Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisiu…
Greco-Persian Wars
The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire and Greek city-states that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the Greeks and the enormous empire of the Persians began when Cyrus the Great conqu…
Why was the Battle of Ypres so important?
May 19, 2020 · The Battle of Thermopylae is the most important battle of the Persian War because the sacrifice of the men at Thermopylae later fueled the Greeks to push the Persian army back out of their country. Thermopylae prevented the Persians from conquering all of Greece, even though they were able to burn Athens.
Why was the Battle of Bosworth so important?
Nov 25, 2020 · 2,499 years ago one of the most famous battles in antiquity, indeed one of the most famous battles in history, was fought at the Pass of Thermopylae in central Greece. King Leonidas, his 300 (or so) Spartans and their Hellenic allies fought off against King Xerxes' mighty Persian army for three days.
Why was the Battle of Bunkerhill important?
Dec 20, 2016 · The function of holding the pass at Thermopylae was to force the Persians to turn it by sea, and the Greek fleet was waiting in the nearby …
Why was the Battle of the wilderness so important?
Dec 09, 2012 · Why was Thermopylae so important? - Answers It was potentially important as it was designed to precipitate a naval battle which the Greeks hoped they would win and cripple the Persian invasion. The...
Why was the Battle of Thermopylae was important?
The Persian victory at Thermopylae allowed for Xerxes' passage into southern Greece, which expanded the Persian empire even further. Today the Battle of Thermopylae is celebrated as an example of heroic persistence against seemingly impossible odds.
Why was the Battle of Thermopylae a turning point?
While the Battle of Thermopylae was technically a defeat for the Greek coalition, it was also a conquest. It marked the beginning of several important Greek victories against the Persians and represented a morale shift among the Greeks.Mar 30, 2020
How did the Battle of Thermopylae help Athens?
' The Battle of Thermopylae is considered one of the most important turning points in the history of Greece. Although the battle itself led to a Greek defeat, it provided the opportunity to the Greek city-states to better organize their collective defense against the Asiatic invaders.Nov 18, 2020
What if the Spartans won at Thermopylae?
If they won, they probably would've followed the Persians back to Asia Minor. They'd eventually loose because of the Persian home advantage. And also the growing rift between Athens and Sparta would likely lead to an even larger Peloponnesian war.May 7, 2009
Did the Battle of Thermopylae really happen?
The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. It occurred at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC.
What did Athens find important?
The Athenians invented democracy, a new type of government where every citizen could vote on important issues, such as whether or not to declare war. All public officials and even generals commanding the army were elected or chosen through a lottery.
How did the Battle of Thermopylae affect Greece?
While the Battle of Thermopylae was technically a defeat for the Greeks, it was also a victory in the long run because it marked the beginning of several important Greek victories against the Persians and boosted the morale of all the Greek city-states.Jun 9, 2021
What was the main result of the Persian wars?
Aftermath of the Persian Wars As a result of the allied Greek success, a large contingent of the Persian fleet was destroyed and all Persian garrisons were expelled from Europe, marking an end of Persia's advance westward into the continent. The cities of Ionia were also liberated from Persian control.
What is the statue of Leonidas?
Additionally, there is a modern monument at the site, called the "Leonidas Monument" by Vassos Falireas, in honour of the Spartan king. It features a bronze statue of Leonidas. A sign, under the statue, reads simply: " Μολὼν λαβέ " ("Come and take them!"—as in answer to Xerxes' demand that the Greeks give up their weapons). The metope below depicts battle scenes. The two marble statues on the left and the right of the monument represent, respectively, the river Eurotas and Mount Taygetos, famous landmarks of Sparta.
What was the pass at Thermopylae suited to?
Tactically, the pass at Thermopylae was ideally suited to the Greek style of warfare. A hoplite phalanx could block the narrow pass with ease, with no risk of being outflanked by cavalry. Moreover, in the pass, the phalanx would have been very difficult to assault for the more lightly armed Persian infantry.
What was the last stand at Thermopylae?
Alternatively, the argument is sometimes advanced that the last stand at Thermopylae was a successful delaying action that gave the Greek navy time to prepare for the Battle of Salamis. However, compared to the probable time (about one month) between Thermopylae and Salamis, the time bought was negligible.
How many people died in the Battle of Thermopylae?
The Greek rearguard, meanwhile, was annihilated, with a probable loss of 2,000 men, including those killed on the first two days of battle.
What was the Persian invasion?
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. By 480 BC, Xerxes had amassed a massive army and navy and set out to conquer all of Greece.
How many Spartans were there in the Battle of the Pass?
Furthermore, the numbers changed later on in the battle when most of the army retreated and only approximately 3,000 men remained (300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans, possibly up to 900 helots, and 1,000 Phocians stationed above the pass, less the casualties sustained in the previous days).
Where was the Battle of Artemisium?
The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. It was held at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC.
How many Spartans were at the Battle of Thermopylae?
For a start, there were 301 Spartans at the battle (300 Spartans plus King Leonidas).
Why are Spartans remembered today?
The ancient Spartans are often remembered today for the opposite reasons that the ancient Athenians are. Both cities vied for hegemony over the rest of Classical Greece, and both cities have left lasting legacies. My go to example for the legacy of Sparta in modern and contemporary life is always the Battle of Thermopylae.
What was the significance of the Battle of Artemisium?
At the same time, the Battle of Artemisium was taking place, an often-overlooked and overshadowed military encounter of the Persian Wars. Its importance, however, was sizeable. Dr Owen Rees discusses this clash, explaining its significance and how it paved the way for one of the most famous naval battles in history: Salamis.
What was the biggest response to the Battle of Thermopylae?
The heaviest-hitting response to the Battle of Thermopylae is of course Zac Snyder’s 2007’s hit-film ‘300’. It is in the top 25 highest grossing R-rated films ever made (the Motion Picture Association of America’s rating that requires under 17s to be accompanied by a parent or guardian). It has grossed just under half a billion dollars worldwide. Let that sink in.
When is Thermopylae's 200th anniversary?
The recasting of Thermopylae itself though, is hardly new. It was drawn upon during the Greek War of Independence (which marks its 200th anniversary in 2021), and in the United States, the Texan Gonzalez Flag proudly proclaims ‘Come And Take It”, echoing Leonidas’ apocryphal but still powerful words.
Which party is infamous for its rallies at the modern day site of Thermopylae?
The Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, recently ruled to have been run as a criminal organisation by the Greek courts, and which is infamous for its rallies at the modern-day site of Thermopylae, is another example.
Did Sparta have Plato?
Unlike Athens, Sparta had no Plato or Aristotle, and while Athenian art is still admired, Spartan art is largely overlooked (but yes, ancient Spartan art does indeed exist). But we do still like to draw on those 300 Spartans, who, in a last stand against the myriad troops of an invading Persian army, died at Thermopylae.
Why is the Battle of Thermopylae so famous?
The Persians. One of the reasons the Battle of Thermopylae is so famous is because of the preparations the Persians took to fight it. After seeing his father defeated by a smaller Greek force at the Battle of Marathon, Xerxes was determined to not make the same mistake.
What did the Greeks do after Darius I defeated the Persians?
After defeating Darius I at the Battle of Marathon, the Greeks rejoiced but they did not relax. Anyone could see that the Persians would be back, and so most went about preparing for round two. The Athenians, who had led the fight against the Persians the first time around, began building a new fleet using silver they had recently discovered in the mountains of Attica. However, they knew it was unlikely they would be able to fend off the Persians on their own, so they called on the rest of the Greek world to come together and form an alliance to fight the Persians.
What was the name of the battle between the Persians and Greeks?
The Battle of Thermopylae was just one of many battles fought between the Greeks and the Persians in a conflict known as The Greco Persian Wars. Throughout the 6th century BCE, the Persians, under Cyrus the Great, had gone from being a relatively unknown tribe hidden away on the Iranian plateau to Western Asia’s superpower. The Persian Empire stretched from what is modern-day Turkey, down to Egypt and Libya, and all the way east almost to India, making it the second largest empire in the world at the time next to China. Here’s a map of the Persian Empire in 490 BCE.
How long did the Battle of Thermopylae last?
The Battle of Thermopylae lasted a total of seven days, but there was no fighting on the first four, as the Persians waited to see if the Greeks would surrender. The Greek army, despite being severely outnumbered, were able to fight back the Persians during two days of fighting.
What was the name of the city that Darius I marched through?
Darius I Marches on Greece. About ten years before the Battle of Thermopylae, in an attempt to punish the Greeks for their support of the Ionian Revolt, Darius I gathered his army and marched into Greece. He went west through Thrace and Macedon, subjugating the cities he crossed.
Why are Spartans not famous?
The Spartans who fought at the Battle of Thermopylae had been trained at this school, but they are not famous because they were good soldiers.
Why was Thermopylae chosen?
Thermopylae was chosen for a similar reason. It was directly on the path of the Persians’ southward advance into Greece, but the narrow pass of Thermopylae, which was protected by mountains the west and the Gulf of Malias to the west, was just 15m wide.
Why was Leonidas statue erected?
In 1955 a statue of Leonidas was erected by King Paul of Greece in commemoration of his and his troops’ bravery. The Battle of Thermopylae also served as the inspiration for the film 300 (2006). Kate Lohnes Donald Sommerville.
What happened in 480?
ancient Iran: Xerxes I. …480, the Greek stand at Thermopylae in August of 480 came to naught, and the Persian land forces marched on Athens, taking and burning the Acropolis. But the Persian fleet lost the Battle of Salamis, and the impetus of the invasion was blunted. Xerxes, who had by then been away…. Greco-Persian Wars.
What was the purpose of the Battle of Thermopylae?
The Battle of Thermopylae’s political origins can be traced back to Xerxes’ predecessor, Darius I (the Great), who sent heralds to Greek cities in 491 bce in the hopes of persuading them to accept Persian authority . This offended the proud Greeks greatly; the Athenians went so far as to toss the Persian heralds into a pit, while the Spartans followed suit and tossed them into a well. In 480 bce Xerxes invaded Greece as a continuation of Darius’s original plan. He began the same way his predecessor had: he sent heralds to Greek cities—but he skipped over Athens and Sparta because of their previous responses. Many Greek city-states either joined Xerxes or remained neutral, while Athens and Sparta led the resistance with a number of other city-states behind them. Before invading, Xerxes implored the Spartan king Leonidas to surrender his arms. Leonidas famously replied, “Come and take them” (“Molon labe”). Xerxes intended to do just that and thus moved toward Thermopylae.
Why did the Greeks build a stone lion after the Battle of Thermopylae?
Soon after the battle, the Greeks built a stone lion in honour of those who had died and specifically for the fallen king Leonidas.
What happened to the Greeks when they were betrayed?
Only when the Greeks were betrayed did the battle take a detrimental turn for them. Ephialtes, a Greek citizen desiring reward, informed Xerxes of a path that went around Thermopylae, thus rendering the Greeks’ line useless in preventing forward advancement of the Persian army.
When did Xerxes invade Greece?
In 480 bce Xerxes invaded Greece as a continuation of Darius’s original plan. He began the same way his predecessor had: he sent heralds to Greek cities—but he skipped over Athens and Sparta because of their previous responses.
Where did Xerxes lead his army?
Xerxes led a vast army overland from the Dardanelles, accompanied by a substantial fleet moving along the coast. His forces quickly seized northern Greece and began moving south. The Greek resistance tried to halt Persian progress on land at the narrow pass of Thermopylae and at sea nearby in the straits of Artemisium.
Overview
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Ancient Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. It was fought in 480 BC over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece.
The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. It occ…
Sources
The primary source for the Greco-Persian Wars is the Greek historian Herodotus. 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. Diodorus is fairly consistent with Herodotus' writings. These wars are also described in less detail by a number of other ancient historians including Plutarch, Ctesias of Cnidus, and are referred to …
Background
The Athenian city-states of Athens and Eretria had aided the unsuccessful Ionian Revolt against the Persian Empire of Darius I in 499–494 BC. The Persian Empire was still relatively young and prone to revolts amongst its subject peoples. Darius, moreover, was a usurper and had spent considerable time extinguishing revolts against his rule.
Prelude
The Persian army seems to have made slow progress through Thrace and Macedon. News of the imminent Persian approach eventually reached Greece in August thanks to a Greek spy. At this time of the year, the Spartans, de facto military leaders of the alliance, were celebrating the festival of Carneia. During the Carneia, military activity was forbidden by Spartan law; the Spartans had ar…
Opposing forces
. 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.
The number of troops which Xerxes mustered for the second invasion of Gree…
Strategic and tactical considerations
From a strategic point of view, by defending Thermopylae, the Greeks were making the best possible use of their forces. As long as they could prevent a further Persian advance into Greece, they had no need to seek a decisive battle and could, thus, remain on the defensive. Moreover, by defending two constricted passages (Thermopylae and Artemisium), the Greeks' inferior num…
Battle
On the fifth day after the Persian arrival at Thermopylae and the first day of the battle, Xerxes finally resolved to attack the Greeks. First, he ordered 5,000 archers to shoot a barrage of arrows, but they were ineffective; they shot from at least 100 yards away, according to modern day scholars, and the Greeks' wooden shields (sometimes covered with a very thin layer of bronze) and bron…
Aftermath
When the Persians recovered Leonidas' body, Xerxes, in a rage, ordered that the body be decapitated and crucified. Herodotus observed that 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). However, Xerxes was known for hi…
The Battle of Thermopylae: Fast Facts
Leading Up to The Battle
- The Battle of Thermopylae was just one of many battles fought between the Greeks and the Persians in a conflict known as The Greco Persian Wars. Throughout the 6th century BCE, the Persians, under Cyrus the Great, had gone from being a relatively unknown tribe hidden away on the Iranian plateau to Western Asia’s superpower. The Persian Empire stretched from what is m…
The Persians
- One of the reasons the Battle of Thermopylae is so famous is because of the preparations the Persians took to fight it. After seeing his father defeated by a smaller Greek force at the Battle of Marathon, Xerxes was determined to not make the same mistake. Xerxes drew upon his empire to build one of the largest armies the ancient world had ever see...
The Greeks
- After defeating Darius I at the Battle of Marathon, the Greeks rejoiced but they did not relax. Anyone could see that the Persians would be back, and so most went about preparing for round two. The Athenians, who had led the fight against the Persians the first time around, began building a new fleet using silver they had recently discovered in the mountains of Attica. Howeve…
The Battle of Thermopylae
- Source The Greek alliance originally wanted to confront the Persian forces in Thessaly, the region just to the south of Macedon, at the Vale of Tempe. The Battle of Marathon had shown that Greek forces would be able to defeat the Persians if they could force them into tight areas where their superior numbers no longer mattered. The Vale of Tempe provided them with this geographical …
Battle of Thermopylae Map
- Geography played an important role in the Battle of Thermopylae, as it does in nearly any military conflict. Below are maps that show not only what the Pass of Thermopylae looked like but also how the troops moved around throughout the three days of fighting.
The Aftermath
- After the Battle of Thermopylae, things did not look good for the Greeks. The Persian victory at Thermopylae allowed for Xerxes’ passage into southern Greece, which expanded the Persian empire even further. Xerxes marched his armies further south, ransacking much of the Euboean peninsula and eventually burning an evacuated Athens to the ground. Most of the Athenian popu…
Conclusion
- While the Battle of Thermopylae has gone down in history as one of the most famous battles in the history of the world, it was really just a small part of a much larger conflict. However, the impossible odds the Greeks faced going into the battle combined with the legends surrounding Leonidas and the three hundred Spartans has helped turn this battle and its famous last stand in…
Bibliography
- Carey, Brian Todd, Joshua Allfree, and John Cairns. Warfare in the Ancient World. Pen and Sword, 2006. Farrokh, Kaveh. Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War. New York: Osprey, 2007. Fields, Nic. Thermopylae 480 BC: Last stand of the 300. Vol. 188. Osprey Publishing, 2007. Flower, Michael A., and John Marincola, eds. Herodotus: Histories. Cambridge University Press, 2002. Fr…