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Persian Wars Battle at Thermopylae - 480 B.C.
Ancient History ^ | 3/12/07 | Ancient History

Posted on 03/12/2007 2:54:43 PM PDT by freedom44

What Was the Battle at Thermopylae?:

Thermopylae was a pass that the Greeks tried unsuccessfully to defend in battle against the Persians led by Xerxes in 480 B.C.Although the Spartans who led the defense were all killed (and may have known in advance that they would be), their courage provided inspiration to the Greeks, many of whom otherwise might have willingly become part of the Persian Empire (the relevant verb is "medize" from the word Mede). The following year the Greeks did win battles agains the Persians.

Persians Attack the Greeks at Thermopylae:

Xerxes' fleet of Persian ships had sailed along the coastline from northern Greece into the Gulf of Malia on the eastern Aegean Sea towards the mountains at Thermopylae. The Greeks faced the Persian army at a narrow pass there that controlled the only road between Thessaly and Central Greece. The Spartan general and king Leonidas was in charge of the Greek forces that tried to restrain the vast Persian army and keep them from attacking the rear of the Greek navy (under Athenian control). Leonidas may have hoped to block them long enough that Xerxes would have to sail away for food and water. Ephialtes and Anopaia:

Unfortunately for Leonidas, after a couple of days, a medizing traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the pass behind the Greek army. The name of Ephialtes' path behind the pass at Thermopylae (which means "hot gates") is Anopaea (or Anopaia); its exact location is debated.

Leonidas sent away most of the amassed troops.

THIS IS 300 the 'movie'

Greeks Fight the Immortals:

On the third day, Leonidas led his 300 Spartan hoplites (elite troops selected because they had living sons back home) plus the allied Thespians and Thebans against Xerxes and his army of "10,000 Immortals." (Not ONE MILLION) The Spartan-led forces fought this unstoppable Persian force to their deaths in order to block the pass long enough to keep Xerxes and his army occupied while the rest of the Greek


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: 300; godsgravesglyphs
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To: freedom44
Just saw the movie. It's absolutely accurate in its bigger truths:

1) Xerxes had an army of 100,000. Who knows how many got to the "front" at Thermopolae? Certainly neither Greek nor Persian historians would have been able to tell.

2) The Greeks won. The time bought at Thermopolae allowed all the city-states to rally and defeat the Persians at Platea.

3) In two consecutive wars over 10 years, the Greeks killed approximately 100,000 Persians without modern weapons. Alexander finished the job a few years later. It is absolutely true, also, that had Greece failed, much of what we now know as "civilization" would have disappeared.

41 posted on 03/12/2007 4:22:47 PM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of News)
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To: freedom44

Actually there was about 5 to 7 thousand Greek troops from various cities (Thespia, Thebes, Phocia, etc)defending the pass.Plus a Greek fleet consisting mostly of Athenians were guarding the land forces sea flank (defeated the Persian fleet at a place called Artemesia). All Greek foot soldiers were known as Hoplites.
Sparta sent between 1000 and 1500 men. The famous "300" were Spartiates (sp?). They were the famous warrior class that is much written about. They were the ruling class of Sparta, trained as a warrior from childhood. The other classes of Spartan society were the freemen, and the Helots. The Helots were basically serfs but, were armed in time of war. The Spartans actually had a memorial to the Helots who fought at Thermopylae for a time however, after a Helot revolt which was put down savagely by the Spartans, the Spartans went to Thermoplyae and tore down the memorial.
As for the Persians, only the Iranian elite troops were called the immmortals. They were the palace guard something like Napoleon's imperial guard and Hitler's waffen SS.
Also, there is no proof of a traitor who sold "the secret of Themoplyae" to the Persians. This may well have just been made up as the legend of the battle grew. The Persians were from a mountainous country and finding the other pass to flank the Greek force at Thermoplae wouldn't have been too hard for them. The story may have been made up just to make the Persians seem not to be smart enough to find the other pass without help.
Leonidus did order the rest of the Greek force out of the pass when he found out the Persians had turned his flank and the Spartans made their famous last stand, remaining true to their vow that a Spartan returned home either with his shield or on it.
I wish someone would make a film depicting the battle as it happened. Truth is always better than fiction.


42 posted on 03/12/2007 4:33:48 PM PDT by PhillyRepublican
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To: CyberAnt
saved that part of the region from becomming Muslim territory.

Well... all this took place about 1000 years before the rise of Islam, and the Persian empire was not a religiously monotonous region. It had pretty much everything from the regions it touched, including Judaism.

43 posted on 03/12/2007 4:37:18 PM PDT by mbraynard
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To: freedom44

I don't go to movies to get educated.


44 posted on 03/12/2007 4:40:15 PM PDT by Rb ver. 2.0 (A Muslim soldier can never be loyal to a non-Muslim commander.)
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To: JewishRighter
According to Herodotus there was a monument over the Spartans' grave which read:

4 thousand here from Pelop's land

Against 3 million once did stand

The Spartans have a special epitaph; it runs

Go tell the Spartans you who read:

We took their orders and are dead.

45 posted on 03/12/2007 4:42:08 PM PDT by stop_fascism
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA

"Despite losing Athens, the Greeks eventually prevailed at the Battle of Salamis."

An excellent point.
The battle of Thermopylae emboldened the greek armies for the subsequent march to persia and the spread of their democratic culture.

The Spartans and their Greek Allies who gave their lives in this suicide mission delayed the advance of the Persian armies. This allowed the armada of Themistocles to evacuate the city of athens before the Persians burned it to the ground.

And Oh By The Way...
The iranian mullahs are NOT HAPPY about how they were portrayed:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1799652/posts

And that makes me... very happy.


46 posted on 03/12/2007 4:48:31 PM PDT by Samurai_Jack (ride out and confront the evil!)
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To: CyberAnt
'Greece ultimately DEFEATED THE PERSIANS .. and saved Greece as a nation; and saved that part of the region from becomming Muslim territory.'

You might want to catch a special on the history of Islam or Persia. Thermopylae was about 1000 years too early for Islam.
47 posted on 03/12/2007 4:51:11 PM PDT by tfecw (It's for the children)
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To: mbraynard

I do so look forward to seeing the movie, I've heard that it is a blockbuster.

Having seen elite forces up close I do know what they look like, but I've never seen a Spartan, knowing only about them from historians and historical books.

And I do know that Hollywood nearly always tells a good yarn. Historically speaking that is.


48 posted on 03/12/2007 4:55:30 PM PDT by tupac
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To: CyberAnt; tfecw

Whoops, didn't mean to pile it on. That'll learn me from starting a post, walk away for a couple things, and then click 'Post' ;).


49 posted on 03/12/2007 4:55:54 PM PDT by tfecw (It's for the children)
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To: Ole Okie

I don't know those two gentlemen are they warrior impersonators too?


50 posted on 03/12/2007 4:58:14 PM PDT by tupac
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To: amchugh

True.

But what chance of survival would've the Spartan society had if the Persians had won? Zero.

Sort of like the French now days. They consider us fools and bragards, yet the French would all be speaking German if it were not for our sacrifices for them. They have the freedom to call us ignorant, because brave Americans died to give them that privilege.

Do I like the French? No, they are a pain in the ass. They suck. But if they called for our help because of invasion or natrual calamity, I would be there to help.


51 posted on 03/12/2007 5:00:36 PM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (Very Proud Dad of LCpl Smoothguy242 USMC of 1/3 Marines, K-Bay Hawaii.)
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To: CyberAnt
I believe this type of movie will make students (high schoolers) curious about Greece and Persia (now Iran).

Maybe curious about more than history. I haven't seen the movie, but according to our paper, at least one of the scenes was described by the reviewer as "soft porno". Discuss among yourselves.

52 posted on 03/12/2007 5:09:34 PM PDT by AUsome Joy
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To: Who is John Galt?
Or the Canadian version, eh?

"Molson Labatt!"

53 posted on 03/12/2007 5:18:21 PM PDT by Erasmus (This tagline on sabbatical.)
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To: AUsome Joy

Well .. I haven't seen the movie either .. but one person's perception is not the same for others.

If parents feel this is too adult for their high schoolers, then by all means, they should keep them from seeing it.


54 posted on 03/12/2007 5:19:46 PM PDT by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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To: VOA

Thank you so much .. I have marked my calendar.


55 posted on 03/12/2007 5:25:59 PM PDT by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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To: tfecw

Sooooo .. nobody believes that Greece would have been Muslim if the Persians had taken over the whole country ..??


56 posted on 03/12/2007 5:27:15 PM PDT by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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To: JewishRighter
Was it the Battle of Salamis or Bolognas?

I never sausage a bad pun before.

57 posted on 03/12/2007 5:34:05 PM PDT by Wilhelm Tell (True or False? This is not a tag line.)
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To: CyberAnt
Greece ultimately DEFEATED THE PERSIANS .. and saved Greece as a nation; and saved that part of the region from becomming Muslim territory.

There was no nation called Greece in 480 BC, there were only loosly affiliated city-states all of which in another fifty years would be at each other's throats.

And there were no Muslims involved. The Persians were Zoroastrians.

58 posted on 03/12/2007 5:47:13 PM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
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To: metesky; All

Of course .. but after the Persians attacked Athens .. it galvanized the "loosely affiliated city-states" into a force which destroyed the Persians.

And .. I still say .. if the Persians had not been destroyed .. Greece would not have emerged as a nation and the Muslims would have had an open door when the remaining Greek army was destroyed.

Geeeeeeze .. you people are so sanctimonious .. you can't see beyond the end of your nose.


59 posted on 03/12/2007 5:56:11 PM PDT by CyberAnt (Drive-By Media: Fake news, fake documents, fake polls)
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To: Samurai_Jack
The battle of Thermopylae emboldened the greek armies for the subsequent march to persia and the spread of their democratic culture.

Alexander marched into Persia 150 years later and he certainly did not bring democracy with him nor in his wake.

60 posted on 03/12/2007 5:57:54 PM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
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