# This Is Sparta

> This Is Sparta is a 2006 viral meme from the 2007 film 300, featuring King Leonidas screaming the catchphrase before kicking a Persian messenger into a pit, spawning countless remixes and parodies.

"This Is Sparta!" is a catchphrase meme from the 2007 film *300*, where King Leonidas (played by Gerard Butler) screams the line before kicking a Persian messenger into a bottomless pit. The scene went viral before the movie even hit theaters, spawning remixes, parodies, and real-world pranks that made it one of the most quoted lines of the late 2000s internet.

## Origin
*300* is a 2006 American action film directed by Zack Snyder, based on Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's 1998 graphic novel of the same name[5]. The movie is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonidas leads 300 Spartans against Xerxes and his massive Persian army[7]. An unfinished cut premiered at the Austin Butt-Numb-A-Thon on December 9, 2006, with the full release hitting U.S. theaters on March 9, 2007[5].

The meme didn't wait for the theatrical release. The trailer alone was enough to kick things off. On October 10, 2006, YTMND user **heksaur** created the first "This is Sparta" page on the site, months before the film opened[4]. This made YTMND the original breeding ground for Sparta remixes before YouTube took over as the primary distribution platform.

- **Platform:** YTMND (early remixes), YouTube (mass spread)
- **Creator:** Zack Snyder (director), Frank Miller (graphic novel author), Gerard Butler (actor / King Leonidas)
- **Date:** 2006 (trailer), 2007 (film release)

## Overview
The meme centers on a specific scene from *300* where a Persian messenger demands Sparta's submission to King Xerxes. After the messenger threatens Leonidas with the words "This is madness!", Leonidas replies "This is Sparta!" and boots him into a deep well[4]. The combination of Gerard Butler's over-the-top delivery, the absurdly dramatic kick, and the bottomless pit with no logical reason for existing made the moment irresistible to the internet[6].

The format typically involves either remixing the original audio over other footage, recreating the kick in real life, or dropping the catchphrase into unrelated contexts as a declaration of defiance. The line works as both a power move and a punchline, which gave it legs across dozens of formats.

## How It Spread
The YTMND community ran with the scene hard. A total of 85 "This is Sparta" pages were created on YTMND between 2006 and 2009, including the popular **Sparta Remix**, which set the audio to an electronic beat[3]. The over-dramatic nature of the scene made it perfect for mashups, and creators layered the "This is Sparta!" scream over everything from video game footage to other movie clips[4].

When *300* opened in March 2007, it grossed nearly half a billion dollars worldwide[8]. But its real impact was on the teen lexicon. The movie was intentionally bombastic and ridiculous, which made it infinitely quotable among high schoolers and college students[8]. The Sparta kick became shorthand for any dramatic rejection or power move.

The meme crossed over into mainstream parody fast. *South Park* devoted an entire episode to a *300* homage[8]. *Robot Chicken* produced its own spoof. The MTV Movie Awards gave a short film parody called "United 300" an award in 2007[8]. The satirical movie *Meet the Spartans* released in 2008, earning nearly $85 million at the box office despite a 2% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, riding the cultural momentum of the original[8].

## How to Use
The "This Is Sparta!" meme works in several common formats:
1. **Audio remix**: Take the "This is Sparta!" audio clip and layer it over other footage, often at the moment of a kick, push, or dramatic rejection.
2. **Real-life recreation**: Film yourself or someone else kicking an object (or person) while shouting the line. Pool parties and school hallways were popular settings.
3. **Text catchphrase**: Drop "THIS IS SPARTA!" into comment sections, group chats, or social media posts as a response to any situation involving defiance, rejection, or dramatic escalation.
4. **Setup-punchline format**: Replace "Sparta" with something else relevant to the context ("This is FINALS WEEK!", "This is MY HOUSE!") while keeping the dramatic delivery.

## Cultural Impact
The "This Is Sparta!" line crossed from internet meme to mainstream pop culture faster than most memes of its era. Multiple TV shows referenced it, including *South Park* and *Robot Chicken*[8]. An entire parody film, *Meet the Spartans*, was built around the joke[8].

The AP exam prank of 2008 showed the meme's reach among American teenagers. What started as a Facebook group between two friends at a New York high school spread across the country, forcing teachers to acknowledge it[8]. The incident is now cited as an early example of how social media could mobilize large groups around a shared joke.

Gerard Butler's willingness to lean into the meme kept it alive for years. His 2015 "This is Sparta!" moment with Djokovic at the U.S. Open went viral again, proving the line still had pull nearly a decade after the film[1]. The scene's merchandise also had staying power, with countless "300" shirts and Sparta-themed products available online years after the film's release[8].

## Fun Facts
- The original YTMND was posted on October 10, 2006, five months before *300* even hit theaters[4].
- Kevin Xu, creator of the AP exam prank, used the experience in his Stanford application and got in. He still hadn't watched *300* at the time of his 2017 interview[8].
- *300* grossed over $468.8 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2007[5].
- The bottomless pit Leonidas kicks the messenger into has "no logical reason for being there but looks really, really, awesome," according to Urban Dictionary users[6].
- Novak Djokovic and Gerard Butler's 2015 U.S. Open "This is Sparta!" video was filmed and posted by Djokovic's wife Jelena[2].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is This Is Sparta?
"This Is Sparta!" is a catchphrase meme from the 2007 film *300*, featuring King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) shouting the line before kicking a Persian messenger into a pit[4].

### Where did This Is Sparta come from?
The scene originates from the film *300*, directed by Zack Snyder, which released on March 9, 2007. The meme started spreading from YTMND as early as October 2006, when the theatrical trailer dropped[4].

### What does This Is Sparta mean?
It's used as a declaration of defiance or dominance, signaling that the speaker won't back down. Urban Dictionary defines it as a signal that "the person to whom the phrase is directed simply does not understand whom they're dealing with"[6].

### How do you use This Is Sparta?
Shout "THIS IS SPARTA!" before or during a dramatic action, rejection, or power move. It works in video remixes, real-life reenactments, text comments, or by swapping "Sparta" for something contextually relevant[6].

### Is This Is Sparta still popular?
The meme peaked in 2007-2009 but still gets periodic revivals. Gerard Butler and Novak Djokovic recreated it at the 2015 U.S. Open, showing it retains recognition years later[1].

### What movie is This Is Sparta from?
*300*, a 2006 American action film directed by Zack Snyder, based on Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae[5].

### Who played King Leonidas?
Gerard Butler played King Leonidas in *300*. He later recreated the "This is Sparta!" moment with tennis star Novak Djokovic at the 2015 U.S. Open[1].

### What was the AP exam Sparta prank?
In April 2008, high schoolers Kevin Xu and Jake Bryant created a Facebook group encouraging students to write "This is Sparta!" on their AP exam essays and cross it out. The prank went viral across American high schools[8].

### How many This Is Sparta YTMNDs were made?
A total of 85 "This is Sparta" pages were created on YTMND between 2006 and 2009[4].

### What is the Sparta Remix?
An electronic remix format where the "This is Sparta!" audio is cut and looped into a beat. It was one of the most popular derivatives on YTMND and YouTube[4].

### How much did 300 make at the box office?
*300* grossed over $468.8 million worldwide, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2007[5].

### Did Gerard Butler ever do the This Is Sparta line in real life?
Yes. After Novak Djokovic won the 2015 U.S. Open, he and Butler screamed "This is Sparta!" together in the player's box, with video posted by Djokovic's wife Jelena[2].

## References
1. [Novak Djokovic yelled 'This is Sparta!' with '300' star after U.S. Open win](<https://ftw-eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2015/09/14/novak-djokovic-gerard-butler-this-is-sparta-us-open-300/82001863007/>)
2. [Novak Djokovic yelled 'This is Sparta!' with '300' star after U.S. Open win](<https://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/novak-djokovic-gerard-butler-this-is-sparta-us-open-300>)
3. [ytmnd - you're the man now dog! | search](<https://ytmnd.com/search?q=this+is+sparta&o=%7C7%7Call%7CD%7CD%7C60%7C>)
4. [This Is Sparta! - Know Your Meme](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-is-sparta>)
5. [300 (film)](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_%28film%29>)
6. [This Is Sparta! - Urban Dictionary](<https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=This%20Is%20Sparta%21>)
7. [300 (film) - Wikipedia](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_is_Sparta>)
8. [300 (film) - Wikiquote](<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/300_(film)>)
9. [This Is A Story About 'This Is Sparta!' | HuffPost Entertainment](<https://www.huffpost.com/entry/this-is-sparta-300_n_58c05eaae4b0ed718269740b?ec_carp=315811199015602773>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/this-is-sparta
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