It was up to them to buy time for their other Greek allies to organize and prepare their forces for the coming storm. . Leonidas had a notable participation in the Second Persian War, where he led the allied Greek forces to a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) while attempting to defend the pass from the invading Persian army. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae (“The Hot Gates”). Inspired by the heroic sacrifices of Leonidas and his faithful fighters at Thermopylae, other Greeks rallied together and carried on the fight against the Persians.

The British Museum: The Battle of Thermopylae: Spartans v. Persians. At the Battle of Salamis in September 480 B.C., the Greek fleet won a resounding victory over the Persians in one of the greatest naval contests of the ancient world. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
The performance of the defenders is also used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment, and good use of terrain as force multipliers and has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. Although many Greek states bowed down to the Persians and the historic city of Athens was sacked, the tide soon turned.

Although fighting in this narrow space along the coast would make it difficult for the Persians to utilize their superior numbers, they had to go through it in order to enter mainland Greece. Plataea 479 BC: The Most Glorious Victory Ever Seen by William Shepherd. (Photo Credit: Realmofhistory.com). Leonidas I , Leōnídas A’;  “son of the lion”; died 11 August 480 BC) was a warrior king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, and the 17th of the Agiad line; a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles. Of the original 300, only the warrior Aristodemus survived after he “was withdrawn at the last minute because an eye inflammation had rendered him temporarily blind.” The Persians found the body of Leonidas and Xerxes ordered his men to behead the defiant Spartan king and mount it on a stake on the battlefield. Answered May 14, 2016 Leonidas, commander of the Hellenic League army brought his entire force to Thermopylae.

Ancient History Encyclopedia: Thermopylae. He was the husband of Gorgo, the daughter of Cleomenes I of Sparta. Battle of Thermopylae The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, 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. See here for more details : Battle of Thermopylae, See: 10 Things You Should Know About The Battle Of Thermopylae. The great Greek biographer and philosopher Plutarch asked, “Why do the Spartans punish with a fine the warrior who loses his helmet or spear but punish with death the warrior who loses his shield?” His answer, “Because helmet and spear are carried for the protection of the individual alone, but the shield protects every man in the line.” Using this example from the Spartans of ancient Greece, one of the greatest warrior societies ever to walk the earth, Plutarch reveals the ultimate virtue of the warrior: selflessness. Surrounded by the Persians, Leonidas ordered the bulk of the Greek troops under his command to withdraw. Although fighting in … Facing an invading Persian army numbering around 100,000 men or more under king Xerxes, Leonidas and his 300 Spartans led a coalition of some 6,000 troops assembled from the city-states of Greece.

The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. Leading the survivors from his original force of 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, and 400 Thebans, Leonidas and this band of warriors would make a final stand and protect the retreat.
The Persians & Greeks: Crash Course World History, See :The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest – Rome’s darkest hour. Statistical breakdown of deaths in the Troubles of Northern Ireland 1969 – 2001, Irish National Liberation Army ( I.N.L.A ), Irish Republican Army. and located at the Archaeological Museum of Sparta. Others also reportedly remained, including up to 900 helots and 400 Thebans; most of these Thebans reportedly surrendered. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account.

It is estimated that the troops under Leonidas’ command numbered about 14,000, while the Persian forces consisted of hundreds of thousands. Hoping for a reward, he revealed a path that led behind Leonidas’s army. Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard their retreat with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians, fighting to the death. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I have long held a fascination bordering on obsession with the ancient world , esp the epic times and battles of the Romans , Persians & Greeks. A statue of a Spartan hoplite warrior dating back to the 5th century B.C. (Photo Credit: Giuseppe Rava). After the second day of battle, a local Greek resident named Ephialtes came to king Xerxes. (Photo Credit: Weaponsandwarfare.com). As exemplified by the Spartans at Thermopylae, the true warrior never hesitates in performing his duty. The Spartans and their fellow Greeks stood together and fought on until the very end. The Greeks were told that if they lay down their arms and surrender, they would be spared. ( Log Out /  Facing an invading Persian army numbering around 100,000 men or more under king Xerxes, Leonidas and his 300 Spartans led a coalition of some 6,000 troops assembled from the city-states of Greece. Themistocles was in command of the Greek Navy at Artemisium when he received news that the Persians had taken the pass at Thermopylae. Known as “Leonidas," this statue is thought to depict the legendary Spartan king who stared down the Persians at Thermopylae. By 480 BC Xerxes had amassed a huge army and navy, and set out to conquer all of Greece. The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history’s most famous last stands. Change ). In response, Leonidas issued a two-word reply: “Molon Labe,“ translating to, “Come and take them.” The Persian horde did come, but after two days of brutal fighting, they could not overcome Leonidas and his determined defenders. In August 479 B.C., a Greek army led by Pausanias, a nephew of Leonidas and regent to his underage son and heir, Pleistarchus, won another decisive clash against the Persians at the Battle of Plataea. The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, and simultaneously block the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium. .” In the end, Leonidas and his Spartans fell to the last man along with most of their Greek allies.


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