As Simonedes’ epitaph at the site of the fallen stated: ‘Go tell the Spartans, you who read: We took their orders and here lie dead’. The Battle of Thermopylae, 480 BC, was a battle in the second Persian invasion of Greece. Militarily, although the battle was actually not decisive in the context of the Persian invasion, Thermopylae is also of some significance, on the basis of the first two days of fighting. Many Greek city-states either joined Xerxes or remained neutral, while Athens and Sparta led the resistance with a number of other city-states behind them. Battle of Thermopylae. As Simonedes’ epitaph at the site of the fallen stated: ‘Go tell the Spartans, you who read: We took their orders and here lie dead’. Learn about Author Central . Seeking a decisive victory over the Allied fleet, the Persian fleet attacked, but w… The Greek forces, mostly Spartan, were led by Leonidas. . Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Cartwright, Mark. Leonidas’ bullish response to Xerxes request was ‘molōn labe’ or ‘come and get them’ and so battle commenced. . The Battle Of Thermopylae And The Battle Of Salamis. The Battle of Thermopylae Was a warlike confrontation that took place in the first half of the fifth century BC. The Literary Encyclopedia. The performance of the defenders is used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment, and good use of terrain as force multipliers . With this information it can be argued that Thermopylae was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to say that is was a very decisive battle in the Greco-Persian Wars and if without, the Greeks would very likely has been conquered. This offended the proud Greeks greatly; the Athenians went so far as to toss the Persian heralds into a pit, while the Spartans followed suit and tossed them into a well. Hello, Sign in. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The Greek tactic of feigning a disorganised retreat and then turning on the enemy in the phalanx formation also worked well, lessening the threat from Persian arrows and perhaps the hoplites surprised the Persians with their disciplined mobility, a benefit of being a professionally trained army. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the Greeks held the narrow pass for three days with Spartan king Leonidas fighting a last-ditch defence with a small force of Spartans and other Greek hoplites. Background. The two opposing armies were essentially representative of the two approaches to Classical warfare - Persian warfare favoured long-range assault using archers followed up with a cavalry charge, whilst the Greeks favoured heavily-armoured hoplites, arranged in a densely packed formation called the phalanx, with each man carrying a heavy round bronze shield and fighting at close quarters using spears and swords. The Battle of Thermopylae is believed to have been fought in August 480 BC, during the Persian Wars (499 BC-449 BC). The Battle of Thermopylae’s political origins can be traced back to Xerxes’ predecessor, Darius I (the Great), who sent heralds to Greek cities in 491 bce in the hopes of persuading them to accept Persian authority. "Last Stand of the 300: Spartan Tactics and Weaponry." Siena Hall, Siena College. The Battle of Thermopylae: A Campaign in Context Paperback – Illustrated, July 1, 2008 by Rupert Matthews (Author) › Visit Amazon's Rupert Matthews Page. See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. While history is not favorable to the ancient Achaemenid Persians when it comes to Greek wars, it should be noted that… The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. Xerxes took advantage of this betrayal and sent part of his army along this path, led by Ephialtes himself. The Battle of Thermopylae: A Campaign in Context. QCraft Camp S15. In 485 BCE, Great King Xerxes succeeded his father Darius to the throne of Persia and to the … Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. The Battle of Thermopylae : a campaign in context. The battle of Thermopylae, and particularly the Spartans’ role in it, soon acquired mythical status amongst the Greeks. Spellmount, 2006. Then after much discussion and compromise between Greek city-states, suspicious of each others' motives, a joint army of between 6,000 and 7,000 men was sent to defend the pass at Thermopylae through which the Persians must enter mainland Greece. Rupert Matthews (Author) 5.0 out of 5 stars 1 rating. Early in the morning, the hoplites once more met the enemy, but this time Xerxes could attack from both front and rear and planned to do so but, in the event, the Immortals behind the Greeks were late on arrival. Cartwright, M. (2013, April 16). The battle of Thermopylae, and particularly the Spartans' role in it, soon acquired mythical status amongst the Greeks. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Xerxes returned home to his palace at Sousa and left the gifted general Mardonius in charge of the invasion. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. "The Thermopylae Campaign was the climactic event in over 20 years of war between the mighty Persian Empire and the collection of much smaller Greek states that alone stood firm for freedom and independence. Thermopylae 480 BC: Last stand of the 300, Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae, Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the World. Sending the main army in retreat, Leonidas and a small contingent remained behind to resist the advance and were defeated. Try The Persian cavalry were armed as the foot soldiers, with a bow and an additional two javelins for throwing and thrusting. When the two fleets finally met, the Greeks fought late in the day and therefore limited the duration of each skirmish which diminished the numerical advantage held by the Persians. This speedy read does not strictly focus on the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE), where Leonidas and the 300 Spartans held off Xerxes I, but rather provides the context for this battle by overviewing the Greco- Persian Wars. Just better. In 480 BC the Persian Empire under King Xerxes I invaded Greece for the second time since 490 BC. TappanZee Bridge, New York. 09 Jan 2021. Quite the same Wikipedia. The Greek forces, mostly Spartan, were led by Leonidas. The Persians could not pass the wall and Xerxes was not happy with the result. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the pass of Thermopylae ('The Hot Gates'). After three days of holding their own against the Persian king Xerxes I and his vast southward-advancing army, the Greeks were betrayed, and the Persians were able to outflank them. Context. His comrades then fought fiercely to recover the body of the fallen king. . In 486 BCE, Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE) became king upon the death of Darius and massive preparations for invasion were made. . Battle of Thermopylae, (480 bce), battle in central Greece at the mountain pass of Thermopylae during the Persian Wars. A history book that describes the key battle of ancient Greece, fought between Greeks and Persians, putting the battle in context and revealing what it was like to fight at Thermopylae. Depots of equipment and supplies were laid, a canal dug at Chalkidike, and boat bridges built across the Hellespont to facilitate the movement of troops. Volume 1.1.1: Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Imperial Greek Writing and Culture, -800--100. Updates? How? "Victor Hanson article". The Battle of Thermopylae: A Campaign in Context by Rupert Matthews (2008-08-11): Rupert Matthews: Books - Amazon.ca While there are a same number of sources that says 100,000 troops (at least 15, i foind). "Battle of Thermopylae." The Persian victory at Thermopylae allowed for Xerxes’ passage into southern Greece, which expanded the Persian empire even further. Herodotus observes this was very uncommon for the Persians, as they traditionally treated "valiant warriors" with great honour (the example of Pytheas, captured off Skiathos before the Battle of Artemisium, strengthens this suggestion). Greece’s Ministry of Culture presents the digital exhibition “Proving History” to mark the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae and naval battle of Salamis.. The battle was fought during a campaign during which both sides sought to use military force to achieve objective(s). . Omissions? In addition to the land forces, the Greek poleis sent a fleet of trireme warships which held position off the coast of Artemision (or Artemisium) on the northern coast of Euboea, 40 nautical miles from Thermopylae. Xerxes, who had by then been away…, …Persians attacked the Greeks at Thermopylae for two days but suffered heavy losses. The film depicts the Battle of Thermopylae and the final stand of an army of 300 Spartans. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece. Battle of Thermopylae. 2006-10-11. For many viewers, however, the film embedded this historical narrative with elements of militant racism and xenophobia. The Battle of Thermopylae was a Persian tactical victory, but needs to be considered in the context of the entire campaign. The Battle of Thermopylae was a Persian tactical victory, but needs to be considered in the context of the entire campaign. https://www.ancient.eu/thermopylae/. 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