4 Ways Ancient Greece Is Misrepresented in Movies

One period of history that often lends itself to the glamor of Hollywood is ancient Greece. Both historical records and myths of ancient Greece have fascinated filmmakers for decades, but it's difficult to fit an accurate portrayal of centuries of a civilization within two hours. Even the directors most dedicated to historical accuracy have to choose to cut certain things in favor of their story.

This editing or taking creative liberties when making films about ancient Greece has led to a lot of confusion over what it was really like back then. Many of the things we consider integral parts of ancient Greek society are just inventions of filmmakers. Here are four ways movies have misrepresented ancient Greece.

1. Greece Was Not a Unified Nation
2. Their Armor Was Not Polished Bronze
3. Statues and Temples Were Colorful
4. Ancient Greece Was Technologically Advanced

Greece Was Not a Unified Nation

Many films set in ancient Greece tend to conflate the Greek people into one country and one government. Either the Greeks are portrayed as democratic or authoritarian in movies, depending on whether the main setting is Athens or Sparta. But the Greece of the ancient world was separated into city-states, each with its own way of running the land.

Each Greek city-state had its own government, and they were often at odds with each other. At the time Zach Snyder's 300 (2006) is set, Sparta was actually divided between two different kings. The people did not think of themselves as Greek, but rather as Spartans, Athenians, Thebans, Corinthians, and others.

Their Armor Was Not Polished Bronze

When people think of ancient Greek warriors, there are two images that come to mind. Either the men are barely clothed, with naked chests, or they are outfitted with a blindingly shiny bronze breastplate. These mental pictures come more from Hollywood's vision of ancient Greek armor than historical facts.

Much of the armor in movies is an amalgamation of Greek and Roman styles from several different centuries. The real armor used during the Bronze Age was more of a blunt metal tube that went around the torso. Later, during the Classical Age, the Greeks developed a fabric armor, woven with linen and bronze, that was lighter yet strong enough to withstand blows. Linen just didn't remain preserved for thousands of years, and it doesn't look as cool on film.

Statues and Temples Were Colorful

Movies aren't the only way that Greek art has been misrepresented. This time, films just reflect the misconception that statues and temples were stark white. For centuries, society has seen the ancient Greek art style as sleek, sophisticated, and minimalist, with many movies showing this view as well. But it just isn't true.

Greek statues and temples were painted with bright, sometimes gaudy, colors. The paint has just faded or chipped off over time. Historians discovered the remnants of the paint when examining the statues and concluded that the Greeks were maximalists when it came to art and decor.

Ancient Greece Was Technologically Advanced

In Disney's Hercules, one of the Fates nudges Hades' minion Panic and speaks of the future by saying, "Indoor plumbing. It's gonna be big!" The irony of this quote is that ancient Greece already had indoor plumbing. They were actually very advanced compared to other societies at the time.

Movies have shown ancient Greece as, well, ancient, and have left out the fact that the Greeks had quite a few inventions that we consider modern. In addition to indoor plumbing systems that provided water for showers and removed sewage, the ancient Greeks also had alarm clocks, a rudimentary computer, and a steam-powered turbine.

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