Classics on Screen Ancient Greece and Rome on Film

Cinema loves Greece and Rome. Hollywood epics, animated movies, avant-garde features #xE2;#xAC;#x1C; all have turned to classical antiquity for inspiration. On the silver screen, we see a world of virtuous Christians, depraved pagans, gladiators and muscle-bound demigods #xE2;#xAC;#x1C; a potent mix of sex, violence and art. So pervasive are these images that this cinematic output dominates the public understanding of the ancient world. Through analysis of ten influential films, this book examines the representation of Greece and Rome in popular and art-house cinema. Arranged by cinematic genre, it offers an accessible introduction to the depiction of antiquity in cinema.

Alastair Blanshard is senior Lecture in classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney. Kim Shahabudin is co-editor of classic for all. Reworking Antiquity in Mass Culture (2009).