15 Classic Sword & Sandal Movies Worth Seeing
by akkhtimakt | created - 21 Feb 2019 | updated - 2 months ago | PublicWhile European films set in the ancient world were generally B grade efforts that could only loosely be described as 'historical', they did often provide impressive sets and casts of thousands.
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1. The Egyptian (1954)
Approved | 139 min | Drama
In ancient Egypt, a poor orphan becomes a genial physician and is eventually appointed at the Pharaoh's court where he witnesses palace intrigues and learns dangerous royal secrets.
Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding
Votes: 4,459
2. Land of the Pharaohs (1955)
Approved | 106 min | Adventure, Drama, History
A captured architect designs an ingenious plan to ensure the impregnability of the tomb of a self-absorbed Pharaoh, obsessed with the security of his next life.
Director: Howard Hawks | Stars: Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, Dewey Martin, Alexis Minotis
Votes: 4,768 | Gross: $1.50M
3. Helen of Troy (1956)
Approved | 118 min | Drama, History, Romance
The Iliad's story of the Trojan war, told from the Trojan viewpoint.
Directors: Robert Wise, Raoul Walsh | Stars: Stanley Baker, Rossana Podestà, Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Sernas
Votes: 2,507 | Gross: $6.98M
4. Gold for the Caesars (1963)
Approved | 86 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A slave architect in Gaul is ordered by a Roman governor to lead an expedition, constantly under danger of attack by Celtic warriors, to the Valley of the Sil to find much-needed gold for Rome.
Directors: André De Toth, Sabatino Ciuffini, Riccardo Freda | Stars: Jeffrey Hunter, Mylène Demongeot, Ron Randell, Massimo Girotti
Votes: 174
5. Fury of Achilles (1962)
118 min | Adventure, Drama, History
In the tenth year of the Trojan War, tensions between Achilles and Agamemnon divide the Greek camp while giving hope to the Trojans.
Director: Marino Girolami | Stars: Gordon Mitchell, Jacques Bergerac, Cristina Gaioni, Ennio Girolami
Votes: 356
6. The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
Approved | 127 min | Adventure, Drama, History
While holidaying in Rhodes, an Athenian war hero becomes involved in two plots to overthrow the tyrannical king: one from Rhodian patriots, and the other from sinister Phoenician agents.
Director: Sergio Leone | Stars: Rory Calhoun, Lea Massari, Georges Marchal, Conrado San Martín
Votes: 4,209
7. Columna (1968)
133 min | Drama, History
The end of Trajan's Dacian Wars (106 AD), when south western Dacia was transformed into a Roman province: Roman Dacia.
Director: Mircea Dragan | Stars: Richard Johnson, Antonella Lualdi, Ilarion Ciobanu, Amedeo Nazzari
Votes: 766
8. The Barbarians (1960)
90 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Revak is an Iberian prince from Penda, a small island where the Carthagian fleet ransacked and enslaved the surviving native men, including him. After an eventful passage aboard a galley, ... See full summary »
Director: Rudolph Maté | Stars: Jack Palance, Milly Vitale, Guy Rolfe, Austin Willis
Votes: 250
9. Damon and Pythias (1962)
99 min | Adventure
Pythias, a liberal Athenian who believes all men are brothers, is condemned to death by Dionysus, the tyrant of Syracuse, who finds this view dangerous. However, Dionysus allows Pythias to ... See full summary »
Director: Curtis Bernhardt | Stars: Guy Williams, Don Burnett, Ilaria Occhini, Liana Orfei
Votes: 287
10. Sword of the Conqueror (1961)
Not Rated | 96 min | Adventure, History, War
A cruel Lombard ruler marries the daughter of another king, kills her father, beats her lover but he ultimately faces a major popular revolt against him.
Director: Carlo Campogalliani | Stars: Jack Palance, Eleonora Rossi Drago, Guy Madison, Carlo D'Angelo
Votes: 260
11. Son of Samson (1960)
Unrated | 89 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Maciste travels to Egypt, where he leads a revolt against an evil queen.
Director: Carlo Campogalliani | Stars: Mark Forest, Chelo Alonso, Vira Silenti, Angelo Zanolli
Votes: 298
12. Seven from Thebes (1964)
88 min | Drama, Action
The city of Thebes has come under the cruel domination of Sparta. Diomedes and several of his friends strive to throw off the Spartan yoke even while Diomedes romances Dorida, daughter of ... See full summary »
Director: Luigi Vanzi | Stars: André Lawrence, Lena von Martens, Burt Plesher, Loredana Nusciak
Votes: 35
13. Sign of the Pagan (1954)
Approved | 92 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
With the Roman Empire divided, Attila the Hun hopes to conquer. In his way are a brave centurion, a beautiful princess...and Christianity.
Director: Douglas Sirk | Stars: Jeff Chandler, Jack Palance, Ludmilla Tchérina, Rita Gam
Votes: 766
14. The Last Days of Pompeii (1959)
Approved | 103 min | Action, Adventure, History
A demobilized centurion returns home to Pompeii to find his father murdered by a gang of black-hooded Christian robbers that terrorizes the city and he decides to investigate the matter while the nearby volcano threatens to erupt.
Director: Mario Bonnard | Stars: Steve Reeves, Christine Kaufmann, Fernando Rey, Barbara Carroll
Votes: 1,302
15. The Lion of Thebes (1964)
Not Rated | 89 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Hercules being heroic in ancient Greece.
Director: Giorgio Ferroni | Stars: Mark Forest, Yvonne Furneaux, Massimo Serato, Pierre Cressoy
Votes: 239
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