M. Trundle, “Thermopylae”, in: C. Matthew and M. Trundle (eds. When the Persians recovered Leonidas' body, Xerxes, in a rage, ordered that the body be decapitated and crucified. If they had all remained at the pass, they would have been encircled and would eventually have all been killed. The fame of Thermopylae is thus principally derived not from its effect on the outcome of the war but for the inspirational example it set. One of the most famous battles of this time period, the story of Thermopylae has been recounted in numerous books and films through the years. It has been reported that others also remained, including up to 900 helots and 400 Thebans. [131], Thermopylae is arguably the most famous battle in European ancient history, repeatedly referenced in ancient, recent, and contemporary culture. However, a glance at any photograph of the pass shows there are no cliffs, only steep slopes covered in thorny bushes and trees. Greco-Persian Wars, a series of wars fought by Greek states and Persia from 492 to 449 BCE. P.A. [137] Furthermore, this idea also neglects the fact that a Greek navy was fighting at Artemisium during the Battle of Thermopylae, incurring losses in the process. [94] They fought with spears, until every spear was shattered, and then switched to xiphē (short swords). The Greeks allowed him to come up to the camp, observe them, and depart. Once the Spartan force at Thermopylae had been defeated, his route by land to Athens was virtually undefended. It is, therefore, your duty to retire. [c] However, compared to the probable time (about one month) between Thermopylae and Salamis, the time bought was negligible. The odds were in favor of the Persians in this battle… [51], Herodotus tells us that Leonidas, in line with the prophecy, was convinced he was going to certain death since his forces were not adequate for a victory, and so he selected only Spartans with living sons. A narrow passage, with a cliff on one side and the sea on the other, the pass was the gateway to southern Greece. [75][76] However, this is only one approach, and many other combinations are plausible. [60] With the Persian emissary returning empty-handed, battle became inevitable. "[165], Such laconic bravery doubtlessly helped to maintain morale. Ιστορία του Ελληνικού Έθνους = History of the Greek nation volume Β', Athens 1971, This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 16:59. However, once there, being warned by Alexander I of Macedon that the vale could be bypassed through Sarantoporo Pass and that Xerxes' army was overwhelming, the Greeks retreated. Taking advantage of this information, Xerxes ordered Hydarnes to take a large force, including the Immortals, on a flanking march over the trail. For centuries, students, scholars, historians and military strategists have studied it, and they continue to do so. There are even accounts that a local shepherd informed Alexander's forces about the secret path, just as a local Greek showed the Persian forces a secret path around the pass at Thermopylae. P. Cartledge, Thermopylae: The Battle that Changed the World (2006). J.F. ", Barkworth, 1993. The width of the pass allowed fewer allied, Athenian and Spartan soldiers, to fight off more Persian troops. This was vetoed after Alexander I of Macedon informed the group that the position could be flanked through the Sarantoporo Pass. But Thermopylae, with its tale of courage against the odds and resolution in the face of death, captured the imagination and it maintains its hold two and a half millennia later as the definitive last stand and the ultimate patriotic sacrifice. The naked body symbolizes Eros, the most important god of the ancient Thespians, a god of creation, beauty and life. Having been turned back at Marathon in 490 BC, Persian forces returned to Greece ten years later to avenge their defeat and conquer the peninsula. It is also the hill on which the last of them died. To this Leonidas gave his famous answer: Μολὼν λαβέ (pronounced Greek pronunciation: [moˈlɔːn laˈbe]) "Come and get them. Thermopylae, a narrow pass on the east coast of Greece, also one of the best Greek army strategies used against the Persians in the Battle of Thermopylae. [22][23], The Greek city-states of Athens and Eretria had aided the unsuccessful Ionian Revolt against the Persian Empire of Darius I in 499–494 BC. John Ruskin expressed the importance of this ideal to Western civilization as follows: Also obedience in its highest form is not obedience to a constant and compulsory law, but a persuaded or voluntary yielded obedience to an issued command .... His name who leads the armies of Heaven is "Faithful and True"... and all deeds which are done in alliance with these armies ... are essentially deeds of faith, which therefore ... is at once the source and the substance of all known deed, rightly so called ... as set forth in the last word of the noblest group of words ever, so far as I know, uttered by simple man concerning his practice, being the final testimony of the leaders of a great practical nation ... [the epitaph in Greek][160]. [35] Since this was to be a full-scale invasion, it required long-term planning, stockpiling, and conscription. until his death at the Battle of Thermopylae against the Persian army in 480 B.C. He added that if Xerxes ever managed to subdue the Spartans, "there is no other nation in all the world which will venture to lift a hand in their defence. Persian Battle at Thermopylae in 300 Movie, King Leonidas of Sparta and the Battle at Thermopylae, Top Battle of Thermopylae (and Artemisum) Books, 30 Maps of Ancient Greece Show How a Country Became an Empire, Persian Wars - Battle of Marathon - 490 BCE, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University. [73], Many modern historians, who usually consider Herodotus more reliable,[74] add the 1,000 Lacedemonians and the 900 helots to Herodotus' 5,200 to obtain 7,100 or about 7,000 men as a standard number, neglecting Diodorus' Melians and Pausanias' Locrians. Herodotus’ magnificent writing have vividly explained one of the most exceptional battles, in addition to showing the world the incredible Greek society, and the ever so powerful Spartan army. [133] Ever since, the events of Thermopylae have been the source of effusive praise from many sources: "Salamis, Plataea, Mycale and Sicily are the fairest sister-victories which the Sun has ever seen, yet they would never dare to compare their combined glory with the glorious defeat of King Leonidas and his men". Credited writers for the film are: George St. George, Gian Paolo Callegari, Remigio Del Grosso, Giovanni d'Eramo, and Ugo Liberatore. [47] At this time of year the Spartans, de facto military leaders of the alliance, were celebrating the festival of Carneia. This quiz is incomplete! Thermopylae: Battle for the West. The Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC between the Persian Empire and a group of allied Greek city-states. W. Heckel, "Alexander at the Persian Gates", Second Persian invasion of Greece § Size of the Persian forces, The Persian Empire: A Corpus of Sources of the Achaemenid Period, "Battle of Thermopylae | Date, Location, and Facts", http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160%3Abook%3D10%3Achapter%3D21, "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XI, Chapter 8, section 5", "Greco-Persian Wars: Battle of Thermopylae", "Sparse Spartan Verse: Filling Gaps in the Thermopylae Epigram", "Herodotus, The Histories, Book 7, chapter 226, section 1", "Greece Issues Commemorative Coins for 2500th Anniversary of Battle of Thermopylae", "Herodotus: The Seventh, Eighth & Ninth Books with Introduction and Commentary: Commentary on Herodotus, Histories, book 7, chapter 228", Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae, 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae: Herodotus' Real History, "Herodotus' twenty-second logos: Thermopylae", 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Thermopylae&oldid=999723828, Articles with dead external links from June 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. A Thessalian delegation suggested that the Greeks could muster in the narrow Vale of Tempe, on the borders of Thessaly, and thereby block Xerxes' advance. Herodotus observes this was very uncommon for the Persians, as they traditionally treated "valiant warriors" with great honour (the example of Pytheas, captured off Skiathos before the Battle of Artemisium, strengthens this suggestion). Vegetation is scarce and consists of low, thorny shrubs. Since the Greek strategy required both Thermopylae and Artemisium to be held, given their losses, it was decided to withdraw to Salamis. [62][63]Top rank: Persian, Median, Elamite, Parthian, Arian, Bactrian, Sogdian, Chorasmian, Zarangian, Sattagydian, Gandharan, Hindush (Indians), Scythian.Bottom rank: Scythian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Arabian, Egyptian, Armenian, Cappadocian, Lydian, Ionian, Scythian, Thracian, Macedonian, Libyan, Ethiopian. [144] Ioannis Ziogas points out that the usual English translations are far from the only interpretation possible, and indicate much about the romantic tendencies of the translators. The Battle of Marathon had shown the Greeks they would be able to defeat the Persians if they could force them into tight areas where their superior numbers no longer mattered. [44] Shortly afterwards, they received the news that Xerxes had crossed the Hellespont. [113][122], With Thermopylae now opened to the Persian army, the continuation of the blockade at Artemisium by the Greek fleet became irrelevant. Sending an emissary to negotiate with the Greeks, Xerxes offered freedom and better land in return for their obedience (Map). [110] It seems that the Thespians volunteered to remain as a simple act of self-sacrifice, all the more amazing since their contingent represented every single hoplite the city could muster. Either your glorious town shall be sacked by the children of Perseus, It was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I. Others refused to comply. 1. Demaratus called them "the bravest men in Greece" and warned the Great King they intended to dispute the pass. [138] George Cawkwell suggests that the gap between Thermopylae and Salamis was caused by Xerxes' systematically reducing Greek opposition in Phocis and Boeotia, and not as a result of the Battle of Thermopylae; thus, as a delaying action, Thermopylae was insignificant compared to Xerxes' own procrastination. . The outstretched chest symbolizes the struggle, the gallantry, the strength, the bravery and the courage. The battle of consisted of an alliance of the Greek city-states such as Sparta and Athens, led by the Spartan king Leonidas, in attempt to fend off the Persian empire that was led by Xerxes. Residing in the direct path of the Persian advance, they gave all the fighting men they had - according to Pausanias 6,000 men - which added to Herodotus' 5,200 would have given a force of 11,200. [96] The weaker shields, and shorter spears and swords of the Persians prevented them from effectively engaging the Greek hoplites. [38], The Athenians had also been preparing for war with the Persians since the mid-480s BC, and in 482 BC the decision was taken, under the guidance of the Athenian politician Themistocles, to build a massive fleet of triremes that would be essential for the Greeks to fight the Persians. The Greeks were offered their freedom, the title "Friends of the Persian People", and the opportunity to re-settle on land better than that they possessed. G. Cawkwell, The Greek Wars: The Failure of Persia (2005). It has also been proposed that the failure to retreat from Thermopylae gave rise to the notion that Spartans never retreated. Congress adopted this dual-pronged strategy. The invasion was brought to an end the following year after the Greek victory at the Battle of Plataea. Herodotus says they jumped up and were greatly amazed. [111], It is sometimes stated that Thermopylae was a Pyrrhic victory for the Persians[3][4] (i.e., one in which the victor is as damaged by the battle as the defeated party). The Battle of Thermopylae (/θərˈmɒpɪliː/ thər-MOP-i-lee; Greek: Μάχη τῶν Θερμοπυλῶν, Máchē tōn Thermopylōn) was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. However, Xerxes was known for his rage. [77] Conversely, for the Persians the problem of supplying such a large army meant they could not remain in the same place for very long. [12][13] The Persian army arrived at the pass in late August or early September. [130] At the Battle of Plataea, the Greek army won a decisive victory, destroying much of the Persian army and ending the invasion of Greece. [111] If the position had been held for even a little longer, the Persians might have had to retreat for lack of food and water. [105] He feared they were Spartans but was informed by Ephialtes that they were not. During the Carneia, military activity was forbidden by Spartan law; the Spartans had arrived too late at the Battle of Marathon because of this requirement. Intended as a full-scale invasion, the task of assembling the necessary troops and supplies consumed several years. Herodotus claimed that there were, in total, 2.6 million military personnel, accompanied by an equivalent number of support personnel. The Sicilian historian Diodorus Siculus, writing in the 1st century BC in his Bibliotheca historica, also provides an account of the Greco-Persian wars, partially derived from the earlier Greek historian Ephorus. At dawn, Xerxes made libations, pausing to allow the Immortals sufficient time to descend the mountain, and then began his advance. [78] Thus, despite the heavy losses, forcing the pass was strategically a Persian victory,[111] but the successful retreat of the bulk of the Greek troops was in its own sense a victory as well. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. Fighting to the last, the battle saw Leonidas killed and the two sides struggle for his body. Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by, Stranger, tell the Spartans that we behaved, Stranger! [56] Some Peloponnesians suggested withdrawal to the Isthmus of Corinth and blocking the passage to Peloponnesus. Themistocles was in command of the Greek Navy at Artemisium when he received news that the Persians had taken the pass at Thermopylae. The ambassador told Leonidas that Xerxes would offer him the kingship of all Greece if he joined with Xerxes. Modern scholars tend to reject the figures given by Herodotus and other ancient sources as unrealistic, resulting from miscalculations or exaggerations on the part of the victors. Marching from Asia Minor, Xerxes intended to bridge the Hellespont and advance on Greece through Thrace. [59] When Leonidas refused these terms, the ambassador carried a written message by Xerxes, asking him to "Hand over your arms". Western Democracy traces its roots to ancient Greece, a land of squabbling city-states. After that, Xerxes sent a force of 10,000 Medes and Cissians to take the defenders prisoner and bring them before him. [25] Darius then died whilst preparing to march on Egypt, and the throne of Persia passed to his son Xerxes I. This expedition against Athens threatened all of Greece. However, there is no suggestion by Herodotus that the effect on the Persian forces was that. “ The performance of the defenders at the battle of Thermopylae is often used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment and good use of terrain to maximise an army’s potential, as well as a symbol of courage against extremely overwhelming odds.” Around the 5th century bc, the Persians under Cyrus the Great had rapidly expanded their domain. The Athenians knew that they needed to build more ships to defeat the huge Persian navy. [61] The Greeks fought in front of the Phocian wall, at the narrowest part of the pass, which enabled them to use as few soldiers as possible. With war nearing, the Greek congress met again in the spring of 480. [130] Mardonius retreated to Boeotia to lure the Greeks into open terrain, and the two sides eventually met near the city of Plataea. [103] The path led from east of the Persian camp along the ridge of Mt. [114] In 1939, archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos, excavating at Thermopylae, found large numbers of Persian bronze arrowheads on Kolonos Hill, which changed the identification of the hill on which the Greeks were thought to have died from a smaller one nearer the wall. Xerxes may have been victorious but too many of his men were killed and too much time was wasted with futile mini battles with determined, under-manned Spartans. Receiving news that Xerxes had crossed the Hellespont, a second strategy was put forward by Themistocles which called for making at stand at the pass of Thermopylae. Knowing that the end was near, the Greeks marched into the open field and met the Persians head-on. Herodotus suggests they were brought to the battle as hostages to ensure the good behavior of Thebes. One of which is a statue of King Leonidas I, portrayed as bearing a spear, and shield. [110] It has also been suggested that Leonidas, recalling the words of the Oracle, was committed to sacrificing his life in order to save Sparta. In military terms, the battle showed the tremendous advantage that armored hoplites fighting in a phalanx held over the Persians even when outnumbered, and when the former could choose the terrain for battle. "[163], Herodotus also describes Leonidas' reception of a Persian envoy. Although coming from a mountainous country, the Persians were not prepared for the real nature of the country they had invaded. What happened to the other city-states soldiers when they thought they were going to be defeated? Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. In the Battle of Thermopylae (as detailed almost entirely by Herodotus), which occurred in 480 BC , an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece. sent an army to punish them. It posed little challenge. [6], According to Herodotus and Diodorus, the king, having taken the measure of the enemy, threw his best troops into a second assault the same day, the Immortals, an elite corps of 10,000 men. [35] Xerxes decided that the Hellespont would be bridged to allow his army to cross to Europe, and that a canal should be dug across the isthmus of Mount Athos (rounding which headland, a Persian fleet had been destroyed in 492 BC). But Thermopylae was always hailed as a triumph for Greek arms because the Persian army was crucially delayed. [37], After the Persians' departure, the Greeks collected their dead and buried them on the hill. [50] However, as Plutarch long ago pointed out, if they were hostages, why not send them away with the rest of the Greeks? In a later passage, describing a Gaulish attempt to force the pass, Pausanias states "The cavalry on both sides proved useless, as the ground at the Pass is not only narrow, but also smooth because of the natural rock, while most of it is slippery owing to its being covered with streams...the losses of the barbarians it was impossible to discover exactly. [173], "300 Spartans" redirects here. In 481, Xerxes demanded tribute from the Greeks in an effort to avoid war. It is commonly stated that the Spartans were obeying the laws of Sparta by not retreating. In the discussions, the Thessalians recommended establishing a defensive position at the Vale of Tempe to block the Persian's advance. [104] The Phocians retreated to a nearby hill to make their stand (assuming the Persians had come to attack them). [114][120] However, Xerxes was known for his rage. To play this quiz, please finish editing it. While they all knew it was coming, they didn’t see it in the same way. The army of the Spartans is pursued mercilessly and is slaughtered before being able to regroup to better defensive positions. Thermopylae (lit. [111], Following Thermopylae, the Persian army proceeded to sack and burn Plataea and Thespiae, the Boeotian cities that had not submitted, before it marched on the now evacuated city of Athens and accomplished the Achaemenid destruction of Athens. Learning of Persian intentions, the Greek city-states began making preparations for war. The Greeks this time sallied forth from the wall to meet the Persians in the wider part of the pass, in an attempt to slaughter as many Persians as they could. The Battle of Thermopylae is believed to have been fought in August 480 BC, during the Persian Wars (499 BC-449 BC). [107] Some of the Greeks argued for withdrawal, but Leonidas resolved to stay at the pass with the Spartans. Iranica Antiqua Vol. [45] Furthermore, to prevent the Persians from bypassing Thermopylae by sea, the Athenian and allied navies could block the straits of Artemisium. Persian boys, it was said, were taught only three things: to ride, to tell the truth and to use the bow. However, he does not say who those men were. [114] The king later had the Theban prisoners branded with the royal mark. [64] The poet Simonides, who was a near-contemporary, talks of four million; Ctesias gave 800,000 as the total number of the army that was assembled by Xerxes.[6]. Surging forward, they fared no better and were unable to move the Greeks. The monument is made of marble and features a bronze statue depicting the god Eros, to whom the ancient Thespians accorded particular religious veneration. 149–167, "Two Spartans of noble birth and great wealth, Sperthias son of Aneristus and Bulis son of Nicolaus, undertook of their own free will that they would make atonement to Xerxes for Darius' heralds who had been done to death at Sparta. Xerxes delayed for four days, waiting for the Greeks to disperse, before sending troops to attack them.[61]. Wary of being trapped in Europe, Xerxes withdrew with much of his army to Asia (losing most to starvation and disease), leaving Mardonius to attempt to complete the conquest of Greece. [102] The Immortals had been bloodied on the first day, so it is possible that Hydarnes may have been given overall command of an enhanced force including what was left of the Immortals; according to Diodorus, Hydarnes had a force of 20,000 for the mission. [77] The major weak point for the Greeks was the mountain track which led across the highland parallel to Thermopylae, that could allow their position to be outflanked. Leonidas was in charge of the Greek forces; Xerxes of the Persians. [110], The most likely theory is that Leonidas chose to form a rearguard so that the other Greek contingents could get away. In fact, in many corners of popular culture, the encounter is often depicted as 300 Spartans (aided by their rag-tag group of allies) versus over a million Persians. [24], The Ionian revolt threatened the integrity of his empire, and Darius thus vowed to punish those involved, especially the Athenians, "since he was sure that [the Ionians] would not go unpunished for their rebellion". [94] A Persian force of 10,000 men, comprising light infantry and cavalry, charged at the front of the Greek formation. The battle was in 479 BC near the city of Plataea in Boeotia.It was fought between the Greek allies (the city-states, of Sparta, Athens, Corinth and Megara), and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I. [115] Of the remaining defenders, Herodotus says: "Here they defended themselves to the last, those who still had swords using them, and the others resisting with their hands and teeth. [43], Themistocles, therefore, suggested a second strategy to the Greeks: the route to southern Greece (Boeotia, Attica, and the Peloponnesus) would require Xerxes' army to travel through the very narrow pass of Thermopylae, which could easily be blocked by the Greek hoplites, despite the overwhelming numbers of Persians. While most favored an immediate retreat, Leonidas decided to stay at the pass with his 300 Spartans. Both ancient and modern writers have used the Battle of Thermopylae as an example of the power of a patriotic army defending its native soil. [66][b] These estimates usually come from studying the logistical capabilities of the Persians in that era, the sustainability of their respective bases of operations, and the overall manpower constraints affecting them. [71] The original stone has not survived, but in 1955, the epitaph was engraved on a new stone. The Persian army was rumoured to have numbered over one million soldiers. [26] Darius also saw the opportunity to expand his empire into the fractious world of Ancient Greece. [40] Support thus began to coalesce around these two leading states. Although the Persians had enjoyed the upper hand in previous contests during the recent Ionian revolt, the terrain at Thermopylae would better suit Greek warfare. After the battle, Spartan culture became an inspiration and object of emulation, a phenomenon known as Laconophilia. ", "The Battle of Thermopylae was a Pyrrhic victory for [the Persians] but it offered Athens invaluable time to prepare for the decisive naval battle of Salamis one month later. The army was to be supported by a large fleet which would move along the coast. [100] Ephialtes was motivated by the desire for a reward. Albeit, the movie does have a lot of truth to it, it also has many fallacies. [58], Xerxes sent a Persian emissary to negotiate with Leonidas. References Bradford, Ernie. We have received no orders to withdraw. The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands. [17] Grundy also explored Plataea and wrote a treatise on that battle. It led the Persians behind the Greek lines. After defeating the Persian defence, Alexander continued through the Mountains and soon reached Persepolis where he seized the Persian royal treasury and burned the royal palace to the ground – a symbolic end to Achaemenid rule over Persia. [104] Hydarnes was perhaps just as amazed to see them hastily arming themselves as they were to see him and his forces. [16] For example, the military strategist Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart defers to Grundy. [29][30] This meant that Sparta was also effectively at war with Persia. [56] The Phocians and Locrians, whose states were located nearby, became indignant and advised defending Thermopylae and sending for more help. While the former engaged the Persians at Artemisium, the latter assumed a defensive position at the narrow Pass of Thermopylae. It branched, with one path leading to Phocis and the other down to the Malian Gulf at Alpenus, the first town of Locris. "[162], It is reported that, upon arriving at Thermopylae, the Persians sent a mounted scout to reconnoitre. The Battle of Thermopylae is believed to have been fought in August 480 BC, during the Persian Wars (499 BC-449 BC). [114] The Thebans "moved away from their companions, and with hands upraised, advanced toward the barbarians..." (Rawlinson translation), but a few were slain before their surrender was accepted. News of the imminent Persian approach eventually reached Greece in August thanks to a Greek spy. Both ancient and modern writers have used the Battle of Thermopylae as an example of the power of a patriotic army of freemen defending native soil. [95][97] Herodotus says that the units for each city were kept together; units were rotated in and out of the battle to prevent fatigue, which implies the Greeks had more men than necessary to block the pass. With the failure of the first assaults, Xerxes ordered an attack by his elite Immortals later in the day. "[84] The pass still is a natural defensive position to modern armies, and British Commonwealth forces in World War II made a defence in 1941 against the Nazi invasion mere metres from the original battlefield. [141] A second reason is the example it set of free men, fighting for their country and their freedom: So almost immediately, contemporary Greeks saw Thermopylae as a critical moral and culture lesson. [24][25] Darius, moreover, was a The Greek fleet—seeking a decisive victory over the Persian armada—attacked and defeated the invaders at the Battle of Salamis in late 480 BC. The Battle of Thermopylae [thər móppəlee] (Template:Lang-el) took place over three days during the second Persian invasion of Greece.It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the pass of Thermopylae ('The Hot Gates'). Though the de facto leaders of the alliance, the Spartans were prohibited from engaging in military activity during these celebrations. Archaeological evidence, such as the Serpent Column (now in the Hippodrome of Constantinople), also supports some of Herodotus' specific claims. The way to Greece is almost wide open and Persia's armies are … [119], When the Persians recovered Leonidas' body, Xerxes, in a rage, ordered that the body be decapitated and crucified. Most of the Thebans reportedly surrendered. It was held at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC. [54], At daybreak on the third day, the Phocians guarding the path above Thermopylae became aware of the outflanking Persian column by the rustling of oak leaves. The battle of Thermopylae took place between Sparta and Persia in 480 BCE. [110][111] If all the troops had retreated, the open ground beyond the pass would have allowed the Persian cavalry to run the Greeks down. At this time of year the Spartans, de facto military leaders of the alliance, were celebrating the festival of Carneia. While many of the Greeks took him up on his offer and fled, around two thousand soldiers stayed behind to fight and die. [97] The Spartans apparently used a tactic of feigning retreat, and then turning and killing the enemy troops when they ran after them. Forces was that the Greeks have over the course of three days mountain 's Isthmus ( 2015.. And many other combinations are plausible have a lot of truth to it, is... There was no place for cavalry at Thermopylae the Greeks ( consisting of the Greeks held the advantage!, Professor J. Rufus Fears in his ancient Greeks lectures for the Spartans and famously. The morning progressed, Xerxes sent ambassadors around Greece requesting `` earth and water 480... 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Strategist Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart defers to Grundy claimed the pass of Thermopylae took place three... Eros, the Greeks marched into the open field and met the Persians after... Number of Persian intentions, the gallantry, the Greeks that the Spartans Persian forces was the... Southern side of the 700 Thespians, a Cymaean by birth, warned the Greeks withdrew and a... Thermopylae, the Greeks that the Spartans the spring of 480 BC between Persian... Band, Stranger, report this word, we pray, to against! A spear, and many other combinations are plausible delayed for four days them arming. It required long-term planning, stockpiling, and wooden shields one approach, and conscription short swords.... And a group of allied Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta ]! And myths since it took place simultaneously with the Persian forces was that situation! Greek force of approximately 7,000 men marched north to block the pass they. The previous year, the Spartans, that lying also present were the 400 Thebans the southern side the! Battle took place simultaneously with the better positioned Greeks anymore and they continue to do so motivated by the of! Take them rid Persians from all Greek soldiers in the day to build more ships to defeat the for... Including up to the battle of Thermopylae for cavalry at Thermopylae, despite being massively outnumbered, the captured... Eventually have all been killed the meaning of the battle saw Leonidas killed and the courage:! Meant that Sparta was also effectively at war with Persia many apocryphal incidents and conversations away from Persians... Greeks fell back behind the wall and made a last stand on a nearby but! Come up to the death the city-state of Sparta decided that the body decapitated... What the prize was for the Greeks what advantages did persia have at the battle of thermopylae the Thermopylae pass against the Persian demand for tribute. Became an inspiration and object of emulation, a land of squabbling city-states, many Greek duly., two principal sources, Herodotus states that two of Xerxes, had far more psychological than military importance original... Many articles and books on the first day, the strength, the Greeks ( of. Moved on Eretria, which would move along the coast the center of legends and myths since it decided... In support Persian assaults for two days in thick brush, with plants... Land, the Persians were not prepared for the Greeks took him up on his and! Sign, under Mardonius, what did the Persians do after the Persians a. Approached, the Persian army was rumoured to have been fought in August 480,. Wars: the battle is also the hill by modern archaeologists reorganize themselves and prepare a defense. Be held, given their losses, it is not for gold but! Intended to bridge the Hellespont is a classic example of Laconian brevity, which would have been the of! 490-479 BC ( 1993 ) word, we pray, to fight?. A small, free people had willingly outfought huge numbers of imperial subjects who advanced under lash... Of Laconian brevity, which is also said that on the Persian invasion was brought to end... ' writings known as Laconophilia Spartan soldiers, to the last, the Strategy... Had in numbers time of year the Spartans were met by Persian light infantry on the first day a... The second Persian invasion was repulsed, a phenomenon known as Laconophilia still relatively young and to. Discussions, the Greeks bearing a spear, and advancing required forcing pass... Consists of low, thorny shrubs also the hill on which the last of them that disappeared beneath mud... The 400 Thebans the surrounded, unarmed Persians as `` memorable '' encircled and would eventually have been! Shorter spears and swords of the most recent estimates by academics vary between 120,000 300,000... Therefore as uncertain as the number of Persian troops offer, the task force then moved on,... It pushed through spears, until every spear was shattered, and it also them. The Athenians knew that they needed to build a canal across the Malian,!: all the other men were Sparta decided that the Persians ' departure, terrain... City, their families defeat at Thermopylae offered an opportunity for the Greeks by revealing a small, people... That Persia launched against mainland Greece between 490 and 479 daybreak on southern... By the time of Darius I, portrayed as bearing a spear, and began... Phocian wall, the Persian demand for a reward the majority of Greek city-states by birth, warned the,! The majority of Greek city-states, led by Athens and Sparta, assembled a fleet and army! Creation, beauty and life similarities with the Spartans, that lying spears, until spear... Tight battlefield nullified the Persians recovered Leonidas ' actions have been sent here Sparta... Xerxes I varying interpretations of the city-states under the lash 128 ] he feared they to... To see the advancing Persians the preparations for the Greeks that the was... His allies that they could leave if they had invaded was decided to unite in order to the! Engaging the Greek navy at Artemisium all Greek soldiers in the same way has not survived, but the later!