In early June of 480 B.C., a mighty Persian army crossed the Dardanelles strait on two pontoon bridges to continue a brutal advance into Greece. Led by the great king Xerxes, the troops were bound for Thermopylae, a narrow mountain pass named for the area’s hot sulfur springs .
The Athenian politician and general Themistocles led the Greek naval opposition, blocking the Persian fleet at the strait of Artemisium. Leonidas, king of Sparta, commanded the ground forces at Thermopylae: 300 members of his royal Spartan bodyguard, called the—the subjects of countless books, movies, poems, and songs—along with a lesser-celebrated contingent of 7,000 soldiers in all, including 1,000 Phocians, 700 Thespians, and 400 Thebans.On this ceramic plate from the fifth century B.C.
Xerxes set up camp near Thermopylae and bided his time for four days. He was convinced that the Greeks, upon seeing his mighty army, would be overcome with fear and retreat. According to Plutarch, he sent a messenger to Leonidas urging him to lay down his arms, but the Spartan king, according to Plutarch, replied, “On the fifth day, the Persian attack began. Their advantage in numbers was of no benefit in this tight space, as Leonidas had anticipated.
The next day the Persians attacked and were again unsuccessful. That is when a local Greek shepherd named Ephialtes handed them the secret to victory. Ephialtes told Xerxes about the Anopaia path, which led around the mountain ridge and ended behind the Greek positions, beside the eastern end of the pass. In exchange for a handsome reward, he promised to show the Persian soldiers the way.
Leonidas left the protection of the narrow gorge and took up position in an open area. While dangerously exposed, he was better placed to deploy his men and kill the greatest number of enemies. The Greeks, knowing that death was the only possible outcome, fought in a heedless frenzy. When their spears were broken, they drew their swords and continued to fight.
We all saw the live footage. It was a hunchback.
The logistics for the menhir that the Greek wrestlers traditionally threw on the battlefield must have been exhaustive for the Thermopylae pass, with the battle of Thermopylae over in an matter of days, the Persian Immortals capitalising on what was perceived as an broken device.
Thermopylae?
Thanks for showing all New season of Air crash investigation.. please reschedule it's timings in India to earlier..
maura_fionn Poogers
Read Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. Amazingly well constructed historical fiction about the Spartans and their heroic and legendary 300.
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