Visible crew/equipment: Toward the end of the film, the 300 are in a shell style formation - Leonidas is in front, right before he removes his helmet, drops his spear and shield. It is obvious that the sun is shining on Leonidas and the 300 from behind, toward the ocean. But if you look into Leonidas' eyes you'll see white reflections - these are from reflector screens.
Continuity mistake: After Leonidas backs what's left of the first wave of Persians off the cliff, he is seen holding his sword up angrily in his right hand. Then, as the Spartans look up and see the arrows being fired, Leonidas' right hand is now suddenly empty as he walks over to another Spartan and takes from him a spare spear that the Spartan just happen to be holding.
Continuity mistake: Near the end of the movie, just before the final battle scene, Leonidas drops his weapons and shield to the ground. He was holding the shield in the usual manner, and pushes it away to his left. When it hits the ground however, it is suddenly reversed and falls nearby with the front of the shield upward.
Answer: When Leonidas and Xerxes are talking earlier in the film, Xerxes tells him that no one will remember who Leonidas was. Leonidas tells Xerxes that they will know that free men fought to remain free (or something like that) and that a god-king can bleed. So by wounding Xerxes before he, Leonidas, died, he made good on his taunt.
Phixius ★