The Film 300: Rise of an Empire documents the second Persian invasion of Greece during the 5th century B.C.E. The films depiction is based in the oiled-up, masculine, proud chested fashion that only the 300 series could create. But unlike the 2007 prequel 300; Rise of an Empire includes themes not touched by the predecessor. A big theme evident in the movie is the implementation of not only one, but two commanding women. These characters are Artemisia, Greek born commander of the Persian fleet, and Queen Gorgo of Sparta, wife of the late Leonidas and ruler of Sparta. These two women support two conflicting sides throughout the entirety of the movie, but are connected through a peculiar reason. The connection between these two women is based
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Artemisia is a Greek-born Persian naval commander. Her identity is a center point of the entire film and gets increasingly more complicated as the film goes on. She is introduced as the favorite commander of the late Persian King Darius. Once the king dies his son Xerxes is inconsolable and very vulnerable, step in Artemisia. She completely manipulates the young king to become in essence a God-King and to pillage and raze all of Greece. But why does Artemisia want this? We must look at the defining moments of the past that were crucial in the formation of her personal identity. Like stated before she was born a Greek. This all changed when opposing Greek hoplites raped and murdered her entire family and the turned their attention on to her. She was raped and sold into slavery, and for 8 years she was a sex slave in the bowels of a Greek merchant ship. She was then found basically thrown away at a Persian port. As a Persian commander walked by he noticed young Artemisia and adopted her. She was then trained by the best Persian fighters, and effectively became a proper Persian and proved her allegiance to King Darius by killing local rebellious kings. At this point her identity shifted from a weak Greek woman to a strong Persian warrior that embodied the idea of
Artemisia is a Greek-born Persian naval commander. Her identity is a center point of the entire film and gets increasingly more complicated as the film goes on. She is introduced as the favorite commander of the late Persian King Darius. Once the king dies his son Xerxes is inconsolable and very vulnerable, step in Artemisia. She completely manipulates the young king to become in essence a God-King and to pillage and raze all of Greece. But why does Artemisia want this? We must look at the defining moments of the past that were crucial in the formation of her personal identity. Like stated before she was born a Greek. This all changed when opposing Greek hoplites raped and murdered her entire family and the turned their attention on to her. She was raped and sold into slavery, and for 8 years she was a sex slave in the bowels of a Greek merchant ship. She was then found basically thrown away at a Persian port. As a Persian commander walked by he noticed young Artemisia and adopted her. She was then trained by the best Persian fighters, and effectively became a proper Persian and proved her allegiance to King Darius by killing local rebellious kings. At this point her identity shifted from a weak Greek woman to a strong Persian warrior that embodied the idea of