# The best sword-and-sandal epics of all time

Sandals, swords, chariots and spectacle: the best of the peplum, from Cabiria to Gladiator, according to Il Meglio di Tutto, ComingSoon and Delirium Corner.

- 3 votes · 14 items
- Jul 27, 2023 · Roberta D.
- https://even.best/en/l/4102/the-best-sword-and-sandal-epics-of-all-time

## Top 10

1. **Gladiator (2000)** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Maximus Decimus Meridius in the arena.
2. **The Ten Commandments (1956)** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, by Cecil B. DeMille.
3. **Quo Vadis (1951)** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Nero's Rome and the early Christians.
4. **Ben-Hur (1959)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The chariot race and 11 Oscars.
5. **Spartacus (1960)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The slave revolt, by Stanley Kubrick.
6. **Cabiria (1914)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Giovanni Pastrone's silent epic, the genre's forefather.
7. **Cleopatra (1963)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Elizabeth Taylor in the most expensive film of its time.
8. **The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Marcus Aurelius, Commodus and a stellar cast.
9. **Hercules (1958)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Steve Reeves and the Italian peplum boom.
10. **The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Sergio Leone's directing debut.
11. **300 (2006)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Thermopylae shot against a green screen.
12. **Barabbas (1961)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The thief pardoned instead of Jesus, with Anthony Quinn.
13. **The Robe (1953)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The first film in CinemaScope.
14. **Troy (2004)** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Achilles and the Trojan War.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.