Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae, fought in 480 BCE, was a significant confrontation during the Persian invasion of Greece led by King Xerxes I. This battle is well-known for the valiant stand of a small Greek force, primarily composed of 300 Spartans under King Leonidas, against a vastly larger Persian army. The Greeks strategically positioned themselves at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, which allowed them to hold off the Persian advance for two days, inflicting heavy casualties on their opponents.
On the third day, however, a Greek traitor named Ephialtes revealed a secret mountain path to the Persians, allowing them to encircle the Greek forces. In a moment of bravery and sacrifice, Leonidas chose to remain with a small contingent of his soldiers to fight to the death, while the majority of the Greek army retreated to safety. Although the Persians ultimately won the battle, the fierce resistance of the Greeks delayed the Persian advance, providing crucial time for Greek city-states to prepare for further conflict. The aftermath of the battle contributed to the eventual defeat of the Persian forces in subsequent engagements, marking a pivotal moment in the struggle for Greek independence.
Battle of Thermopylae
Related civilizations: Classical Greece, Persia
Date: August, 480 b.c.e.
Background
In 490 b.c.e., a Persian invasion force was routed by a much smaller Greek army on the plain of Marathon. A decade later, Persian ruler Xerxes I amassed an immense force (millions according to historian Herodotus) and invaded Greece, determined to avenge this humiliating defeat.
Action
The Greeks decided to delay the Persian advance down the eastern coast of Greece by deploying several thousand men at a narrow pass between the cliffs and the sea called Thermopylae (“hot gates”). Leading the Greeks was the Spartan king Leonidas and his 300-man royal guard. For two days, Leonidas and his elite troops repulsed Persian attacks, wreaking tremendous losses on their foes.
On the third day, a Greek traitor, Ephialtes, guided Persian forces through a mountain pass, outflanking Leonidas. Leonidas sent the majority of his troops to safety but remained at Thermoplyae with the 300 Spartans, some helots, and 1,100 Boeotians. They heroically fought to the death that day.
Consequences
Although the Persians won the battle, their losses were considerable, and the Greeks gained valuable time for the defense of their homeland. By the end of the next year, devastating defeats at Salamis and Plataea forced the Persians to withdraw from Greece, ending their hopes of imperial expansion.
Bibliography
Green, Peter. The Greco-Persian Wars. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.
Pressfield, S. Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae. New York: Bantam Books, 1999.