Controversy over the “Napoleonic firing” of the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza

International director Ridley Scott’s American historical film “Napoleon”, which cost around $200 million, was a notable success in terms of audience and revenue, but it also provoked widespread criticism on historical and artistic levels. Indeed, particularly troop-launching scenes Napoleon Bonaparte shot at the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza during his campaign in 1798. The film, which is currently showing in American cinemas, presents the character of Napoleon Bonaparte in a new perspective. , she appears in him in two ways, one through his relationship with the army and his country France, and the other through his love for “Josephine”.

“There is no evidence that the French campaign led by Bonaparte fired his fire at the nose of the Sphinx,” said Salima Akram, professor at the American University in Cairo, and continued, “He certainly did not fire at the pyramids. We know that he did not hold the Sphinx and the pyramids in high esteem and took advantage of their presence. “

Egyptian critic Tarek El-Shenawy said, “There have been criticisms of historical errors, including the Battle of the Pyramids in Egypt, but Ridley Scott presents a visual perspective, not a historical one, and said the phrase is dynamic. Rich material for dialogue and controversy, the director’s freedom to add or remove facts.” dealing with.” His visual vision has been documented in history.

For his part, Scott responded to these criticisms by saying, “I don’t know whether Napoleon Bonaparte did it or not, but to me it was a quick way of saying that this is how Egypt was controlled at the time.”

Historian Michael Bowers said: “There are events that Scott has to move quickly, and events that diverge from reality with the aim of making it easier for the audience to follow them, and to clearly understand the filming of the pyramids. In this context, nothing of the sort actually happened during the French campaign.” 1798 in Egypt, but it’s interesting to have these kinds of scenes in the film.”

When discussing doing so with director Scott, he said, “When you said we’d shoot in front of the pyramids, you laughed, didn’t you?” said. “So it will be.”