Released just a few years before a similar British film ZULU this 1962 English gladiator film depicts the tiny army of Sparta and their efforts to stave off an attack by Persian forces which greatly outnumbered the Spartans. Led by King Leonidis (Richard Egan) the Spartans army consisted primarily of a security force who guarded the palace. This rousing gladiator epic boasts an incredible cast including Diane Baker Ralph Richardson and Kieron Moore.