Blog Number 96 - Dominic West cast as Theron in Frank Miller's '300'

Dominic West has been cast as Theron in Frank Miller's '300' which is another interesting part since there wasn't any such character in the comics. Now the question to be answered: Is Theron a Spartan or is he a leader of one of the other Greek cities that fought with the Spartans at Thermopylae?

For my 100th blog, I hope to divulge the exact location of the filming of '300' in Montreal!

Blog Number 95 - Aussie David Wenham cast as Dilios in Frank Miller's '300'

It has been confirmed that David Wenham from 'the land down under' has been cast as the storyteller Dilios in Frank Miller's '300'.

Blog Number 94 - Montaigne's essay about King Leonidas and the '300' Spartans

Michel de Montaigne, the French Renaissance thinker wrote one of the most eloquent essays about King Leonidas and the Battle of Thermopylae.

Here is the translation by Donald M. Frame:

The most valiant are sometimes the most unfortunate. Thus there are triumphant defeats that rival victories. Nor did those four sister victories, the fairest that the sun ever set eyes on - Salamis, Plataea, Mycale, and Sicily - ever dare match all their combined glory against the glory of the annihilation of King Leonidas and his men at the pass of Thermopylae.

Blog Number 93 - The 1962 & 2006 King Leonidas of the '300' Spartans

Here are images of King Leonidas as portrayed by Richard Egan in 1962's 'The 300 Spartans' and a photo of Gerard Butler who will be the new King Leonidas in Frank Miller's '300' which is tentatively scheduled to premier in 2006.

Thanks to Tamara & GeraldButler.net for the photo of Gerry Butler!

Blog Number 92 - Bust of King Leonidas of the '300' Spartans

Of all the different statues that I have collected of King Leonidas, this one would have to be one of my favorites. It is also one of the rarest as it was acquired in Greece several years ago.

I believe this is how Gerry Butler will look with this Corinthian type helmet and breastplate. Even though Frank Miller had illustrated the Spartans without much armor, if '300' is to retain some credibility with the audience, protective devices such as the cuirass (breastplate) will have to be worn by the Greek warriors.

Blog Number 91 - Epitaph for the '300' Spartans

Here is a plaque of the translated epitaph for the fallen 300 Spartiates of Thermopylae. The image is based on the fallen Greek warrior statue in Blog Number 90.

Blog Number 90 - Dying Greek warrior

Whenever I see this sculpture of the dying Greek warrior, I always think of the fallen heroes of Thermopylae. This image is of the warrior from the East pediment of the temple of Aphaia at Aegina from the beginning of the 5th Century B.C.