Why actors in movies taking place in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, etc. always seem to have British accents.
It's the easiest shortcut to mark a person as 'foreign' without having to put up with a film of subtitles. For better or worse, people, in general, aren't interested in reading their movies, but we'd still like to know that these aren't just Americans running around up there. I think more modern …
The Short Answer
It's the easiest shortcut to mark a person as 'foreign' without having to put up with a film of subtitles. For better or worse, people, in general, aren't interested in reading their movies, but we'd still like to know that these aren't just Americans running around up there. I think more modern films (300, Troy) have begun to move away from this style, but it'll probably always be around. If you want to look at an interesting use of accents watch [Spartacus](_URL_0_) and notice that all the Romans have British accents while all the Slaves have American, even specifically New York, accents. It quickly (and perhaps crassly) labels the slaves as good guy, hardworking, average dudes, and the Romans as upper class, dilettantes. *Edited out a word with connotations not relevant to the discussion.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Accents, aren't, around
This explanation focuses on accents, aren't, around and spans 134 words across 6 sentences. At 86% above the average History explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “It's the easiest shortcut to mark a person as 'foreign' without having to put up with a film of subtitles.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 6 connected points.
How This Compares in History
Ranked #57 of 500 History questions by answer depth (top 12%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why why actors in movies taking place in ancient greece, ancient rome, etc. always seem to have british accents.?
It's the easiest shortcut to mark a person as 'foreign' without having to put up with a film of subtitles. For better or worse, people, in general, aren't interested in reading their movies, but we'd still like to know that these aren't just…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar History questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 134 words, ranked #57 of 500 History questions by depth. The key concepts covered are accents, aren't, around.
What approach does this answer take to explain why actors in movies taking place in ancient greece, ancient?
The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 134 words. It is categorized under History and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.