"Battle of Thermopylae" 480 BC

Hello Steemians !

I guess many of yoiu have seen the famous movie "300" which refers to the battle of Thermopylae.

The battle took place in the Malis Gulf in 480 BC parallely with the naval battle of Artemesium ,during the second invasion of the Persians to Hellas(Greece).
Xerxes was the leader of the Persian campaign .
From the Hellenic side , General and Politician Themistokles, persuaded Hellenes to defend the country in the narrow passages of Thermopylae in land and Artemesium in the sea.

image source

According to historical sources , Persians had 100.000-300.000 soldiers (ancient sources talk about 800.00-4.000.000 men) and reached the area of Thermopylae in September.
Hellenic army had 5.000-7.500 men.
Hellenes decided to resist in this area taking advantage of the narrow passage (back then this region had 2 narrow passges left and right of the Malis Gulf) applying a defensive tactic only as the numbers were with the Persians.

Xerxes sent messenger to Leonidas asking him for Land and Water ΓΗ ΚΑΙ ΥΔΩΡ in one word, Surrender
Leonidas answered the famous MΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ which means : Come and get them !

Day 1

After 4 days of waiting, Xerxes launched the attack with a barrage of arrows from 5.000 archers. This was inefective against the bronze shields and helmets of the Hellenes armament. Then he ordered 10,000 Medes and Cissians to attack the defenders . They launched wave attacks against Hellenes who were defending in thick formation , shoulder to shoulder using their huge shields and spears , behind the Phocian wall(made before battle) and using a rotation , they avoided fatigue. Medes and Cissians had no luck and as said there so many killed that Xerxes stood up from his throne to watch what was happening . In this attack , only 2-3 Spartans were killed.
Xerxes decided to sent his special force of 10.000 immortals in a second try to break the defenders line with Hydarnes leading them.
Spartans were pretending retreat and misleading them in the narrow passage they were suddenly attacking them allowing few to survive.

Day 2

Although the first day was a catastrophy for the attackers, Xerxes continue to believe that Hellenes were too few to resist in his mighty force !
So he repeated the attack in the same pattern of the previous day. Unfortunately for him , the results were exactly the same and he ordered a retreat !

Day 3

At the first day light ,the Phocians guarding the path above Thermopylae became aware of the outflanking Persians. At first Hydarnes and his immortals thought yhat he had to deal with Spartan warriors but trador Efialtes informed him they weren't. Phocians decide to retreat and inform Leonidas who was set as the Leader of the Hellenic force.
Leonidas decided to keep 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians and 400 Thebans to defend allowing the rest to leave as they would try to cver the retreat of the main force.

Hellenes were surrounded with enemies in front and back and had to fight in a wide field in comparison with the previous days. They did quite well until their spears were broken. Then they fought with their swords and hands until they all fell..
At some point Avrokomes and Hypernthes the 2 brothers of Xerxes were killed and a bit later Leonidas was killed too by arrows. As described in the ancient sources, a terrible fight begun to possese his dead body !

Thanks for stopping by and reading. Have a nice day !

info site

coloured images from the book : Persian Wars , Potes Stratikes Publications which i possess.