Thermopylae
Coordinates 38° 48' 19" N, 22° 33' 46" E
Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there between the Greek forces including the 300 Spartans and the Persian forces, spawning the famous epitaph beginning with "Go tell the Spartans"
Cyrus was king of the Persians who reigned in 559BCE to 530BCE?. Cyrus the Great's dominions comprised the largest empire the world had ever seen
His gains were solidified by Darius who murdered one of Cyrus' sons. The Persians were initially so successful against the Greeks becuase there was no Greek identity and no Greek army to fight against the Persians
The first major conflicts started after the Persians sacked Erectria and enslaved their women. It was at that time that it is thought that Pheidippedes ran to Marathon but was too late. The Athenians fought the Persians alone and won a great victory losing only 192 and men and 6,000 Persians as described by Herodotus. His certainly exaggerated. There were no 2 million Persians but he was trying to develop an idea of Greekness.
Ten years later was the battle of Thermopylae (480BCE) The Spartans were enjoying their big festival and sent only 300 warriors (see Hoplites) led by one of their kings Leonides. The King visited the Delphic Oracle who predicted that either a Spartan kill or Greece will fall. Spartans were expected to be victorious or die trying or face ignomy. A Spartan wide may say to her husrand. Come back with your shield or on it. So Leonides knew he was going to die close to his hero Herakles who sacrified himself in the same area. The fight took place at a pass at Thermopylae. The flight of their arrows will let you fight in the shade. They took on the might of the Persian armies including the Immortals, the name given by Herodotus to an elite force of soldiers who fought for the Achaemenid Empire. The Spartans died to almost the last man and the battle was lost. It is seen as a battle between the East and the West much like Homer's Iliad. It was a battle of cultures.
The development of maths science, medicine, democracy and equality of rights under the law. These are developing in Greek culture. If the Greek enlightenment had been lost this progress would have been lost most likely and more important to Greeks that Hastings is to the English.
The battle of Salamis. 480BCE Xerxes is tricked in to committing his fleet in to a narrow channel beliving the Athenians are fleeing
The battle of Platea 479BCE Again the Spartans tricked the Persians in to fighting on unfavorable ground after Spartans faked a retreat. This was the last battle of the Persian wars. Xerxes continued to reign and flourish but in the East and not in Greece
Within a generation the idea of Greekness was dashed with the Peloponnesian wars (Athens v Sparta)
It is referenced in the following articles
| Heroism |
| Hoplites |
| Plato and the Myth of Atlantis |
