins<\/b><\/p>\n

\"300Movie1300: Rise of an Empire: The Art of the Film<\/i>\u00a0(Titan, 2014; Gr 9 Up) is jam-packed with stunning photographs and production artwork showcased on handsome spreads. Framed by remarks from Murro and Snyder and sprinkled throughout with commentary from cast and crew, Peter Aperlo\u2019s succinct text describes the movie\u2019s origins, makes comparisons to the first film, introduces the characters (along with reflections from the individuals who portray them), and highlights important settings (including an extravagantly envisioned Persepolis and austere-looking Sparta).<\/p>\n

A day-by-day account at the nautical Battle of Artemisium is illustrated with spectacular shipboard stills, concept artwork and storyboard sequences, and behind-the-scenes photos. The full-color images are eye-catching and intriguing, from striking double-page representation of fiery seafaring skirmishes or a flame-infused Athens, to close-up details of reproduced weaponry and statues, to a look at how a lifelike horse model and CGI effects were utilized to create Themistokles\u2019s realistic ride across the decks of a blazing war galley. An informative and fun-to-browse offering.<\/p>\n

\"300Movie2Moviegoers will want to read or revisit the graphic novel that started it all, Miller\u2019s\u00a0300<\/i>\u00a0(Dark Horse, 1999; Gr 10 Up). Intertwining historical fact with a sword-rattling sensationalism and the rapt tone of a legend in the making, the script introduces a steadfast Spartan king and the men who stand strong against the onslaught of an army \u201cvast beyond imagining, ready to devour tiny Greece\u2014to snuff out the world\u2019s hope for reason and justice.\u201d Depicted in dramatic earth-toned artwork, the story unfurls with blood-splattered battle scenes and bold acts of courage, as Spartan warriors make a sacrifice that stands as inspiration for all of Greece to unite against a common foe.<\/p>\n

The generously sized spreads portray the starkness of the setting along with detailed re-creations of ancient armor and armaments. The use of shifting perspectives such as views from above or through the eye slits of a Spartan helmet, underscore the combat\u2019s cataclysmic violence. Sporting chiseled features and a razor-sharp beard, Leonidas is believably intimidating and the portrayal of Xerxes\u2014with his regal bearing, elaborate piercings and gold jewelry, and godlike demeanor\u2014will be familiar to film fans. Readers will be will be mesmerized by this enthralling look at history.<\/p>\n

More Go-to Graphic Novels<\/b><\/p>\n

Nestled among the numerous frays featured in\u00a0300: Rise of an Empire<\/i>\u00a0is a glimpse back at the Greek victory at Marathon during the first Persian invasion led by King Darius 10 years prior. Boaz Yakin and Joe Infurnari\u2019s\u00a0Marathon<\/i>\u00a0(First Second, 2012; Gr 9 Up) integrates historical fact, legend, and fictionalized interpretation to tell the story of an Athenian messenger who ran over 300 exhausting miles to deliver vital information that swayed the course of events, led to Greek triumph, and resulted in the addition of a new competition to the Olympic games.\u00a0\"300Movie3The action begins with a flashback, as the young son of a slave family wins a foot race, earning Athenian citizenship along with the ire of despotic King Hippias, whose own son was defeated (the resentful ruler would later have Eucles\u2019s parents executed).<\/p>\n

Years later, the now-exiled Hippias returns with Darius\u2019s forces to re-conquer the city, and Eucles\u2019s grueling run is fueled by a desire for personal vengeance as well as civic responsibility, adding an intimate intensity to the wide-reaching tale. Bursting with scratchy lines, dramatic shading, and frenetic action, the sepia-toned illustrious reveal the confusion of combat, the rugged terrain, and the characters\u2019 varied emotions. Teachers can check out the \u201cDeparting the Text\u201d\u00a0blog<\/a>\u00a0for a related for a lesson plan that addresses Common Core Standards.<\/p>\n

\"300Movie4As epic in scale as its subject matter, Eric Shanower\u2019s \u201cAge of Bronze\u201d graphic novel series, which launched in 2001 with\u00a0A Thousand Ships<\/i>\u00a0(Image Comics; Gr 10 Up) and is still in the works toward a projected seven volumes, offers a sweeping and comprehensive account of the Trojan War. The author synthesizes multiple source materials (from ancient writers through to modern-day works) into a multifaceted tale that encompasses a large cast, spans far-reaching settings, and interlinks numerous plotlines. The pages are saturated with political events and conflicts as well as more intimate moments\u2014revelations of personal motivations, brazen schemes and bitter betrayals, erotic trysts between lovers, mothers fighting to keep offspring safe. Depicted in detailed and historically accurate black-and-white drawings, the characters come across not as remote literary personages but as believably flawed, passionately emotional, and compellingly human.<\/p>\n

Explore History<\/b><\/p>\n

Though creatively embellished, the plots of both\u00a0300<\/i>\u00a0movies are based on actual historical events. With an emphasis on readability and solid storytelling, these two offerings encourage teens to explore the Greco-Persian wars, sort out fact from fiction, and think about the many ways that the past can be interpreted.<\/p>\n

\"300Movie5Stephen Dando-Collins\u2019s\u00a0Rise of an Empire<\/i>\u00a0(Wiley\/Turner Pub., 2014; Gr 10 Up) provides a clearly written introduction to the real-life Themistocles (c. 523-469 BC). Elected archon (magistrate) in 493 BC, this commoner joined a government ruled by aristocrats and began a career-long campaign to establish Athens as a nautical power, eventually persuading his fellow citizens to build a fleet of fast and maneuverable triremes (war galleys named for their three rows of oars). It was these ships that saved the day during the second Persian invasion. Officially made chief of Athens\u2019s fleet and effectively commanding the entire Greek naval alliance, Themistocles planned strategy and subterfuge, worked tirelessly to hold together the coalition, and brought about the defeat of the Persian armada during the battles of Artemisium and Salamis.<\/p>\n

Dando-Collins presents a lively and detailed account of Themistocles\u2019s life from boyhood to his eventual ostracism and exile in later years, covering the ins and outs of his political and personal rivalries, recounting his military maneuverings, and revealing his genius as leader and visionary. Chapter notes cite sources such as Plutarch and Herodotus, while maps and black-and-white photos and reproductions flesh out the past.<\/p>\n

\"300Movie6Barry Strauss\u2019s page-turning\u00a0The Battle of Salamis<\/i>\u00a0(S & S, 2004; Gr 10 Up) mixes dynamic writing with solid scholarship to recount the world-shaking clash between the Persian and Hellenic fleets fought in 480 BC by more than 200,000 soldiers. All of the major players are brought to life: Themistocles is presented as both brilliant leader and underhanded manipulator; Xerxes, a true fighter of battles despite putting on \u201cairs like a pharaoh,\u201d is defined by his determination to avenge his father\u2019s defeat by the Greeks at Marathon; and Artemisia, Queen of Halicarnassus, who combined \u201cthe cunning of Athena and the seductiveness of Aphrodite\u2026[with] the ambition of Hera,\u201d is described as successfully serving her own purposes while fighting Xerxes\u2019s battles.<\/p>\n

Based on accounts by Herodotus, Aeschylus, and Plutarch (all cited in the lengthy notes section) and supported by numerous maps, historical events are neatly streamlined and clearly conveyed. The narrative takes sail with details of day-to-day life gleaned from archeological digs and ancient artworks (black-and-white reproductions are included), summations of intrigues that sizzle beneath the surface, and lyrical descriptions of skirmishes (\u201cAfter the trumpets, the hymns, the battle cries, the rushing oars, and the piping, there came the cacophony of bronze-sheathed wooden rams crashing into wooden oars and ships\u201d).<\/p>\n

Publication Information<\/b><\/p>\n

APERLO<\/b>, Peter.\u00a0300: Rise of an Empire: The Art of the Film<\/i>. Photos. by Clay Enos. Titan. 2014. Tr $34.95. ISBN 9781781167823.<\/p>\n

MILLER<\/b>, Frank.\u00a0300<\/i>. illus. by author. Colors by Lynn Varley. Dark Horse. 1999. Tr $30. ISBN 978-1-56971-402-7.<\/p>\n

YAKIN<\/b>, Boaz.\u00a0Marathon<\/i>. illus. by Joe Infurnari. First Second. 2012. pap. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-680-0.<\/p>\n

SHANOWER<\/b>, Eric.\u00a0Age of Bronze, Vol. 1: A Thousand Ships<\/i>. illus. by author. Image Comics. 2001. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-1582402000.<\/p>\n

DANDO-COLLINS<\/b>, Stephen.\u00a0Rise of an Empire: How One Man United Greece to Defeat Xerxes\u2019s Persians<\/i>. Wiley\/Turner Publishing, dist. by Ingram. 2014. pap. $17.95. ISBN 978-1-118-45479-4.<\/p>\n

STRAUSS<\/b>, Barry.\u00a0The Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece\u2014and Western Civilization<\/i>. S & S. 2004. pap. $19.99. ISBN 9780743244510; ebook $14.56. ISBN 9780743274531.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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