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. Made famous by the 1998 comic book and 2006 sword and sandal epic 300, the battle of thermopylae was the original against all odds conflict. It was the first major battle of the romanseleucid war. Id wager almost as much time was spent on plateau, salamis and artemisium as thermopylae which seemed odd given the title. The gauls under brennus were victorious, and advanced further into the greek peninsula where they attempted to sack delphi but were completely defeated. In fact, it was not freedom the spartans fought for, but independence, and thermopylae was but one battle among several in the greek war of independence from the persian empire. A military historian, bradford makes sense of the complicated maneuvers and does a very thorough background on all components of the battle, from the three rows of trireme rowers to an analysis of the less than. Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 bc, in which an outnumbered greek force probably of seven thousand including the famous 300 spartans, 500 warriors from tegea, 500 from mantinea, 120 from arcadian orchomenos, from the rest of arcadia, 200 from phlius, 80 from mycenae, 400 corinthians, 400 thebans, phocians and the opuntian locrians held off a. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at artemisium, in august or september 480 bc, at the narrow coastal pass of thermopylae. Ramsey parra llrn 151 01 300 scholars, artists, authors, and filmmakers in recent years have been interested in herodotuss depiction of the battle of thermopylae, creating several different versions and interpretations of the story across multiple forms of media. Both ancient and modern writers have used the battle of thermopylae as an example of the power of a patriotic army defending native soil.
The extent of the greeks geographical knowledge of the world can be reconstructed from considering regions and places mentioned by contemporary authors. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece. In 2020 greece celebrates the 2500 year anniversary of the battle of thermopylae, when king leonidas and his men said molon labe and fought to. Explore the site of a battle at thermopylae, described by herodotus, and the subject of two 21st century movies. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. Battle of thermopylae, 480 bce, battle in central greece at the mountain pass of thermopylae during the persian wars.
The battle of thermopylae is a battle in september 480 bc during the greekpersian war 480 479 bc. Battle of plataea 479 bc and battle of sphacteria 425 bc duration. Choose from 282 different sets of thermopylae flashcards on quizlet. Historic battles battle of thermopylae 480 bc the battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, 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. He well uses both modern and ancient sources to tell the story not just of the battle of thermopylae, but also of the whole war in which it took place. After three days resisting the much larger persian army of xerxes i, greek forces were betrayed by ephialtes and sent into retreat by their leader, leonidas, who died during a final stand. It took place in a narrow gorge, called thermopylae, where a group of 300 spartan hoplites died heroically, blocking a way to the persian army of the tsar xerxes i. May 31, 2014 decisive battles thermopylae greece vs persia. Herodotus is the key primary source that i have been using to aid my study of this battle. The bloody stand made there by leonidas and his small spartan army in 480 b.
Jul 480 bce xerxes i makes extensive preparations to invade mainland greece by building depots, canals and a boat bridge across the hellespont. The battle of thermopylae has been an integral part of the curriculum of many high schools, colleges and universities around the world. The greek forces, mostly spartan, were led by leonidas. Battle of thermopylae date, location, and facts britannica. Explains thermopylae s legacy from both historical and cultural standpoints. Excluding the huge problems with the equipment for example spartans fighting with no armour or t. His name was raised to a heroic and legendary status as a result of the events in the battle of thermopylae. Xerxes attack at thermopylae came ten years after an earlier persian invasion had been thwarted at the battle of marathon in. The battle at thermopylae was a battle at the pass of thermopylae between the greeks and the persian empire in 480 b. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund.
The battle of thermopylae the greek historian herodotus ca. In 480 bc, at the battle of thermopylae literally, hot gates, a narrow coastal pass, the vast persian army, led by xerxes, attacked the allied greek forces, with the ambition of conquering the whole of greece. Battle in northern greece 480 bc in the persian wars. Battle for the west, acclaimed author ernle bradford in 480 bce, persian king xerxes led a massive invasion of greece.
Any account of the battle of thermopylae must make mention of the pass which according to herodotus was approximately 50 feet wide in 480 b. By and large, the battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories was an extremely notable and remarkable battle for the history of the west, as well as the world. This is a professional historians view of not just the battle of thermopylae itself, but the context of the greek and persian worlds it fit into. Battle of thermopylae simple english wikipedia, the free. A critical point in this invasion was the battle for the pass at thermopylaehot gates in greek. We are marching to war at the ideal season of the year. Other than the points already made in the other answers, the battle in the film also did a very poor job in capturing how both sides actually fought. Sparta was a military citystate with two kings that claimed to. The battle of thermopylae was fought in 191 bc between a roman army led by consul manius acilius glabrio and a seleucid force led by king antiochus iii the great. The following is an excerpt from his book the year of thermopylae. Gates of fire is a 1998 work of historical fiction by steven pressfield centered around the famous battle of thermopylae 480 bc, in which a heavilyoutnumbered force of native greeks led by the spartans held the invading army of the persian empire at bay for several days.
The other 10 silver commemorative coin which can be bought by collectors, features a shielded greek hoplite soldier on the front with the words thermopylae 480 bc, and leonidas on the arch. Be it in movies such as the 300 film or scholarly literature, the battle of thermopylae is omnipresent. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories. Dont let the title fool you however as the scope of the book is not limited to just the battle of thermopylae.
This book goes into detail about everything that has remotely anything to do with the greek and persian relationship leading up to the war and the battle between the two empires but does not cover in detail the actual battle of thermopylae in that great of detail. The battle of thermopylae of 480 bce has long been a subject of cultural fascination, as it is. Take a tour of the battlefield of thermopylae, greece to visit historic site in thermopylae. The british title for this book, the year of thermopylae london, 1980, is much more descriptive since the book covers events leading up to and including thermopylae. The battle for the west is one of those greatly accessible, pleasantly reading, and yet academically meaty history books. 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. The battle of thermopylae aftermath legio i lynx fulminata. On the battle of thermopylae itself, two principal sources, herodotus and simonides accounts, survive.
Until they reached thermopylae, xerxes armament was free from. Battle of thermopylae the battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, 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. A masterful account of the causes, preparations for and consequences of the threeday battle in 480 b. Thermopylae is the only land route large enough to bear any significant traffic between lokris and thessaly. While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way. Inscribed on the coin are the words 2,500 years from the battle of thermopylae and hellenic republic.
Battle of thermopylae ancient history encyclopedia. Although the greeks lost the battle at thermopylae, one small. Battle of thermopylae, august 480 bc military history. We recommend booking thermopylae museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot.
The thermopylae pass was also the site of two other ancient battles. A critical point in this invasion was the battle for the pass at thermopylae hot gates in greek. Decisive battles thermopylae greece vs persia youtube. The battle of thermopylae is believed to have been fought in august 480 bc, during the persian wars 499 bc449 bc. A military historian, bradford makes sense of the complicated maneuvers and does a very thorough background on all components of the battle, from the three rows of trireme rowers to an analysis of the less than treachery of the traitor ephialtes to an explanation of the only apparent megalomania of xerxes. It took place in 479 bc near the city of plataea in boeotia, and was fought between an alliance of the greek citystates including sparta, athens, corinth and megara, and the persian empire of xerxes i allied with boeotians, thessalians, and macedonians. Battle of thermopylae is a symbol of courage and patriotism. Presidency, namely the recent impeachment attempt of president donald j. In 480 bce, persian king xerxes led a massive invasion of greece. 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.
Mar 09, 2010 battle of thermopylae facts, myths, legends, map, pictures and statistics. Map of thermopylae area with modern shoreline and reconstructed shoreline of 480 bc it took place simultaneously with the naval battle at. The battle of plataea was the final land battle during the second persian invasion of greece. King leonidas and 300 spartans against million persian army. The battle of thermopylae was fought in 279 bc between invading gallic armies and a combined army of greek aetolians, boeotians, athenians, and phocians at thermopylae. The battle of thermopylae in 254 was the successful defense of the pass of thermopylae by local greek militia under marianus, the roman proconsul of achaea, during an invasion of the balkans by the goths. A captivating guide to one of the greatest battles in ancient history between the spartans and persians. Battle of thermopylae in popular culture wikipedia. The battle that changed the world paperback november 6, 2007 by paul cartledge author. The following is an excerpt from his book the histories that describes the persian army at the battle of thermopylae. Greece releases commemorative 2 and 10 coins for the. Feb 05, 2004 melvyn bragg and guests discuss the battle of thermopylae.
These sources have typically been excerpts and quotes from the 7th volume of the histories, which in part narrate the second persian war of 480 bce of which thermopylae. The battle of thermopylae dissected the last stance. Herodotus s depiction of the battle of thermopylae 1278 words 6 pages. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the greeks held the narrow pass for three days with spartan king leonidas fighting a lastditch defence with a small force of spartans and other greek. 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. Nov 30, 2017 the british title for this book, the year of thermopylae london, 1980, is much more descriptive since the book covers events leading up to and including thermopylae. The first edition of the novel was published in october 20th 1998, and was written by steven pressfield. The battle of thermopylae was fought in central greece at the mountain pass of thermopylae in 480 bce during the persian wars.
What freedom the spartans fought for at thermopylae was not personal freedom but the freedom of their polis, collectively, from barbarian domination. In the book of ezra and book of esther, the persian king axasweros ahasuerus probably corresponds to xerxes i. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 384 pages and is available in paperback format. Herodotus herodotus was an ancient greek historian who. Strategically speaking, the width of the pass was of paramount importance since it negated the strength of the persian army which has been conservatively numbered on average at 200,000 warriors. The battle of thermopylae was the first between the persians and greeks during the persian invasion of 480479 bc. The battle of thermopylae is one of the most memorable battles fought during the persian wars. After three days of holding their own against the persian king xerxes i and his vast. In addition, the battle has been taught in military academies as an example of how a small welltrained group of resolute warriors can defend their position against a numerically superior force. While this anniversary will take place in 2021, the coins show the dates 2020 and 480 bc and the text 2,500 years since the battle of thermopylae. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt. Nominally, xerxes expedition was directed against athens, but its real objective was the conquest of the whole of greece. The following year, however, saw a greek army decisively defeat the persians at the battle of plataea, thereby ending the persian invasion.
The battle of thermopylae is often talked about in scholarly works or in pop culture. Discusses all of the colorful quotes and legends about the battle but also analyzes what is historical fact and what is apocryphal fiction. Leonidas, died 480 bc, thermopylae, locris greece, spartan king whose stand against the invading persian army at the pass of thermopylae in central greece is one of the enduring tales of greek heroism, invoked throughout western history as the epitome of bravery exhibited against overwhelming odds. Understand how the geography of the area has changed, and consider how the retelling of stories leads to the writing of history. 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. After three days of holding their own against the persian king xerxes i and his vast southwardadvancing army, the greeks were betrayed.
Fascinating history about the battle between the spartans and persians that changed the world 480 bc fascinating world history book 2 historyepisode 3. Sources battle of thermopylae 480 bc stories preschool. A captivating guide to one of the greatest battles. America the grand preparations and buildup to the glorious battle of thermopylae intersects with a major political war over the control of the u. Battle of salamis 480 bc persian invasion of greece. The battle of thermopylae charles river editors on. The persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first persian invasion of greece, which had been ended by the athen. Having stated this at the beginning of the twentysecond logos, herodotus feels compelled to express an opinion which he knows to be unpopular.
The main source for the battle of 480 is herodotus, histories, 7. Last stand of the greeks military history animated. Discussion of primary sources the battle of thermopylae. How did the historical battle of thermopylae differ from. The odds were in favor of the persians in this battle. Despite their eventual defeat, the greek forces became renowned for. Forty years after the battle, sparta retrieved leonidas remains or what. An impressively accessible narrative depicting the threeday battle for the pass at thermopylae the hot gatesa critical contest in xerxess massive invasion of greece.
To navigate the timeline, click and drag it with your mouse, or click on the. Battle of thermopylae facts about one of the most famous battles in world history. The battle took place simultaneously with the more famous land battle at thermopylae, in august or september 480 bc, off the coast of euboea and was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, including sparta, athens, corinth and others, and. Learn how a relatively small group of greek warriors held off the persian army for days, during the grecopersian wars, before making one of the greatest last stands and demonstrations of bravery in history. In fact, herodotus account of the battle, in book vii of his histories, is such an important source that paul cartledge wrote. The greek force was very small but was determined to make a stand against the huge persian army. The battle of artemisium, or battle of artemision, was a series of naval engagements over three days during the second persian invasion of greece.
We are a nonprofit organization and we would rather spend the money on our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. For the historian herodotus, the battle of thermopylae was the defining clash between east and west. The romans were victorious, and as a result, antiochus was forced to flee from greece. Political career khashayar, son of darius the great and atossa, the daughter of cyrus the great, was appointed king of persia by his father because his elder halfbrothers, who were born before darius had become king, died.
The battle of thermopylae august 480 bc is one of the most famous military defeats in history, and is best known for the fate of the 300 spartans, killed alongside 700 thespians on the final day of the battle. Thermopylae museum 2020 all you need to know before you. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories essay. However, the following year saw a greek army decisively defeat the persians at the battle of plataea, thereby ending the persian invasion. Do you need to book in advance to visit thermopylae museum. The battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, led by king leonidas i of sparta, and the achaemenid empire of xerxes i over the course of three days, during the second persian invasion of greece. The battle of thermopylae audiobook by captivating. Please help us cover our server costs for this year. An epic novel of the battle of thermopylae pdf epub book. In 480 the ephors sent leonidas with the 300 men of an allsire unit soldiers who had sons to carry on their bloodline and 6700 allies to hold the pass of thermopylae against the hundreds of thousands of persian soldiers who had. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. A military historian, bradford makes sense of the complicated maneuvers and does a very thorough background on all components of the battle, from the three rows of trireme rowers to an analysis of the less than treachery of.