The movie 300 is an interesting retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae that provides insights into Spartan ethics and culture. Spartans believed in eugenics and would inspect newborns for defects, killing any that were malformed. They valued silence, equality, and fighting bravely in battle. King Leonidas led by example and kept his men's morale high even as defeat seemed imminent. The Spartans were willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of Greece, reflecting the ethical philosophy of utilitarianism. Their religious beliefs also influenced their willingness to disobey elders and defend Sparta from the Persians.

1. Angelina Satarose
Ethics and the Movies
March 14, 2015
Ethics and the Movies: "300,"
A Spartan Style Retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae.
The movie "300" is an interesting movie. It is a great example of how ethical implications affect
the people in this time period. The Spartans were a militaristic culture. The parents of warriors would
decide who to marry based on their skills and bravery. The sad side of this though, is when the baby was
born, the elders would inspect them for imperfections. If there were any found, they would throw the baby
off a cliff. [1] This seems very immoral to us today; but at the time, abortion and tossing infants that had
birth defects were accepted widely among the ancients. In their moral thoughts, malformed babies could
not be beneficial to society, so they were disposed of. According to Eubios Journal of Asian and
International Bioethics, "Romans were quite comfortable with abortion and baby killing." [2]
Spartans valued silence, liberty, equality and fraternity in their system of ethics. They would
rather your words speak volumes than to just hear yourself speak. Women had as much right to speak and
act as the men did, though it was only men who fought in wars. Women were strong on the home front,
taking care of the people, children and running things while the men were gone to war. According to
Elysium Gates online, a website dedicated to Spartan history, "What set Sparta apart from other Greek
city-states was not language, religion, or even laws – all of which were shared in broad terms with the rest
of the ancient Hellenic world – but a unique ethos that permeated all aspects of life." [3]
According to an article in the Journal of Leadership Education, fall of 2008, "The way King
Leonidas leads was to be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself,
and let the troops see that you don’t in your endurance of fatigue and privation." [4] In the movie, King
Leonidas kept his men happy with great speeches of going into the afterlife as warriors and victorious.

2. Even when it seemed all hope was lost, he cheered them on in saying, "Meet me in the afterlife, death is a
reward!"
A Terpander sang once of the Spartans: [5]
Their spear was strong, their music sweet,
And Justice kept an honored seat.
Lycurgas, the father of Sparta, is responsible for their ethical laws and morals. They all but
worshiped him as a god because these things came easy for him. I think he included music in their
training as warriors because it helped keep morale up. The Spartans have 'drawn a line in the sand of
democracy,' according to Sunny Fotini, "Leonidas and his "300" Spartan Soldiers." [6] The sacrifice these
men do for their country urge the other Greeks to fight. Morally they have done the right thing for the
good of many. This is an example of utilitarianism. When you take actions that are right because they are
useful for the good of the majority, not for the minority, you promote happiness. This is according to the
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. [7]
Religion played a big part in this movie, as well as the moral views of the Spartans. The elders
say they will not let King Leonidas go to war, even though it is imminent. King Leonidas feels something
is off about this and that the elders are being ignorant of the reality of the situation. He goes anyway,
using his moral view of saving Sparta from the Persians. According to "Spartan Religion" at Legends and
Chronicles, "Kings themselves were considered priests of Zeus." [8] This of course is very different from
the movie. But if we go by what the movie has laid out for us, it seems as if the religious priests are
corrupted, and morally unethical. They languish in young women, and forget their duties to their people.
In the end, all the soldiers die trying to take down the Persians. And in history, the Greeks take up
arms and begin to fight back. So judging them by their standards of moral ethics, they were morally right
in all that they did, by following their standard of moral philosophy. I recommend reading the real history
of the Spartans and the battle of Thermopylae. The movie is a fictional retelling of the real story in true
Spartan fashion.

3. Citations:
1. "Spartan Warriors: Birth and Training," -AncientMilitary.com
2. "A Few Considerations on Ancient and Modern Eugenics 13, (2003) 221-3," Iftime, Sci. res. Oana;
Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics -Eubios.info
3. "The Ethos: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity Among the Philosopher Warriors," Sparta Reconsidered -
Elysium Gates
4. "Skills of the Spartans: Exploring Leadership in 300," P 79, Journal of Leadership Education,
Volume 7, Number 2 - Fall 2008 - Academia.edu
5. "Lycurgus, The Father of Sparta, Biography," Plutarch; A History Of Greece
6. "Leonidas and his "300" Spartan Soldiers," Fotini, Sunny.
7. The History of Utilitarianism -Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
8. "Spartan Religion," Ancient Civilizations - Ancient Sparta -Legends and Chronicles