The Battle of Thermopylae is embedded in the historical context of the early V century BC, is part of what we call the Medical War, named for the Greeks, mistakenly called the Persians, Medes, of is the medical term. The Medes were only those from what we now call the Middle East, a small part of Persia. These consisted of clashes between Persia and some Greek polis such as Athens, Sparta, Corinth and Thebes.
Leonids - Table of Jacques Louis Davis The origin of this confrontation was the colonization of the coast eastern Mediterranean, the Persian lands that were theirs understood. For some time they paid taxes but ended sublebandose, from the moment the two civilizations knew that was a question of time had to face.
Xerxes began its invasion in 481 BC with an army that was formed by Herodotus as Asians 1,800,000 300,000 Europeans of the conquered territories, with this we must add an entourage including professionals, concubines and marine of 2,600,000 people . A total of 4,700,000 individuals, something impossible for the time and very difficult even in more times to come. It is clear that history is written by the victors and these figures are merely an attempt more so magnify the Greek victory. Counting the Persian ships can do a calculation something more close to reality, according to writings of the time talking about a fleet of 1207 ships tirremes and around 3000 that would serve many different functions. Although still a bit over a rough estimate we would between 250000 and 150000 men. With this army penetrated Xerxes in Greek lands.
Leonidas had a strength rather more humble to those who prepared the defense of the Greek confederation, about 10000 troops at most, which were composed of Boethius, Thebans, Akkadian, Phocians, Thespians and Lacedaemonians (Spartans). While the Greek fleet delayed the Persian fleet, Leonidas foce rebuild the wall that served to close the throat of the thermopiles a narrow path where it is possible that a smaller contingent arches its a much larger army.
harassed the Greek fleet to the Persian expedition could not provide or support the ground army of Xerxes, the night before the battle of Thermopylae in continuous harassment had lost 50 ships to the Persian. Both sides had captured ships contrary to what both sides were informed and the enemy troops. The Persian emperor arriving at Thermopylae was sure to have a numerical superiority so great that it gave importance to those troops who were on the pace and control two units, a 20,000 men, to clean up the pace and captured the Greeks. The Persians, surprised by the tough defense and inability to make any kind of tactics that take advantage of their number, had to withdraw with heavy casualties.
The way to combat the hoplites to form walls with their large shields throat was so tight that this was the ideal place to stop their enemies. With threats of flight and the formation of spears and shields which created a cap stop the Persian army that was very large. Then Xerxes control of its elite units of the immortals. A unit that always kept their exact number to give the feeling that never died or weakened. These were also unsuccessful. For two days the Greeks kept up without too many casualties. The front of the Greeks was rotating to always keep fresh on the force that brought the full weight of the battle. It is the first data that breaks a bit the legend, not only were the famous Leonid 300 men but a compendium of Greek forces which kept up. As will be seen later this does not detract from the legend of the 300. The specificity of the three hundred soldiers of the Spartan king's royal guard was that they were men who had left children at home so they were ready to die if need be.
Legend has it that the Greek traitor Ephialtes City Trachis was presented to Xerxes and revealed a secret passage in the rear of the Greek forces. Here comes again the legend. Among the Persian forces were the Thessaly, a Greek village before it, certainly knew the way and if it were not so Persian explorers had found the passage in two days. As there was no need of that betrayal that ended Xerxes across the step. Why did not before?, Because that step was not appropriate to move an army so large that naturally thought that such a small force could not endure so long. Xerxes sent the immortal Hydarnes under orders to advance on the step to attack the Greeks on both side of the pass.
arrived on the third day, the immortals had advanced by the passage during the night and morning, they found a force of 1000 foecios that were placed in defensive position on a nearby hill. Hydarnes preferred to avoid them to lose no more time and carry out its mission. Attacking from the rear to the Greeks in the pass. Were the same foecios who sent a messenger to warn Leonidas of the situation. Leonidas
aware of the progress of the immortals in the rear gave the men permission to retire knowing expired. Send a courier to ship Artemisio statement that the passage of Thermopylae had fallen before it happened that makes it clear that he knew since he had no chance to defend their position, let alone survive. It is this act that makes you wonder then why stay there to await his death and that of his men that tactically the time thus saved was already low, so strategically it was not a profitable endeavor for the Greek world.
There are several versions of this fact. The first and quoted by Herodotus, was that an oracle of Apollo at Delphi, the island had said that before the end of the war the city of Sparta or its monarch perish, perhaps this election ruled that he preferred to die for your city survived . Another version tells us that he was the third brother and therefore the third heir to the throne of Sparta, on the death of his two brothers came to the throne but not be made for them was never deemed worthy of that position, so it may stay that step and fight to the death would be his way of proving he was worthy and would give his life for his nation. In this mystery we must add that Sparta at the time of the Battle of Thermopylae had not yet emerged as defenders of the Greek world. Should be noted that apart from the famous 300 men of the royal guard of Leonidas 700 Thespians stayed also, 400 Thebans, and an unknown number of Boeotia, and thus can not the Spartans were the only brave warriors in Greece.
Thermopylae Pass The Greeks were surrounded on the wall Foce, on a small hill. Scribes have the time to even have the clear advantage, the Persians hesitated until it paging Xerxes his men for battle. Greek hoplites fought with their spears trying to maintain their combat training. When the lances were broken drew their swords and fought in the bloodiest melee of all medical wars. When Leonidas fell, the fight continued in a struggle to preserve the body of this and when there were few Greeks, Persians retreated and wiped a few Greeks Survivors beside the body of King Leonidas waves based on arrows. The Spartan king was beheaded and impaled on the order of Xerxes. Herodotus tells us that in those three days, the Persians lost around 20000 men for some 2000 Greeks as the scribes of the time. The few Greek soldiers were slaves captured and marked as possessions of Xerxes himself.
As you can see the story was not as we had been told, but it is also true that does not detract from the fame and legend has come down to us. Legend has it that the Persian emperor overwhelmed by the show of bravery by the Spartans squandered, he asked the Greeks who were part of his army if he had warriors more so in the territories to conquer. What the Thessalian 8000 soldiers said they were more like the 300 Spartans who had killed that day in step.
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