Battle of Thermopylae
- Definition. Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks ...
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Where did the Thermopylae pass come from?
View of the Thermopylae pass from the area of the Phocian Wall. In ancient times, the coastline would have been much closer to the mountain, near the road to the right. This is a result of sedimentary deposition. Depiction of ancient and modern shoreline.
How long is the Thermopylae?
Thermopýles (Thermopylae), central Greece. The pass, some 4 miles (6 km) in length, has figured in numerous invasions.
How did Xerxes get to Thermopylae?
Leonidas famously replied, “Come and take them” (“Molon labe”). Xerxes intended to do just that and thus moved toward Thermopylae. 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.
Where can I find media related to the Battle of Thermopylae?
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Battle of Thermopylae. Lendering, Jona (1996–2007). "Herodotus' twenty-second logos: Thermopylae". Livius articles on ancient history. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
Does the Thermopylae pass still exist?
The land surface on which the famous Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC is now buried under 20 metres (66 ft) of soil.
Can you visit the Thermopylae pass?
There is a visitor centre with a short 10 minute video and a large stone wall with a huge statue of King Leonidas. The actual location of the pass where the Spartans defeated the Persians has long disappeared. The sea is now 9 miles away and there's nothing to see. Total visit time is 20 minutes.
Where is the pass from 300?
The Thermopylae, the "hot gates" or also "gates of fire," is a mountain pass at the foot of Mount Kallidromo in modern Greece where legend tells that King Leonidas and 300 of his Spartan warriors fought millions of Persians during Xerxes' invasion of Greece in 480 B.C. They were able to hold the mountain pass for ...Aug 11, 2018
Can you visit the site of the Battle of Thermopylae?
A Visit to the Centre The Centre of Historical Information of Thermopylae, otherwise known as the Thermopylae Museum, is dedicated to the momentous battle that took place here in 480 BC. The Centre opened in 2010 and has since been giving guests an interactive narrative and discourse of Greek history.May 1, 2019
Is Thermopylae worth visiting?
Sure, Thermopylae may not be the traditional travel destination when visiting Greece, but it is nonetheless worth visiting, especially if you love history.
Is there anything to see at Thermopylae?
The top attractions to visit in Thermopylae are: Battlefield of Thermopylae. Leonidas Monument. Thermopylae Museum.
How tall was King Xerxes?
Herodotus wrote in Histories (7:117) that “[Xerxes] was in stature the tallest of all the Persians, falling short by only four fingers of being five royal cubits in height.” A royal cubit is assumed to be a bit more than 20 English inches (52 cm), which makes Xerxes almost 8 feet tall (2.43 m).Jan 2, 2022
How many Persians were at the Battle of Thermopylae?
*The combined totals for Greek armies is 6,300, although most modern estimates are around the 7,000 mark....Army sizes and compositions during the Battle of Thermopylae 480BCE.CharacteristicGreeks*PersiansSpartan helots (slaves)100-Mycenians80-Immortals**-10,000Total Persian Army (lower estimate)-70,0009 more rows•Apr 16, 2013
What happened to Xerxes?
After his failure in Greece, Xerxes I started a lavish construction program in Persepolis at great expense to his subjects. He built a new palace and began work on the monumental Hall of a Hundred Columns. He was assassinated by his courtiers in 465 BCE, before it was completed.
What is modern day Thermopylae?
Thermopylae, Modern Greek Thermopýles, also spelled Thermopílai, narrow pass on the east coast of central Greece between the Kallídhromon massif and the Gulf of Maliakós, about 85 miles (136 km) northwest of Athens (Athína).Apr 13, 2022
Is Sparta worth visiting?
Sparta is a very interesting small city in the Peloponnese with a rich history. Apart from its own rich history as the most famous warrior city in Ancient Greece and its rivalry with Ancient Athens, Sparta is close to many important archeological sites.Jul 7, 2021
How many years ago was the battle of Thermopylae?
The Battle of Thermopylae (/θərˈmɒpɪliː/ thər-MOP-i-lee; Greek: Μάχη τῶν Θερμοπυλῶν, Máchē tōn Thermopylōn) 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 ...
Where is Thermopylae Pass?
Map of 1876, depicting the coast line in the time of Herodotus, and the coast line at the time of the map (1876). Thermopylae pass is between Alpeni and Anthela.
What is Thermopylae known for?
Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 BC, in which an outnumbered Greek force probably of 7,000 (including the famous 300 Spartans, 500 warriors from Tegea, 500 from Mantinea, 120 from Arcadian Orchomenos, 1,000 from the rest of Arcadia, 200 from Phlius, 80 from Mycenae, 400 Corinthians , 400 Thebans , 1,000 Phocians, 700 Thespians, and the Opuntian Locrians ) held off a substantially larger force of Persians under Xerxes. Over 1,000 Greeks remained in the pass when most of the army retreated: the survivors from previous fighting of the famous 300 Spartans, the 700 Thespians, and the 400 Thebans - the latter somewhat unwillingly according to Herodotus. Gaius Stern has argued that this force of 1,400 had already suffered casualties of over 100 in the previous fighting, so the true number might be closer to 1,250 than 1,400.
Why is the water at Thermopylae hot?
In one variation of the story of the Labours of Heracles, it was said that the waters at Thermopylae became hot because the hero Heracles tried to cleanse himself of Hydra poison in them.
How wide was the Battle of Thermopylae?
The narrowest point on the plain, where the Battle of Thermopylae was probably fought, would have been less than 100 metres (330 ft) wide.
How much soil was buried at the Battle of Thermopylae?
The land surface on which the famous Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC is now buried under 20 metres (66 ft) of soil.
Which land route is large enough to bear any significant traffic between Lokris and Thessaly?
Thermopylae is the only land route large enough to bear any significant traffic between Lokris and Thessaly. This passage from north to south along the east coast of the Balkan peninsula requires use of the pass and for this reason Thermopylae has been the site of several battles.
Where is the monument to King Leonidas I of Sparta?
A main highway now splits the pass, with a modern-day monument to King Leonidas I of Sparta on the east side of the highway. It is directly across the road from the hill where Simonides of Ceos 's epitaph to the fallen is engraved in stone at the top.
Where is Thermopylae?
Definition. Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks in August 480 BCE. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the Greeks held the narrow pass for three days with Spartan king Leonidas fighting a last-ditch defence ...
When was Thermopylae fought?
As an interesting footnote: the important strategic position of Thermopylae meant that it was once more the scene of battle in 279 BCE when the Greeks faced invading Gauls, in 191 BCE when a Roman army defeated Antiochus III, and even as recent as 1941 CE when Allied New Zealand forces clashed with those of Germany.
Why did Spartans sacrifice themselves in the Battle of Thermopylae?
Free men, in respect of their own laws, had sacrificed themselves in order to defend their way of life against foreign aggression.
How long did Leonidas hold the narrow pass?
Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the Greeks held the narrow pass for three days with Spartan king Leonidas fighting a last-ditch defence with a small force of Spartans and other Greek hoplites.
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.
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).
What was Themistocles's goal in the Battle of Salamis?
However, instead of a mere blockade, Themistocles persuaded the Greeks to seek a decisive victory against the Persian fleet. Luring the Persian navy into the Straits of Salamis, the Greek fleet was able to destroy much of the Persian fleet in the Battle of Salamis, which essentially ended the threat to the Peloponnese.
What was the importance of defending Thermopylae?
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 numbers became less of a factor. Conversely, for the Persians the problem of supplying such a large army meant they could not remain in the same place for very long. The Persians, therefore, had to retreat or advance, and advancing required forcing the pass of Thermopylae.
Who led the battle of Thermopylae?
The Battle of Thermopylae ( / θərˈmɒpɪliː / thər-MOP-i-lee; Greek: Μάχη τῶν Θερμοπυλῶν, Máchē tōn Thermopylōn) was fought between an alliance of Ancient Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I.
Does the Pass of Thermopylae still exist?
The land surface on which the famous Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC is now buried under 20 metres (66 ft) of soil. Its shoreline advanced by up to 2 kilometers between 2500 BC and 480 BC but still has left several extremely narrow passages between the sea and the mountains.
What city states fought at Thermopylae?
It was fought between an alliance of Greek city – states, led by Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I. It took place at the pass of Thermopylae. The battle was fought for over three days, at the same time as the naval Battle of Artemisium.
Are the Hot Gates a real place?
Thermopylae, also known as Hot Gates, is a small region in Central Greece, carrying the legend and valor of a great and touching moment in Greek history.
Can you visit the Battle of Thermopylae?
A Visit to the Centre The Centre of Historical Information of Thermopylae, otherwise known as the Thermopylae Museum, is dedicated to the momentous battle that took place here in 480 BC. The Centre opened in 2010 and has since been giving guests an interactive narrative and discourse of Greek history.
Did Spartans throw babies off cliffs?
The ancient historian Plutarch claimed these “ill-born” Spartan babies were tossed into a chasm at the foot of Mount Taygetus, but most historians now dismiss this as a myth. If a Spartan baby was judged to be unfit for its future duty as a soldier, it was most likely abandoned on a nearby hillside.
Why did Spartans use lambda?
The lambda was adopted as the symbol of Laconia (the region of Greece where Sparta is located) and Lacedaemon (the ancient name for the city) in the late 5th century BC. It was as a symbol of pride that they carried the symbol of their home on their most cherished possession.
What country is Sparta now?
Sparta (Greek: Σπάρτη, Spárti, [ˈsparti]) is a town and municipality in Laconia, Greece. Sparta, Laconia.
Where to visit Thermopylae?
How To Visit Thermopylae [See the Statue of King Leonidas & the Hot Gates] Visiting Greece with a history buff will take you to places you’ve never thought to see. Thermopylae (alternative spelling Thermopyles, Thermopilai) in northern Greece is one of these famous places.
How long does it take to visit Thermopylae?
The whole visit shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes, as there’s not much to see apart from the Leonidas Memorial and the commemorative stone on Kolonas Hill.
Why did Leonidas die in the Battle of Thermopylae?
Leonidas chose to die in battle rather than allow Persians to destroy his city. All of the 300 Spartans were also killed in battle. In fact, the point of this sacrifice was to buy time for Greek people in ...
Where is the memorial stone on Kolonas Hill?
The commemorative stone on the Kolonas hill is a short walk uphill. Located at 136 km northwest of Athens, in the municipality of Lamia, the narrow pass of Thermopylae (Hot Gates) derives its name from the hot sulfur springs in the area. If you’re interested in the many invasions that involved Thermopylae, click here to find out some interesting ...
Can you visit the hot gates of Thermophylae?
You can visit Hot Gates of Thermophylae, but you need to be aware of the fact that the actual pass where Spartans defeated Persians doesn’t exist any longer. The configuration of this area has changed over years, so the sea is now at 10km distance. This is how the ancient Thermopylae Pass looks today. The sea has receded a few kilometers, making it ...
The Battle Of Thermopylae With 300 Spartans
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought with a hodge-podge of around 7,000 Greeks (300 of whom were Spartans), fought to block a force of 70,000-300,000 Persians. The sight they choose was the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae and negated the numerical advantage of the Persians.
Thermopylae Today
Today the narrow coastal passage of Thermopylae has disappeared. In fact, the whole site is nigh unrecognizable. The land is dominated by the coastal floodplain and there is the continuous deposition of sediment.
Tours of Thermopylae
Meteora Small-Group Day Trip & Visit to Thermopylae: This full-day tour starts from Athens and goes to Meteora (a UNESCO Listed extraordinary geological formation). One will visit majestic monasteries and stop by at the historic site of Thermopylae. Here one will see the battlefield and the museum.
Where is Thermopylae today?
Thermopylae, Modern Greek Thermopýles, also spelled Thermopílai, narrow pass on the east coast of central Greece between the Kallídhromon massif and the Gulf of Maliakós, about 85 miles (136 km) northwest of Athens (Athína).
Where is Thermopylae in ancient Greece?
Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks in August 480 BCE.
Can you visit the Battle of Thermopylae?
A Visit to the Centre The Centre of Historical Information of Thermopylae, otherwise known as the Thermopylae Museum, is dedicated to the momentous battle that took place here in 480 BC. The Centre opened in 2010 and has since been giving guests an interactive narrative and discourse of Greek history.
Is Spartan 300 a true story?
In short, not as much as suggested. It is true there were only 300 Spartan soldiers at the battle of Thermopylae but they were not alone, as the Spartans had formed an alliance with other Greek states. It is thought that the number of ancient Greeks was closer to 7,000. The size of the Persian army is disputed.
Does the Pass of Thermopylae still exist?
The land surface on which the famous Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC is now buried under 20 metres (66 ft) of soil. Its shoreline advanced by up to 2 kilometers between 2500 BC and 480 BC but still has left several extremely narrow passages between the sea and the mountains.
How many did the Spartans kill?
The Truth Behind the Legend One of the all-time great stories of ancient history involved the defense of Thermopylae, when a narrow pass was held for three days against a vast Persian army by just 300 Spartans, 299 of whom perished.
Why did Spartans use lambda?
The lambda was adopted as the symbol of Laconia (the region of Greece where Sparta is located) and Lacedaemon (the ancient name for the city) in the late 5th century BC. It was as a symbol of pride that they carried the symbol of their home on their most cherished possession.
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.
Overview
Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. In Greek mythology the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades.
Thermopylae is the site of a battle between the Greek forces (including Spartans, Thebans and Thespians) and the invading Persian forces, commemorated by Simonides of Ceos in the famous
Origin
Thermopylae means "hot gates," in reference to the presence of the hot sulphur springs in the area. The cavernous entrance to Hades, the underworld of Greek mythology, was said to be at Thermopylae. In one variation of the story of the Labours of Heracles, it was said that the waters at Thermopylae became hot because the hero Heracles tried to cleanse himself of Hydra poison in them.
Battles
Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 BC, in which an outnumbered Greek force probably of 7,000 (including 300 Spartans, 500 warriors from Tegea, 500 from Mantinea, 120 from Arcadian Orchomenos, 1,000 from the rest of Arcadia, 200 from Phlius, 80 from Mycenae, 400 Corinthians, 400 Thebans, 1,000 Phocians, 700 Thespians, and the Opuntian L…
See also
• Battle of Thermopylae in popular culture
• Amphictyonic League
Further reading
• Bradford, Ernie Dusgate Selby (1980). The battle for the West : Thermopylae. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0070070628. OCLC 5889053.
• Cartledge, Paul (2006). Thermopylae. Overlook Press, New York. pp. 313. ISBN 1585675660. OCLC 71266590.
• Fields, Nic (2007). Thermopylae 480 BC : last stand of the 300. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 978-1841761800. OCLC 148997192.
External links
• Maps of Attica and Thermopylae
• Google Earth view
Overview
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC between the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Xerxes I and an alliance of Greek city-states led by Sparta under Leonidas I. Lasting over the course of three days, it was one of the most prominent battles of both the second Persian invasion of Greece and the wider Greco-Persian Wars.
The engagement at Thermopylae occurred simultaneously with the Battle of Artemisium: betwee…
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 bronze helmets deflected the arrows. After that, Xerxes sent a force of 10,000 Medes and Cis…
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 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.
The Ionian revolt threatened the integrity of his empire, and Darius thus vowed to punish those i…
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 arrived too late at the Battle of Marathon because of this requirement. It was also the time o…
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 Greece has been the s…
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 numbers became less of a factor. Conversely, for the Persians the problem of supplying such a large arm…
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 his rage.