Thermopylae 480BC

Question 1

Thermopylae

Answer 1

• 480 BC
• Greek force of 7000 under Spartan king Leonidas vs 100-300,000 (sources say 1mil)
• First 4 days waiting, last 3 days engagement
• During 4 day period, Xerxes marshals troops and Greeks rebuild phocian defensive wall
• Day 5 Xerxes send immortals shorter spears than Greeks, proved useless, withdraw
• Same again on day 6 (herodotus), Ephialtes (Greek traitor) informs Xerxes of pass to Thermopylae over hills
• Persians surround Greeks under Hydarnes
• Day 7, Leonidas sent away troops, fought with 300 Spartans to death

Question 2

Leonidas

Answer 2

• Spartan king till death at Thermopylae 480
• Held Persians at bay for several days while Greeks re-organised
• His courage and fearlessness encouraged other Greek states to fight Persia
• Herodotus “the one to whom all especially looked up, and who had commanded of the entire force was Leonidas”