The Ancient Worlds of Greece and Rome in the cinema

The worlds of Greece and Rome have been central to western education and culture since the Renaissance. It is therefore not surprising that antiquity has provided subject matter for the cinema since the movies began. Some of the most memorable movies that Hollywood has produced are Greek and Roman epics (Ben-Hur, Jason and the Argonauts, Gladiator). And cinema both responds to and shapes the general population’s perception of the ancient world.

In this day school, you will be introduced to an overview of the history of Classics and Cinema. We will then focus on three specific areas for more detailed study – the 1950s and 1960s Hollywood epic, British comedy movies using Greece and Rome, and the ancient world movie since 2000. By the end, you should have gained considerable insight into how movie-makers handle Greece and Rome.