E, demonstrated the strength, courage and bravery of the spartan army that went up against the persians. In 490 the persian emperor darius had sent an invasion force across the aegean to punish eretria and athens for their support of the ionian revolt. The greek loyalists battle for six days in a prelude to their ultimate victory. The main source for the battle of 480 is herodotus, histories, 7. Named polymnia after the greek muse of sacred poetry. It started under darius the great, who is mentioned in the old testament books of ezra and nehemiah. Responding, an alliance of greek citystates, led by athens and sparta, assembled a fleet and an army to. Thermopylae and the book of esther associates for biblical research.
Sparta was a military citystate with two kings that claimed to be the descendent of the demigod hercules. The battle of thermopylae august 480 bc is one of the most famous military. But the greeks, led by king leonidas and a small army of spartans, took the battle to the persians at thermopylae and halted their advance, almost. What freedom the spartans fought for at thermopylae was not personal freedom but the freedom of their polis, collectively, from barbarian domination. Though vastly outnumbered, the greeks held back the persian advance until a defector informed the persians of an alternate route, leading to the defeat of the greek army and the sacking of athens. After the persians departure, the greeks collected their dead and buried them on the hill. Reallife history behind the persian battle in the movie 300. While history is not favorable to the ancient achaemenid persians when it comes to.
The battle of thermopylae is believed to have been fought in august 480 bc, during the persian wars 499 bc449 bc. 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. Battle of thermopylae simple english wikipedia, the free. Leonidas, confronted the persian army at thermopylae in 480 bc. Map of thermopylae area with modern shoreline and reconstructed shoreline of 480 bc it took place simultaneously with the naval battle. Leonidas and his 300 spartans all lay dead, as did the 700 thespians who had stood by them. In the book of ezra and book of esther, the persian king axasweros ahasuerus probably corresponds to xerxes i. 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. Thermopylae is worldfamous for the battle that took place there between the greek forces notably the spartans and the invading persian forces, commemorated by simonides in the famous epitaph, go tell the spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie. Did the persians really have massive casualties at the battle of thermopylae. 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. The battle the confrontation at thermopylae took place in the late summer of 480. Large battle casualty counts are almost impossible to calculate precisely.
Thermopylae 480 bc was the first land battle of the second persian war. It pitted a small force of mainland greeks against the huge persian army in the narrow confines of a coastal pass. What did the persians do after the battle at thermopylae. The persian dead were said to number around 20,000, although xerxes tried to conceal this horrendous loss by having most of them secretly buried, leaving only about 1,000 persian bodies for his army to see as it marched through the pass. Battle of thermopylae date, location, and facts britannica. Why the legend of the spartan 300 still inspires us today. The spartans held off the persian army of xerxes for two days until their position was flanked by a secret trail. The greek rearguard meanwhile, was annihilated, with a probable loss of 2,000 men, including those killed on the first two days of battle. While the spartanled greeks lost at thermopylae, their decision to stand together against enormous odds strengthened an otherwise shaky coalition. Here we get the most bodacious recount of the battle of thermopylae and the noble 300 spartans who. Herodotus, the father of history, or father of lies depending on who you ask, estimated persian casualties to 20,000.
A captivating guide to one of the greatest battles in ancient history between the spartans and persians. 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. Home book shop wars battles biographies timeline weapons. In the book of esther, this battle and the persian war against the greeks, takes.
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 greco persian wars. 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 for the west is one of those greatly accessible, pleasantly reading, and yet academically meaty history books. The persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first persian invasion of greece, which had been ended by the athen. The spy had caught the spartans outdoors drawn up in lines, outside the rebuilt wall at the middle gate, but they practiced maneuvers that left him baffled. In fact, herodotus account of the battle, in book vii of his histories, is such an important source that paul cartledge wrote. In thermopylae, the narrow pass rendered the sheer numbers of the 200,000strong persian army meaningless and took away that advantage as repeatedly the much larger persian force attacked, only to be thrown back with heavy casualties. The comic book by frank miller, upon which the movie was based, is a masterpiece, although it is only an adaptation of the historical facts. What did the persians do after the battle at therm opylae. When the persians attacked on the third day, they were beatenback easily sustaining heavy losses.
The battle that changed the world cartledge, paul on. The persians succeeded in defeating the greeks but sustained heavy losses. The pass at thermopylae was thus opened to the persian army according to herodotus, at the cost to the persians of up to 20,000 fatalities. E 1 was between the persian and greeks when the persians invaded greece persian invasion 480479 b. Thermopylae was a small delaying battle in the persian invasion of mainland greece. Battle of thermopylae, august 480 bc military history encyclopedia. The battle of thermopylae the greek historian herodotus ca.
An account of the ancient battle between persia and the alliance of greek citystates, including the legendary 300 spartans. A critical point in this invasion was the battle for the pass at thermopylae hot gates in greek. When thinking of the battle of thermopylae most people myself included probably only think of the 2006 movie 300 by director zack snyder, where a force of 300 spartans fights the persians. Storms and battle inflicted heavy losses on the persian fleet, but the force at thermopylae was outflanked. The final chapter returns to his theme that the battle and the entire persian greek warrepresents a turningpoint in world history the subtitle of the chapter. However, thanks to this book by in60learning i learned this definitely wasnt the case. Xerxes had amassed one of the largest armies yet known. The battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, led by king. In 480 bce, persian king xerxes led a massive invasion of greece. Many of these figures are estimates, and, where possible, a range of estimates is.
This figure also takes into account all three days of the battle, so its impossible to tell how many can be attributed to the spartans alone. The great battle of thermopylae and the valiant fight of 300 fearless spartans under the command of warrior king leonidas against 10,000 elite persian soldiers is. The battle of thermopylae during the 5 th century bc, the persians were out to conquer the world, including the powerful citystates of greece. Herodotus s depiction of the battle of thermopylae bartleby.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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. In 490 the persian emperor darius had sent an invasion force across the. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at artemisium, in august or september 480 bc, at the narrow coastal pass of thermopylae. The list includes both sieges not technically battles but usually yielding similar combatrelated deaths and civilian casualties during the battles. Though this book is titled improperly, it is still an engaging reference for the entire war, and would serve as a good introduction for the student who is learning about the greco persian. I mean in most moviescomicswhatever you seeread that the persian casualties were massive. The battle of artemisium, or battle of artemision, was a series of naval engagements over three days during the second persian invasion of greece. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and edited by a. Responding, an alliance of greek citystates, led by athens and sparta, assembled a fleet and an army to oppose the invaders.
The death toll for the persians is in the high thousands. Many of these figures are estimates, and, where possible, a range of estimates is presented. 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 following is a list of the casualties count in battles in world history. Battle of thermopylae in the persian wars thoughtco. Based on information from herodotuss the histories book vii, the date of. Ephialtes and the battle of thermopylae 480 bc 1088 words 5 pages. He well uses both modern and ancient sources to tell the story not just of the battle of thermopylae. Now, on the eve of battle at thermopylae, demaratus deciphered a strange report brought back from the greek camp by a persian spy on horseback. Some modern accounts seem to know exactly on what dates the battle fell, because herodotus says 7. The battle of thermopylae was fought in central greece at the mountain pass of. The people of greece were in fear because the army of the persian king xerxes had begun their invasion of greece. In the winter of 330 bc, ariobarzanes led a last stand of the outnumbered iranian forces at the persian gates near persepolis, holding the macedonian army for a month.
Paul cartledges new book about thermopylae is subtitled the battle that. How many persians did the 300 spartans kill before being. Despite their eventual defeat, the greek forces became renowned for. Meanwhile, the spartan king, leonidas, would try to stop the persian army. King xerxes lay encamped in trachis in malis and the hellenes in the pass. Another popular misconception though more valid about the battle of thermopylae relates to how leonidas made his last stand in the encounter. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors pylae.
Battle of thermopylae, august 480 bc military history. The battle of thermopylae, and what part herodotus. 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. The zack snyder film 300, released in 2006, depicts a sensationalized account of the battle of thermopylae, which was fought in 480 bc between persia, under the command of xerxes, and a contingent of greek soldiers led by the spartan king leonidas. Persian deaths could be anywhere around 1,000 3,000 in relation. The athenian navy would try to stop the persian navy. The battle of the persian gate was a military conflict between a persian force, commanded by the satrap of persis, ariobarzanes, and the invading hellenic league, commanded by alexander the great.