Misconceptions Concerning The Battle Of Thermopylae

Misconceptions Concerning the Battle of Thermopylae
"Xerxes turned his mind to the unfinished business of punishing the Greeks" (Brown 106). As
Xerxes closed in on the Greeks, during the Persian war, the Greeks needed to buy more time to
strengthen their army. The Greeks decided to slow down Xerxes army by intercepting them at
Thermopylae, a small pass where Xerxes' massive army would not be a major factor. For all those
concerned it was a suicide mission, but one in which they were honored to take part. Vastly
outnumbered the Greek's only hope was to fight to the death and hope they would buy enough time
for their country. Although the three hundred Spartans receive the glory for their sacrifice at the
battle of Thermopylae, they do not deserve all of the credit because they did not ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
This taught them to deal with hunger and to get what they wanted by whatever means necessary.
They were given one piece of clothing a year, expected to provide their own bedding from reeds,
and lie, cheat or steal to get what they wanted. Spartans were not only adapted to the harsh ways of
life, but were also trained rigorously on how to be the best warriors of Greece. They were taught the
skill of hand–to–hand combat, and they learned to be skilled with a xipho or Spartan sword. They
were also taught the Spartan fighting style: the Phalanx formation. This formation called for the first
line of men to have shields, stand shoulder to shoulder and point their shields at the enemy. The next
line would have long spears that would point over the first line and stab the approaching enemy.
This tactic was very useful on flat level ground; however, on bumpy or rocky ground the formation
was rendered useless. The Spartans possessed a deadly army; their navy however, was not respected
as much. The Spartan navy was practically non–existent before the Persian wars. However, once the
Persian wars started Sparta began to develop a naval force, though it remained small. In fact, Sparta
only contributed twenty ships and a single commander to the Greek force. Their main contribution
to the war was on land, the sea was left largely to the Corinthians. In contrast to the Spartans, the
Persian was
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Battle Of Thermopylae, And What Part Herodotus '
In his Histories, Herodotus seeks to lay out some of the major events that occurred in Greek history,
and though he does his best to keep the stories true to form, they often end up riddled with
hyperbole, inaccuracies, and Herodotus ' own personal perspective and opinions on certain topics.
At times he states outright that he is unsure how the actual events transpired, but in addition to these
there are other, more insidious moments in his tales in which the reader may not be able to deduce
that he is in fact completely fictionalizing for the sake of his narrative. To further examine this in
effect, this paper will scrutinize the battle of Thermopylae, and what part Herodotus ' intended
narrative plays in changing the perspective of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This likely nonexistent oracle was carefully placed in the narrative by Herodotus anachronistically
in order to place greater value on the notion of Leonidas choosing to stay for "distinction for the
Spartans alone" (Herodotus 7.220.4) at Thermopylae, knowing it to be a suicide mission. Again,
Leonidas probably consulted with no oracle, and stayed because he knew the strategic importance of
the pass. Leonidas is then said to dismiss the seer, but Herodotus himself admits that he has no
actual proof of Leonidas actually doing so. The Seer conveniently chose to stay for the battle, dying
with any proof of this prophecy. Though Herodotus is a known Athenophile, he clearly admires the
Spartans and their noble cause. (Cartledge Sparta p.111) He took this loss and through his narrative,
transformed it into a win for the Greeks, and thus painting it as a major contribution to the war
effort, even though it was not so. Herodotus knew of the valiance of the hopeless Spartans, and used
that to depict a grand duel between the Spartans, representing all of the Hellenes, and arguably the
rest of the known world, against the Persians. This narrative idea of this grand duel can

Analysis Of The Movie 300 By Frank Miller And Lynn Varley
The movie 300 is about King Leonidas of Sparta and a force of 300 men fighting against the
Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C. (300) This movie is based on the novel "300" written by Frank
Miller and Lynn Varley. ("Frank Miller 300 Movie vs. 300 Spartans History – Battle of
Thermopylae") But, how much of the movie corresponds to what it was really like in 480 B.C. with
the battle in Thermopylae. According to historians, Leonidas is deliberated as one of the renowned
potentates of Sparta, who led the Greek Empire in the Thermopylae Battle. The battle is measured as
one of the most well–known and intense proceedings in the history of Greece; and this shows a
leader that was eager to self–sacrifice in order to lead the empire and his army to victory. ("Leonidas
(c. 540–480 B.C.) Biography – Life of a King of Sparta") Leonidas (c. 530–480 B.C.) was king of
the city–state of Sparta from about 490 B.C. until his death at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.
Although Leonidas lost the battle not only of the war but also of his life, he was seen as a hero
because he dismissed his army of 300 combatants when he apprehended that the Persians outflanked
him. But despite his effort to save his 300 men, they all stayed to help him combat the Persians; but,
in the end they all deceased during the battle. (Staff, "Leonidas") Before the battle, there is not much
chronicled about Leonidas. ("Leonidas (c. 540–480 B.C.) Biography – Life of a King of Sparta")
But it was documented that

The Defense Of The Pass Failed
Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in Northern Greece, located 150 kilometers North of
Athens. It was an excellent choice for defense since it had mountains running down into the sea, the
only remaining land was a narrow marshy area along the coast. Thermopylae was a very strategic
location. It commands the pass from Thessaly through Lokris and Boeotia. Having secured the pass
could block any invaders and even make them turn back, though all three occasions, the defense of
the pass failed. The Athenians took position at Thermopylae in 352 BC, making Philip II decide not
to invade. Then, in 323 BC during the Lamian War, the general Leosthenes blocked the Macedonian
Antipater by stationing troops at Thermopylae. Thermopylae was not the only route south from
Thessaly; it was merely the fastest and easiest route.
The Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC was between the Spartans and the Persians. King Leonidas of
Sparta was declared to lead his men to march to the pass of Thermopylae to guard the pass from the
Greek city–states. Leonidas went to the Oracle to find out what was going to happen in the battle.
The oracle revealed that he was going to die. He knew that he would not be the only one dying, but
he also knew that the sons of his men would continue their lineage. While the Spartans marched to
the pass, they acquired more men from neighboring Greek city–states. The Persians were going
through the pass to get to the Greek city–states to conquer them,

Ephialtes and the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC)
The Zack Snyder film 300, released in 2006, depicts a sensationalized account of the Battle of
Thermopylae, which was fought in 480 BC between Persia, under the command of Xerxes, and a
contingent of Greek soldiers led by the Spartan King Leonidas. Howerver, the film is not based on
history, but on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, and, not surprisingly, there are many scenes in the
film that are not historically accurate. Some of these scenes involve the betrayal of Sparta by
Ephialtes, who, needless to say, in reality was not a hunchback monster who looked like a character
from Lord of the Rings. Beyond that blatant visual discrepancy, there are a number of details about
Ephialtes' background and role in the battle which in the film are ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Although in the movie Xerxes taunts Ephialtes with promise of reward, Herodotus tells us that
Ephialtes "got himself admitted to [Xerxes'] presence", presumably on his own initiative. Since
Thermopylae was located at the Malian Gulf, and Ephialtes was from Malis, it makes sense that he
would be familiar with the terrain and would be able to show the Persians the route through the
mountains. A self–serving Greek from the surrounding area, Ephialtes pointed the Persians in a
direction that allowed a rear attack on the Spartan position. When news of this reached Leonidas and
the Greek forces assembled at Thermopylae, he ordered most of the forces to go, leaving only 300
Spartans, the Thespians, and the Thebans. The Persians made it past the Phocians who were
guarding the mountain pass, and the Spartans, realizing they were going to die, fought desparately.
Not only did Leonidas and his men die in battle, but also many more Persians, including two of
Xerxes' brothers, fell that day. The Persian army pushed through Thermopylae and proceeded
toward Attica, where they were defeated in a naval battle at Salamis (480 BC): another important
event which the movie does not mention at all. The next year the Greeks defeated Persia in a land
battle at Plataea, and a naval battle at Mycale, and Persia was successfully driven out of Greece.
Because he had betrayed the Greeks, Ephialtes fled to Thessaly, and "during

The Battles Between The Persian Empire And Ancient Greece
Thermopylae and Herodotus
Wenxin Zheng
Exchange student, Nanjing University, China
Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred ten years after the Battle of Marathon in the first Bohemia
War, is another famous historical clash between the Persian Empire and ancient Greece. In
Thermopylae, Spartans resisted for days, blocked the powerful Persian army from conquering
Greek. In BC 490, the Persian army crossed the Aegean Sea and landed on the Marathon plain in the
first Bohemian war, encroaching the Athens. Athenians defended at emergency in the one hand and
turned to Sparta for help in the other hand. But the Spartans refused to help, on the grounds that they
cannot start a war in a full moon day. In the beginning, the Persians merely intended to break
through the middle, while Athens was culminating in the battle and attack Persians in two different
sides. In the end, the Persians overstretched, resulting in the situation surrounded by the Athenians.
Finally, they retreated back to Persia.
One decade went by, Persia attacked the Greece once again. This time was in Thermopylae. The
event that directly led up to it was that the Athenians had helped in the Asia Minor Ionians revolting.
Persian regarded it as a signal and took the opportunity to revenge. Of course, objectively speaking,
the real cause of the war was the aggression and expansion of Persian Empire.
Before the Battle of Thermopylae, Darius I who set off the first Bohemia War died, then his son
Xerxes ascended the throne.

Analysis Of The Movie ' The Battle Of Thermopylae ' Essay
Spartans are well known all over the world because its huge charm that can grab everyone 's
attention on it. The movie 300 it had to reveal the mysterious of Sparta, it had come to refresh
people 's memory of Sparta. Also, its magnificent film and excellent action thought out the movie
impact our impression of Spartans. The Spartans had once again come in front of people, its
amazing history had remembered by everyone who saw the movie. The movie 300 is a 2007 film
which record what happened in Thermopylae During 480 BC. The Battle of Thermopylae was
fought between an alliance of Greek city–states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian
Empire of Xerxes Iover the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece.
The battle name is called Thermopylae, during that time Persian Empire King Xerxes I have about
150 thousand man, and Xerxes conquers and controls everything he rests his eyes upon, he leads and
army so missive, it shakes the ground with its march. On the other hand, Greek seems too tiny; as a
result, Sparta King Leonidas thought Thermopylae would be the best place to fight with his enemy,
and then Leonidas used his wisdom, he funneled them into the mountain pass Hot Gates which is the
Thermopylae. Because in that narrow corridor, Xerxes military numbers would count for nothing.
However, even Leonidas was the king of Sparta, but he had to follow the oracle. The oracle was told
by some strange guys who were living in the mountain. Those

Analysis Of The Movie ' 300 ' The Battle Of Thermopylae '
In Zack Snyder's 300, the battle of Thermopylae, the life of the Spartans and the glory of war comes
to life on the big screen for all audiences worldwide. The movie, 300, released in 2006 is based on
the graphic novel written by Frank Miller, 300. The movie focuses on the use of the Classical past to
portray everything from the upbringing of a Spartan to the bravery of King Leonidas and the 300
Spartans on the battle fields of Thermopylae against the mighty Persians. Unlike most Hollywood
movies proliferated based on real events, the movie 300, keeps accurate to the novel and the events
that occurred in history. Despite the minor alterations and exaggerations such abandoning body
armor and over–glorifying the Spartans, the movie still remains faithful to both the novel and history
by using the classical past to explore social norms, accurately depict the way of life, events that
occurred such as the battle of Thermopylae and the nature of people during 500 BCE.
300 is a Hollywood film that focuses primarily on ancient Greece and the battle of Thermopylae as
reminisced from history and partly from Frank Miller's novel, 300. The battle of Thermopylae was a
war in which the alliance of Greek city–states such as Athens and Greece went to war against the
Persian King Xerxes. Moreover, the movie strictly focuses on the last stand of King Leonidas and
his men. According to historical evidence, it is known that the battle between Greece and the
Persians consisted of not only the

King Leonidas Research Paper
A Spartan poet Tyrtaeus once said "You should reach the limit of virtue, before you cross the border
of death." Great leaders show unparalleled moral standards. They must also never give up in what
they believe and fight till death takes them. Leonidas is a perfect example of these virtues. Leonidas
wasn't your average kind of person who grew up in Chelan, Washington and went to school; no he
was a Spartan. He was raised in Sparta, Greece in the year 540 B.C. Leonidas became the warrior
king of Sparta because of his superior military skills, after the death of his older brother who had
been tortured to death (History.com Staff). He showed his superior military strategies at the battle of
Thermopylae by saving his troops. Leonidas showed his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At the battle of Thermopylae Leonidas chose a narrow mountain pass to defend against the Persians
which was one of the best choices one could have made. Combined with the Spartans combat
formation the Phalanx the Persians stood no chance: the History.com website states "The Phalanx
was at least eight ranks deep and fought as one unit. And with the hoplite shield protecting the
soldier from chin to knee personally, also presented an impenetrable wall to the opposing army"
(Leonidas). Leonidas knew that his armies Phalanx and the narrow mountain pass was a deadly
combination. However, a big decision was still to be made. Nothing did Leonidas know that a
Greece had a traitor. The traitor had lead the Persians to a secret mountain pass and were planning
on flanking Leonidas' army at night. The library.flawlesslogic.com website states "Leonidas learned
of this treachery in time to send away most of his men and all his allies. Then he swung his
remaining force of 300 guardsmen against the enemy, with undaunted courage and grim
determination worthy of their Gods" (Leonidas). Sending back most of his men Leonidas gave the
Persians a fair fight and avoided the worst. Leonidas' strategies were unparalleled at his time, but
every great leader has his own motives for such a

300 the Movie Analysis
The movie is based upon a graphic novel by Frank Miller (of comic book fame). They are both
based upon a one of the most famous battles in the Persian Wars (492 – 449 BC), The Battle of
Thermopylae. The Battle of Thermopylae goes down in history for being one of the most heroic
feats of bravery in any war. The Spartan King Leonidas led 300 Spartan warriors in a fight to block
the Persian Army from passing into Greece through a two meter wide pass through the mountains of
Thermopylae. The Persian army that vastly outnumbered the Spartans was beat back for two days
and during those defeats they suffered heavy losses that outweighed the Spartans 20 to 1. All was
lost on the third day after a traitor revealed to the Persian King Xexres that ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
I wonder, are the days of King Leonidas gone forever? I can tell you that I can't wait to see the film
"300" because the story has really moved me. url 1: http://www.slideshare.net/arpit105/300–
lessons–in–strategy–from–the–movie url 2 : http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Leadership–In–
Movie–300/214587 How tha hell did 300 spartans beat half a million persians...? There were a few
thousand greeks present. They used the terrain to bottleneck the Persain force, making the actual
number of Persians they had to fight a perfectly manageable number. The Spartans lived and
breathed war. They learned to fight when they were children, and trained hard for it when they were
adults. In addition, their armor, weapons, everything was far superior to what the Persians used.
Their swords and spears made short work of the Persian's wicker shields. Strategy wise, they were
also far superior. The movie 300 was fairly accurate, as to where they fought. Only a small number
of persians could come at them at a time. they were in a narrow pass and they had an almost
impenatrable defenese with there shields, they were very well trained (from age 8 taking as a young
boy) with 40lb bronze shields persian army had wicker shields (very weak) and were untrained
mostly farmers. The spartans only had to swing and stab as the persians came running after

Analysis Of The Movie ' The Spartan Warrior Dilios '
United We Stand
When I was fourteen, the only movie that I really wanted to see was 300. The hype surrounding it,
along with the action–packed trailer, completely captured my interest. Naturally, it was the one and
only movie that I was completely forbidden to see. No amount of pleading could sway my parents'
decision, much to my increasing dismay. Fast forward a few years later, and sixteen year–old me is
still begging to see this one movie. Eventually, after two years of asking and begging to see this
movie, my father finally said yes. Zach Snyder's comic–adapted movie 300 is full of everything any
viewer could ever want: attractive actors and lots of blood, guts, and glory. David Wenham plays the
Spartan warrior Dilios, who I believe gives the most inspiring speech that any R–rated movie has
ever produced. Dilios' speech at the end of the movie 300 is exceedingly effective in its purpose to
motivate and persuade the massive army of Greeks and Spartans to fight the hordes of Xerxes'
armies. In the final speech to the army of Spartans and Greeks in the movie 300, Dilios tells the men
of the brave sacrifice of King Leonidas and his three hundred men who fought and died at the Battle
of Thermopylae. Although, they were greatly outnumbered by the armies of Xerxes and eventually
were defeated, their story traveled far and wide across the land. Dilios, the last and only survivor of
the Battle of Thermopylae, brought their glorious tale back to Sparta, where it spread

Analysis Of The Movie ' 300 ' By Frank Miller
Hollywood is not known for producing films which are necessarily historically accurate, and the
film 300 produced by Zack Snyder continues this trend. Even though all historical inaccuracies in
the film were intentional, the film better depicts the novel "300", written by Frank Miller, than
history itself. The reason people today know anything about the battle between the Persians and
Spartans is due to an ancient Greek historian named Herodotus. His documentation of the war can
be found in his writings called the histories. The purpose of this essay is to analyze the historical
accuracies of the movie 300 compared to the actual war and battle between the Persians and the
Spartans of Greece. While the film does a good job of entertaining the audience and getting certain
aspects of history correct, the film should not be considered historically accurate or true. Dilios,
Spartan soldier, begins his story by depicting the life of Leonidas from birth to kingship. One part of
the film which was historically accurate was that Spartans would inspect new Born 's to decided if
they should be "discarded." In the film it shows Leonidas' newly born child being inspected to
decide if it was fit to keep. If a child was deformed or puny then it was sent to the "place of
rejection" in a spot near Mount Taygetus. The first mistake the film makes is in regard to how the
young warriors trained. The film shows one warrior in training hunting in the mountains alone,
which never happened.

King Leonidas : The King Of Sparta
King Leonidas was the king as well as the primary military leader of Sparta that lead 300 of his best
troops to the Battle of Thermopylae against Xerxes and his Persian military 480 B.C. Leonidas
unfortunately lost the battle, and Thermopylae was overtaken but Leonidas will always be known
for his sacrifice as well as leading by example by always fighting up front with his men as equals.
He as well as his brave 300 fought gallantly and died protecting Thermopylae. The courageous
attributes of King Leonidas are ones that future leaders can still utilize today.
Leonidas the first was born in the Peloponnesian Peninsula which is a part of Sparta in southern
Greece in 440 B.C. He was the son of the Spartan king Anaxandrides. However, during his
childhood, Leonidas was not expected to become king, especially since he was not the first in line
for the throne. Anaxandrides' first wife did not produce any heirs during the early years of the
marriage. The Spartan council pushed Anaxandrides to wed a second time. This is something that
was never done in Spartan history. The firstborn of the second Wife was a male named Cleomenes,
who became the first heir to the throne. In the meantime, the first wife conceived three sons, Dorieus
the eldest, Leonidas the middle child, and Cleombrotus the youngest. However, Cleomenes was
deemed mentally impaired and not a perfect fit for King, since Spartans valued pure genes and often
practiced eugenics against anyone was handicapped. The

Thermopylae Research Paper
It is hard to tell how long the Greeks could have stalled the Persians at Thermopylae – their
casualties were pretty light – but the question was soon made moot . When the Greeks had first
arrived, they learned that the almost impregnable site possessed a hidden weakness: There was a
track through the mountains that could be used by an enemy force to surround and annihilate the
defenders of the gate.
Recognizing the danger, Leonidas dispatched his Phocian guard to protect the path. the already
small number of troops available at the gate was now made smaller by the division of the Greek
forces. The Phocians themselves were charged with the difficult task of defending a route with no
natural defenses. Their best hope – Greece's best hope – ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They then fought with their swords. In the struggle, Leonidas king of sparta fulfilled his prophecy
and died for his people and all of greece. Four times the Greeks drove the enemy away from his
body trying to protect their king before the Persians finally dragged it away. It was about then that
the second Persian force arrived from the mountain pass.
Now completely surrounded, the exhausted Greeks withdrew for the last time behind the wall and
formed themselves into a single compact body. Here, wrote Herodotus, they resisted to the last, with
their swords, if they had them, and, if not, with their hands and teeth, until the Persians, coming on
from the front over the ruins of the wall and closing in from behind, finally overwhelmed them.
The Battle of Thermopylae was over. Leonidas and his 300 Spartans all lay dead, as did the 700
Thespians who had stood by them. The Persian dead were said to number around 20,000, although
Xerxes tried to conceal this horrendous loss by having most of them secretly buried, leaving only
about 1,000 Persian bodies for his army to see as it marched through the pass. Xerxes ordered
leonidas's head cut off and fixed on a stake. With the rest of the Greek army dead he buried leonidas.
this held up his army for a long time, and to reminded his veterans of Thermopylae that the Spartans
were mortal after

Historical Film Analysis : The 300
Historical Film Analysis: the 300
The 300 is a fictional retelling of Herodotus's account of the Battle of Thermopylae from the
perspective of Leonidas I and his fellow Spartans. The film is based on a comic book of the same
name and is a live action, shot–by–shot visualization of said comic. 300 utilizes stunning two–
dimensional graphics and dramatic lighting and camera angles to make the film look more like a
moving comic. Both the film and its literary counterpart are full of historical inaccuracies,
exaggerations, and modern biases that obscure history, but like the writings of Herodotus, they're
quite entertaining and do an excellent job portraying Spartan life and the gruesomeness of the Battle
of Thermopylae. Once more Gerard ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
But nevertheless, many accounts of the Battle of Thermopylae (like that by Herodotus) state that
Leonidas was indeed an older man with incredible skills and admirable characteristics.
The third historical inaccuracy found within the film is about the subject of slavery. The many
Persian emissaries, and Leonidas I himself, state multiple times that the Persian Empire enslaves
conquered peoples. This made the entire movie almost unwatchable because the main plot of the
movie revolves around Spartans fighting for freedom. In real life, the Persian Empire appalled
slavery and such a practice went against Persian religion, whereas the poleis of Greece heavily
depended on slavery and treated slaves far more poorly than the fictional version of king Xerxes I.
This made Leonidas I and the other Spartans come off as extreme hypocrites and vilified the Persian
Empire.
The fourth historical inaccuracy that I noticed in 300 is how the five ephors are portrayed. The
narrator describes them as evil, monstrous looking creatures that are driven by greed and lust and
shows that they betrayed Sparta. I think they were portrayed this way to add drama to the scene, to
justify Leonidas's actions and reasoning, and to signify the gravity of Sparta's situation. In my
opinion, even though the ephors were not bribed, they were

Analysis of the Battle of Thermopylae
The battle of Thermopylae was the Greek's first stand against the massive army of King Xerxes, and
was the most influential battle of the entire war. Up to this point, the Persian army was seen as too
massive and powerful to be stopped. The once warring city–states of Greece knew they couldn't
stand against the Persians alone, and knew in order to defend their homeland they would have to
unite. A unity of command was agreed upon; King Leonidas of Sparta was chosen to lead the Greek
forces. He was chosen to lead because of the unsurpassed warring abilities the Spartans were so well
known for made him perfect for the objective of stopping the Persians. Xerxes and his army landed
on the Greek shores of Thermopylae sometime in the summer ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Not what Xerxes expected from a small force about to face his hundreds of thousands of troops.
What Xerxes didn't know was that to a Spartan, fighting was almost like a game to them and that
death on the battle field was the most honorable way to die. The Spartans were not afraid of King
Xerxes or his army so they sat and waited behind their small stone wall for the Persian horde. The
Persian army waited four days after their arrival on the Greek shore before actually engaging the
Spartans in combat. On the fifth day Xerxes launched an assault on Leonidas' position. To begin the
attack the Persians fired a huge barrage of arrows at the Spartans. About 5,000 arrows were
launched at the Spartans with no effect. The large bronze shields and helmets used by the Spartans
proved to be too much for the Persian arrows. King Xerxes then ordered 10,000 troops forward to
take the Spartans prisoners (Robinson). The wave of Persians moved forward and soon found
themselves in a full frontal assault with a wall of spears and shields. The Spartan phalanx stretched
from each side of the pass. The phalanx formation put each man shoulder to shoulder with their
large shields forming a wall of bronze. Each man was armed with a spear that would protrude from
the wall making it almost impossible for the Persian soldiers, with much smaller and weaker swards
and shields, to penetrate their defense. The Spartan phalanx was positioned right behind the stone
wall they had constructed as well.

Analysis Of The Year 480 Ce King Leonidas Of Sparta
In the year 480 CE King Leonidas of Sparta was faced with one of the toughest decisions in war
history. He decided to take three hundred Spartan soldiers to war with him at the pass of
Thermopylae. King Leonidas' decision would mark his name in the history books, after his death
statues and monuments, along with books and films were created to reflect on his heroism against
the Persians. 300 is a prime example, and has been nominated for numerous awards and is a known
movie for the events that took place in Thermopylae in 480 CE. Zach Snyder's film was excellent
and displayed some accurate events in history, but being based on the Battle of Thermopylae 300 did
not portray Spartan life and the details of battle in a precise way. Most details about warfare, Spartan
upbringing, and people involved in the war were off and not accurate to history.
Off the bat the first scene in 300 is very historically accurate. In Sparta when a baby was born it
would be examined and searched for defects or any misshaped body parts and if the baby did not
seem fit, it would be discarded (PK). That was displayed in the beginning of 300 when baby
Leonidas was examined after birth. King Leonidas went through all evaluations and other rituals for
males. At the young age of seven he went away to Agoge, which was sort of like a "Warrior–
Initiation" for young men . Scenes from the film showed young boys being trained and fighting to
toughen each other up. Also 300 showed boys being punished

The Battle Of Thermopylae During Western Civilization History
The battle of Thermopylae is an important event in western civilization history. This battle
established the name of the Spartans and how ruthless and disciplined they were. The battle of
Thermopylae also helped end the wrath of Xerxes and the Persians before they could conquer all of
the city–states that they wanted to. The battle also revolutionized the technique of using the land to
people's advantage in war.
Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in Northern Greece, located 150 kilometers North of
Athens. It was an excellent choice for defense since it had mountains running down into the sea, the
only remaining land was a narrow marshy area along the coast. Thermopylae was a very strategic
location. It commands the pass from Thessaly through Lokris and Boeotia. Having secured the pass
could block any invaders and even make them turn back, though all three occasions, the defensive
use of the pass failed. The Athenians took position at Thermopylae in 352 BC, making Philip II
decide not to invade. Then, in 323 BC during the Lamian War, the general Leosthenes blocked the
Macedonian Antipater by stationing troops at Thermopylae. Thermopylae was not the only route
south from Thessaly; it was merely the fastest and easiest route.
The Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC was between the Spartans and the Persians. King Leonidas of
Sparta was declared to lead his men to march to the pass of Thermopylae to guard the pass from the
Greek city–states. Leonidas went

The Battle Of A Greek Poet
Simonides of Ceos, a Greek poet, wrote an epitaph to commemorate the three hundred Spartans'
brave sacrifice against the massive Persian Army. The Greek epitaph translates to "Go tell the
Spartans passerby, that here, by Spartan law, we lie." The three hundred Spartans died obeying their
country's law, "Never to flee in battle, however many the enemy may be, but to remain in the ranks
and to conquer or die." This law is the epitome of a warrior society that the Spartans wanted to
create. At the time of the 5th century, the world recognized the Persians as the greatest force in the
East. The expansion of the West to conquer the Greeks started with Darius the Great, king of Persia.
His conquest failed when the Persian Army was defeated by a surprise attack from the Athenians at
the plain of Marathon in 490 BC. Ten years later, Xerxes, Darius's son, sought to revenge his father
by launching an invasion of Greece with twice the force from Marathon. The battle of Thermopylae
in 480 BC was the first interaction the Persians had with a Greek force during this second invasion.
Even though the battle was won by the Persians, it is critical to question how such a small Greek
force of three hundred led by Leonidas of Sparta was able to suppress the entire Persian Army for a
total of three days. The three hundred Spartans successfully delayed the Persian invasion because of
its warrior society breeding exceptional soldiers of invulnerable mentality, military equipment and
tactics,

Gates Of Fire Sparknotes
Gates of Fire By: Steven Pressfield Subject Person– Spartan Warriors Place– Greece 480 B.C.
Event– Battle of Thermoplae. Concept– Xeones recounts his life leading up to the battle. Object–
Greek city–states consisting of 300 Spartan Warriors, 400 Thebans, 700 Thespian Volunteers And
around 900 Helots Fought The Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae. Reason For Choosing
Book Prior to reading this novel I had some knowledge of the Battle of Thermopylae. I watched the
movie 300last year and it is based on the battle of Thermopylae and the lifestyle of the Spartan
Warriors. Summary Gates of Fire tells the story of a young Greek boy, Xeones, who is the sole
Hellenic survivor of the epic battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. After ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
They are slain to the last, with the exception of Xeones, who is wounded severely. His health
recovers as a captive of Xerxes, who desires to know more of the men that held his entire army at
bay.
Xeones relates the narrative of his life and experiences with the Spartans to Xerxes. It is through his
eyes that the rigors of Spartan military life are revealed. He recounts his childhood, his capture by
the Spartans and his interactions with the leading men and women of Sparta. He dies soon after the
defeat of the Persian navy at Salamis. Alexandros and Dionekes are killed at Thermopylae with
Leonidas and the other Spartans. Rooster, who is almost put to death for sedition, eventually
redeems himself as a great Spartan warrior at the battle of Platea, which effectively ends the Persian
invasion of Greece.
The story provides gritty, graphic detail of life and combat in Fifth Century BC Greece. It fleshes
out the history of the actual event at Thermopylae as recorded by Herodotus, and gives the reader a
true feel for what it must have been like to fight as a Spartan hoplite in a phalanx against the
Persians. Connection between your book and the field of history/social studies This book shows a
battle between free men and slaves, many against few, and they both fight for different reasons.
King Leonidas of Sparta fights for freedom and his country, on the contrary King Xerxes of Persia
fights for individual power and slavery trying to cement his name in the

Research Paper On Leonidas
Leonidas
As a king, Leonidas was a military leader as well as a political one. Like all male Spartan citizens
Leonidas had been trained mentally and physically since childhood in preparation to become a
hoplite warrior.
Q1: Leonidas' son Pleistarchus became king on his father's death but due to his young age Pausanius
acted as regent. The Greeks, within a year, gained revenge for Thermopylae with victories at
Salamis and Plataea; the latter even led by Pausanius, nephew of Leonidas. Xerxes' invasion was
emphatically rebuffed and those who fell at Thermopylae were not forgotten. A monument was set
up at the site with the words of Simonedes' epitaph stating: 'go tell the Spartans, you who read: We
took their orders and here lie dead'. A stone lion was also placed in memory of Leonidas and his
men. Forty years after the battle the king's remains were exhumed and returned to Sparta where they
were given proper burial and a hero–shrine was also established in his priviledge.
Q2: Leonidas was a Spartan king immortalized in Greek literature and legend because of his heroic
last stand against Persian Leonidas established his army at Thermopylae, expecting that the narrow
pass would funnel the Persian army toward his own force. For two days, the Greeks withstood the
determined attacks of their far more countless enemy. Leonidas' plan worked well at first, but he did
not know that there was a route over the mountains to the west of Thermopylae that would allow

300 Movie Accuracy
The movie 300 came out in 2006 and was directed by Zack Snyder. It describes the event of King
Leonidas and his Spartan soldiers' fighting against the powerful Persian army at Thermopylae. Many
movies that are created to express events from ancient times have both accurate and inaccurate
aspects. In 300 the Spartan soldiers were physically displayed incorrectly along with a few other
historical misconceptions. That said, the way the women were portrayed was truthful as well as the
appearance of the oracle and the exact account of the three hundred men. In the beginning of the
movie you see a young boy at the age of seven participating in intense training that seems cruel and
inhumane. The Spartans believed in a harsh military and any means of killing. Spartan soldiers were
blood thirsty and tough which was also shown in the women's personality and attitude. In the movie,
King Leonidas' wife, Queen Gorgo, understood the importance of the harsh training that her son
would endure no matter what. This explains the reactions of the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Some aspects of the events in the movie were accurate, like the Persian soldiers and the use of the
oracle that King Leonidas consulted before the battle. Other aspects like the Spartan soldiers' battle
attire or Leonidas death was not accurately expressed. Movies don't always strive for accuracy in a
film. They want to entertain their audience and create an action filled piece of work. This movie is
important to watch because it can then test its audience's knowledge on history. It's important to be
able to recognize reliable sources to learn from and watching this movie is not a reliable source to be
educated about The Battle of Thermopylae nor the groups of people it symbolized. It is a good
movie just to enjoy because of the action and violence that many viewers like but it does give the
correct facts of

Reflecting The Viewpoints of Time in Art Essay
Throughout history, ideals such as heroism and patriotism as well as concepts such as war and
violence, have acquired different connotations. During the 19th century, they had a positive
connotation. With the occurrence of revolutions war and violence was justified under the ideals of
patriotism and heroism. During the 21st century, society began to was in the process of developing a
more sophisticated view. The century was even more violent than the 19th century with conflicts
such as the world wars and in particular the Vietnam War. Yet they were no longer were justified
outright by ideals. America, for example, began to question its involvement in the Vietnam War for a
number of reasons. Two artists, two centuries apart, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
David depicts Leonidas and his men in the final moments before battle. At the center and focus of
the painting, David has placed Leonidas sitting on a rock. He seems to be thinking about the fate of
himself and his men. While Leonidas is looking stoically at the viewer, flurries of activity are
occurring around him. To Leonidas's right, sentinel trumpeters sound the call to arms increasing the
sense of the movement. Seated at his feet is his wife's brother Agis, awaiting orders. Behind
Leonidas, are three figures lifting up wreaths about two altars to Hercules and Aphrodite. Two very
young warriors are by Leonidas after refusing to carry a message so that they could stay and fight. A
man inscribes the words "Passer–by, tell Sparta that her sons died for her" on the rock. All of the
figures are ready to die for the glory of Sparta. David painted Leonidas at Thermopylae using oil on
canvas. He had "an extremely laborious working procedure, in which draughtsman ship played a
major role". He made countless studies in preparing for the painting. He would even complete
drawings of the skeletons of his figures. David painted on a small part of a picture at a time. The
purpose was to create the effect of "the look–out man signals the arrival of the Persians, the
trumpeters sound the warning fanfare, and Leonidas looks up from his supreme moment of life on
earth". David's Leonidas represents the ability

Battle Of Thermopylae Research Paper
The battle of thermopylae my topic shows taking a stand by ancient greece joining together to beat
the persian empire even though they didn't all see eye to eye.The battle of Thermopylae was the first
between the Persians and Greeks during the Persian invasion of 480–479 BC. This . The Greek force
was very small but was determined to make a stand against the huge Persian army.All of Greece was
in fear, knowing that the army of the Persian king Xerxes had begun its invasion of Greece.
Already the Thessalians had gone over to the Persian side, but some Greek cities had come together
and forgotten their usual rivalries, determining to stop the Persian invasion. These cities agreed that
Sparta would lead the Greek army, as her reputation in war was unmatched by any other Greek
state."Spartans were combing their hair and exercising. However, the king was warned not to
misread this information: the Spartans were preparing to fight to the death and were men of great
bravery".The battle of Thermopylae was the first between the Persians and Greeks during the ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They were not ready just yet to surrender to the Persians.""And so the Spartans and those other
Greeks who fought to the death had lost the battle for Thermopylae. The Persian army could now
march into central Greece, wreaking havoc and destruction. But, although the Greeks had lost this
battle, the great courage shown by the Spartans boosted the morale of other Greeks. They were not
ready just yet to surrender to the Persians."And so the Spartans and those other Greeks who fought
to the death had lost the battle for Thermopylae. The Persian army could now march into central
Greece, wreaking havoc and destruction. But, although the Greeks had lost this battle, the great
courage shown by the Spartans boosted the morale of other Greeks. They were not ready just yet to
surrender to the

The Battle of Thermopylae began in 480 BC and was a...
The Battle of Thermopylae began in 480 BC and was a product of the Greeks attempt help defend
the Ionians from the Persians. This irritated the Persian Emperor, Xerxes, because he thought of
Greece as a small kingdom that had no place revolting against the Persian Empire. The Athenians
sympathized with the Ionians because the Persians had also tried to invade Greece on multiple
occasions. The Athenians provided feeble help to the Ionians and in retaliation the Persians struck at
athens (23B). Xerxes was known to be irrational with his temper, and may have thought of his
invasion as retaliation for the fact that his father, Darius the Great, was defeated at the Battle of
Marathon against the Greeks. His temper was so great that at Hellas ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Demophilus was the general who came to Leonidas' aid by leading eight hundred Thebans and
Thespians alongside the Spartans (A). On the opposing side, Xerxes gained a lot of power in his
home empire, Persia, by spreading propaganda claiming that he was a God. He constructed a plan to
invade Greece after the Ionian Revolt and the Battle of Marathon. He was power crazed and angry,
and although these personality traits led him to gain power in the short term, they ultimately led to
the fall of the Persian Empire (A). Not many people know about Ephialtes, but he is in part
responsible for the Greek's loss. On the second day of the battle, Ephialtes reported to the Persians
that there was previously unknown flanking path that would lead to a vulnerable access point behind
the Spartan lines. This would ultimately lead to the destruction of the Greek warriors (A). In
addition to good leadership the greeks developed and employed successful battle tactics, which they
were able to adapt to the topography, thus allowing them to sustain afight despite being grossly
outnumbered (C). The most important tactic was the Hoplite Phalax, which was a wall of Greek
infantry men with shields and long spears. This was effective for the Greeks because the advancing
Persians had to travel through a very narrow path along the Malian Gulf to

King Leonidas Vs Karolos Paphilias
Leonidas vs. Karolos Papulias: The Bigger Impact
John Quincy Adams once said "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, and
become more, you are a leader." Leonidas I was a strong leader and general, whose childhood
consisted of violence and brutal training but he turned out to lead some of history's most famous
battles. Karolos Papulias was a kind but stern president and he made decisions that would stay with
greece forever.
Karolos Papulias is a better leader and made a bigger impact than Leonidas I because his decisions
were more for the well being of Greece and its people.
II. King Leonidas lead important battles in history ,but he wasn't king for long due to his harsh
decisions.
He had a rough childhood but all led ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
B. The President's early life wasn't the most interesting but lead up to his terms.
Papulias was a "Minister for Foreign Affairs" before his presidential terms (Greek president). 2. He
was married to "Mary Panou" and had 4 children as his family (Greek president).
C. President Papulous had many bumps in the road, but some of the challenges turned out to work in
his favor.
The president "struggled for nine days" trying to form a national unity government for Greece (the
economist).
In 2011 he visited Israel and was thanked for "calming the atmosphere" and helping during their
hard times (Greek president).
D. Throughout the journey may have made some questionable decisions but he made Greece a better
place.
IV. Between Papulias and Leonidas, they lead many important issues that either were solved or
made worse.
Even though Leonidas wasn't leader for long, he made harsh decisions which was significant but
didn't seem necessary.
Leonidas went into "The battle of Thermopylae" with only "300 warriors" when he was against
4,000 other men

The Battle Of Thermopylae, By Zack Snyder And Staring...
Society wants to believe in warriors who are so epic, that the mind can barely fathom the seemingly
impossible things they achieve. As a result, tales of warriors accomplishing terrific feats are
transformed into warriors unrealistically doing the impossible. Thus, the myth of the warrior is
created by people's desire to believe in the unbelievable. The movie "300", directed by Zack Snyder
and staring Gerard Butler as Leonidas, is the perfect example of how people's craving for a fantastic
warrior tale results in the creation of an embellished myth. This film is based on real events that
occurred at the battle of Thermopylae, yet certain elements have been changed for the sake of
satisfying the warrior myth. Due to society's desire for warrior myths, the movie "300" reinvents the
battle of Thermopylae by overstating Leonidas and his 300 men's physical capabilities, the power of
the Persian forces and, by distorting the battle itself. Leonidas and his 300 men are characterized as
blood thirsty warriors who are utterly void of fear. While the film does include some factual
information about the fortitude of Spartan warriors, most things are elaborated. Spartans were
inspected for any birth defects and, if any were found, then the baby Spartan would have been
discarded. The movie makes note of this in the opening scenes when Leonidas is born (1:15). Also,
Spartan children were in fact taken to barracks at the young age of 7 to begin military training. Once
again, the

The Fight Against Xerxes: The Unification Of Greece
Persia, under King Darius' rule, was expanding into Western Europe toward Athens, Greece between
522–486 BC. Although the reason for Darius to conquer Greece was ultimately unknown, historians
theorize it was likely Darius was attempting to "quell once and for all a collection of potentially
troublesome rebel states". (Ancient History) Despite Darius sending multiple envoys to "call for the
Greek's submissions", the Greeks responded with violence while the Spartans called for an alliance
to defend Greece. Upon Darius' death in 486 BC, Xerxes became king of the Persian Empire and
immediately began focusing his efforts to mobilize his army and conquer Greece.
The Spartans were known for their "well–disciplined law abiding society, disciplined army" which,
combined with the Greeks, managed to offer the greatest resistance to Xerxes. (edsmitement.org)
The Greek cities all came in agreement the resistance against Xerxes will be led by the Spartans as
their reputation in warfare was unmatched. (AncientGreece.co.uk) The Persian Empire had a
population of approximately 70 million while covering 1 million square miles of territory. Greece
only had "fewer than 2 million inhabitants and only covered 50,000 miles of territory". The Persian
Empire was a unified nation, despite its diversity compared to Greece which was made up of
"individual ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The pass created a bottleneck effect which prevented an all–out Persian assault. The Battle of
Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC and comprised of Greek Forces, primarily Spartan, led by
Leonidas. (Britannica) King Xerxes spent four years collecting weapons, men and supplies for his
campaign to conquer Greece. Xerxes managed to amass a force of approximately two million men
and four thousand ships that sailed through a canal that was "dug across the Isthmus of Actium near
Mr. Athos.

Comparison Of King Leonidas And Sparta
You may have seen the film 300 led by the infamous king Leonidas, which told the story of the
Battle of Thermopylae's and how king Leonidas and his 300 Spartans defeated thousands of Persian
soldiers. At child birth you were either deemed fit or unfit to be called a spartan. If the baby were
deemed unfit, the baby would be left out to die. At the age of 7 you would leave your family start
your training as a young soldier. This was all portrayed in the movie however, how king Leonidas
became king is false. The story of king Leonidas and the 300 Spartans is one of my favorite battles
in History because it is one of the most epic, controversy, stories to date.
Leonidas had a half–brother named Cleomenes which died under mysterious circumstances without
producing an heir. Because of this, Leonidas rose to the throne as the new king. King Leonidas was
both a political and military leader and was highly trained in combat like every other Spartan. Each
Spartan was equipped with a round shield, an iron short sword and a spear. The Spartans used a
formation called a phalanx which each soldier stood next to each other and have their shields
overlap each other. During frontal attacks, this formation was hard to penetrate however, it major
weakness came from the back or side of the phalanx which played a crucial part of the Battle of
Thermopylae. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The city of Athens and the great Sparta were to cities that rivaled each other. Because of the Persian
army, they both settled their difference and decided to fight amongst beside each other. Leonidas
knew he was out numbered with the amount of Persian soldiers Xerxes had however, in the late
summer of 480 B.C., Leonidas led an army of 6,000 to 7,000 Greeks from many city–states,
including 300 Spartans (HISTORY.com) to a carefully planned battle site. This place was called
Thermopylae or "The Hot

The Battle Of Thermopylae, By Greece
The Battle of Thermopylae, it is a story that has been told throughout the centuries. Many have
heard of this battle for democracy whether to may be through media or just reading books, which
contain information on the battle. This was a battle that took place in 480 BCE, when the mighty
Persian Empire invades the free city states of Greece. Therefore in contradiction to this 300
Spartans, and a few other Greeks, assembled to defend the pass at Thermopylae, they did this
knowing that death was imminent. This story has brought courage to many and has showed how the
300 Spartans sacrificed everything they had in order to preserve democracy. On that day, if Persia
managed to conquer the city–states of Greece, then much of Greek culture would ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Athens at first it was an experiment instead of electing officials to vote for them, the people
themselves voted for a majority of the issues. All those who were able to vote needed to attain a
citizenship and once it was attained it did not matter of what class the citizen was of, he or she had a
right vote. None of this would have come to pass if it were not for the Battle of Thermopylae. Since
around Five hundred years ago the King of Persia Cyrus expanded his empire as he had stretched his
empire from central Asia to all of the Middle East. During Cyrus's reign he would set satraps to
govern occupied territories. As he kept on conquering new territories it was not till 546 B.C when
Cyrus conquered the Greek colony of Ionia. Later on Cyrus left the city to itself, leaving only a
governor not knowing the consequences, his generations would later have to pay.
After 50 years later, the people of Iona became increasingly frustrated with the last governor Cyrus
had put in place, therefore the people began having revolts in the capital city. In aid Athens would
send soldiers into the city and lead an attack that burned the capital city to the ground. Later on
Cyrus dies, but his great grandson Darius did not forget this so in September of 490 BC a Persian
armada of 600 ships disgorged an invasion force of approximately 20,000 infantry and cavalry on
Greek soil just north of Athens. The war ended with a terrible defeat for the

Analysis Of The Battle Of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was one of the most significant battles in all off ancient history. It
occurred in 480 BC between the invading Persian army, led by the self–proclaimed god–King
Xerxes, and the Greek city–states, led by King Leonidas. Analysis of the battle of Thermopylae
presents a classic case study highlighting how proper training; pre–battle planning and preparation;
superior implementation of observation and fields of fire, avenues of approach, key terrain,
obstacles, and cover and concealment (OAKOC); and cultural differences allowed a smaller military
force to withstand a much larger opposing military force. This paper will apply the United States
Army's Four Steps of Battle Analysis to evaluate the key factors that ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In 480 BC, when the Persian horde, estimated by some historians to range from 300,000 to 1.7
million soldiers, landed on the shores of Thermopylae, the Persian King Xerxes sent emissaries to
the leaders of the Greek city–states demanding their surrender and patronage to the Persian Empire
(Frye, 2006). Despite the massive threat that was encamped on the shores off the Gulf of Maliakos
in small town known as Trachis, the Greeks refused. Sparta, known for their superior military might,
were chosen by the Greek leaders to lead a coalition of Greek warriors to defend their homeland
from the invading Persian army (Frye, 2006). King Leonidas, a superior tactician, accurately
assessed the Persian army's motivations and capabilities and decided to use the natural terrain to his
advantage. Assuming that the Persians would challenge the Greek forces from their staging point,
derived from pervious knowledge during the Battle of Marathon and the Persians encampment
location, King Leonidas had chosen to eventually maneuver his forces into the Pass of Thermopylae,
also known as Hellespont; saddled between a mountain range and the Gulf of Maliakos (Frye,
2006). Hellespont would provide the Spartans some significant tactical advantages, where within the
pass, at its narrowest portion which was only 50 feet wide; countering the Persian greatest strength
of archery and mounted horsemen (Frye, 2006). Figure 1: This map depicts the location and troop
movements during the Battle

The Film 300 : The Movie 300 And The Movie
The movie 300 is based on the comic book series also known as 300. Both the series and the movies
are based upon the Battle of Thermopylae, but neither are very accurate at all. The movie
exaggerates events that happened in the real Battle of Thermopylae, and some events that occurred
in the movie hadn't even happened in the real Battle of Thermopylae. Some of the unrealistic parts
of the movie may go unnoticed because they are very small, but some things should most definitely
be questioned; why are the Spartans battling half naked with no armor? Clearly, the movie 300 is not
historically accurate. The movie 300 portrays the Spartans as mean and cruel, which is accurate, but
they were much more vile than the movie makes them out to be. The Greeks would conquer
neighboring land and make them their own, and slave owning and trading was very popular,
especially among the Spartans (Miller). The movie also makes all of the Spartans that are fighting
seem like they are all trained soldiers, but in reality, most of them were slaves back then. During one
scene in the action film, the King, Leonidas, tells the Persian leader, Xerxes, that the Spartans will
win the war because he does not have as many warriors as him, "I might as well have marched them
up here, judging by what I've seen. You have many slaves, Xerxes, but few warriors. It won't be long
before they fear my spears more than your whips." (300). Leonidas has a good point, Xerxes does
have many slaves in his army, but

Thermopylae Battle Analysis Essay
Battle Analysis of Thermopylae
In a battle scene, the degree of tenacity possessed by the warriors has potential to influence the
outcomes of the battle for an entire civilization as compared to the results of a single battle event.
However, it becomes an increasingly interesting occurrence within the historical timelines of
warfare in the way the least expected outcomes takes place in many engagements involving two
opponents who are unevenly matched on both ancient as well as modern battle affairs (Kraft et al.,
1987). This incident was particularly observed within the battle of Thermopylae, which was fought
between the Persian and Greek armies within the late summer period of the year 480BCE. Right
from a numerical comparison of the two forces, it could have been relatively easier for a larger
Persian army which was under the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, instead of a quick defeat of a small sized, inferior and seemingly disunited Greek army,
the large Persian army underwent a surprise a prolonged battle for three consecutive days as they
were held by a smaller Greek army under the command of King Leonidas and his barely 300
warriors from Sparta. From the very onset, an observation of numerical endowment of the armies
the battle might have resulted in a devastating defeat for the Greeks, nevertheless the size of their
opponents did not devastate the morale as well as the unity of Greek warriors since they were highly
motivated by their leader Leonidas' example of bravery and commitment and that determination
resulted in a surprise defeat of the large Persian army. In this paper, the aim is to give a detailed
analysis of the battle of Thermopylae mainly in regard to how best battle strategies to win a battle
even in the face of a larger opponent's army. The paper will further outline the main principles of
battle, including unity of command, the terrain of the battlefield and maneuver and the role they
played in giving victory to Greeks after a

Ajax And Achilles Exekias
Exekias was a Greek black figure potter and painter that dates back to the mid–6th century B.C. He
currently has 13 vases signed and attributed to him. His pieces are known for their ability to instill
feelings of psychological tension within the viewer. Today, we will be briefly evaluating two of his
major remaining pieces that were of particular interest to me. This is a black figure amphora painted
by Exekias, dated to approximately 520 B.C. Depicted are Ajax and Achilles, playing a board game.
Both the armor of Achilles and Ajax have very precise detailing that was a difficult feat, showing
Exekias' superior ability of craftsmanship. While these two soldiers were on the same side of the
Trojan War, they carried a personal rivalry which

The Battle Of The King Xerxes
Battle Analysis SSG Briceida Casas Senior Leader Course 16–006 20160730 SFC Chase Tippets
Thesis The legendary Spartan King, Leonidas and 300 of his formidable royal body guards, led a
coalition of Greek warriors against a much larger opponent, the Persian King Xerxes. Against the
odds, the Greeks stood their ground and deterred Xerxes' Army for three days at the Thermopylae
Pass, known as the Hot Gates. Xerxes might have won the tactical battle, yet, the Spartans proved
superior training, equipment, and intimate familiarity with the terrain were critical force multipliers.
The Spartan power, willpower, and determination came from an undying sense of patriotism and
duty. 300 Spartans and countless Greeks may have lost their lives at the Thermopylae Pass,
nonetheless their courage rallied the Greek states to fight and prevail against a tyrant. The in–depth
preparation, tactical expertise, loyalty, and courage these warriors displayed are the defining factors
that made this battle a strategic win for the Greeks and would ultimately lead to the Persian Kings
defeat. Introduction Persia, under King Darius' rule expanded its level of influence into Western
Europe with hopes of conquering Athens, Greece between 522–486 B.C. Attempting to, "quell once
and for all a collection of potentially troublesome rebel states," Darius desire to conquer Greece
would ultimately lead to one of the most influential battles of ancient history (Cartwright, Marathon,

Why Was Leonidas A Good Leader Essay
Leonidas I king of Sparta
Greek was a very corrupt place at the time of Leonidas this was because they needed resources and
land. These problems made other states get ready to attack or defend most states were waiting for
invasions so they had more time to prepare before attacking, After this conflict most states hated
each other. Leonidas was born 540 BC and died on 11 August in 480 BC. My hypothesis is that I
predict that I will learn why Leonidas was chosen to be king of Sparta and commander of the
Spartan military. The inquiry questions that are helping my essay are 1. What great things did
Leonidas do for Sparta 2? Why was Leonidas a good leader to Sparta 3? How did he manage three
jobs at once and 4? What obstacles did Leonidas ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This shows that Sparta knew Leonidas's was reliable and trustworthy to be there king so they made
him the leader. Leonidas's greatest thing he did for
Sparta was fight in war and protect his valuable state Sparta.
Leonidas was a king of ancient Sparta, the seventeenth of the Agiad line. He succeeded to the throne
after his half brother Cleomenes committed suicide in around 489 BC. Very little is known about his
life, but his heroic death at the pass of Thermopylae is one of the most famous episodes in history.
The
Persian king, Xerxes, invaded Greece in about 480 BC, with a large army. The Greek army was
considerably smaller and inferior to that of the Persian's, and so their only option, to avoid defeat,
was to find a position to defend where Persian numbers would be of less account. Two defensive
lines remained; at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae, where the Greek fleet could block the
northEuboean straight, or at the Isthmus itself with the fleet a little to the north of Salamis.
After much indecision, the choice fell at Thermopylae. Leonidas was sent with about 7000 men to
the pass of Thermopylae. In the past, Leonidas' men repulsed the frontal attacks of the Persians for
the first two days, but on the third day, Leonidas learned that a Greek traitor had informed Xerxes of
a mountain top trail that would help the Persians break the pass. Leonidas sent most of the Greeks to
safety to
Southern Greece and then swung his

Herodotus 's Depiction Of The Battle Of Thermopylae
Ramsey Parra
LLRN 151 – 01
300
Scholars, artists, authors, and filmmakers in recent years have been interested in Herodotus's
depiction of the Battle of Thermopylae, creating several different versions and interpretations of the
story across multiple forms of media. The legendary battle of Thermopylae, in 480 B.C.E,
demonstrated the strength, courage and bravery of the Spartan Army that went up against the
Persians. The Spartans held off the Persian army of Xerxes for two days until their position was
flanked by a secret trail. However, in the face of unbeatable odds and with the knowledge of a
victory being almost impossible, they fought with the utmost confidence in themselves and proved
that the Spartan army was one of the strongest armies in Greece, even though they were eventually
defeated. Although, some of the representations of the battle in today's media do not accurately tell
the same story that Herodotus did. Frank Miller and Zack Snyder depict the Battle of Thermopylae
with more action and entertainment in their versions to appeal to a larger audience. Thus, by
analyzing Herodotus' description of The Battle of Thermopylae, as well as Miller's and Snyder's
versions, today's media have portrayed the original story differently in order to captivate a larger
audience. In all versions of the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas and the Spartan army are seen as
tough soldiers who grew up under harsh conditions. Spartans typically leave home to begin training
on their

Battle Of Thermopylae Essay
The Battle of Thermopylae took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August
480 BC, at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae, which was also known as "The Hot Gates". The
Persian invasion was in fact a delayed response to the defeat of their first attempt, it ended with the
Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. It was made clear with his strategy that
Xerxes' expedition was undoubtedly directed towards Athens. However, his actual intent was to
succeed in the conquest of Greece, and if it were to come into fruition, the Persian Empire could
effortlessly spread into Europe. At the Battle of Marathon, King Darius attacked the Athenian and
Ionian armies. However, his actual intent was to succeed in the conquest ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In the previous times when Heracles was around, Thermopylae was said and believed to be essential
to the demise of their hero. Thermopylae also neighbors the city of Delphi, where the famed oracle
resided, which was vital to their next step. The oracle at Delphi served as a significant part of the
process in preparation for the battle. Earlier on, Sparta, Athens, and a few other Greek cities,
gathered at the Isthmus of Corinth (narrow land bridge which connects the Peloponnese peninsula
with the rest of the mainland of Greece) to decide if they were going to combat Xerxes and his
forces, and if they were to do so, how. Demaratus explained to King Xerxes that the Spartans
"behaved as they did because they were fighting for an ideal dearer than mere life itself: the ideal of
freedom". Indeed they were, ever since the prominent oracle at Delphi had prophesied that "either
the Spartan people would be uprooted by the barbarians or their king would die" (Herodotus, 195).
Subsequently, Leonidas, pushed to be made the commander in chief of the troops so that he could
make this a suicide mission. However, he disguised it as an act of

Research Paper On The Battle Of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae The Battle of Thermopylae was the first battle between the Persians and the
Greeks during the Persian invasion of 480–479 BC. This battle was very important because of the
sacrifice made by the men at Thermopylae that fueled the Greeks to push the Persians out of the
land. The battle held at Thermopylae prevented the Persians from conquering all of Greece even
though they were able to burn Athens. If the Persians have conquered Greece, Greek culture would
have changed significantly. The battle proved what courage and training could do. The battle
occurred because the forces of Xerxes I marched through Thrace and macedon on their way to
Greece.The Greeks found out but the Spartans, renowned warriors in Greece, were having a festival
called Carneia, an important religious festival, in which no armed battles were to take place. Given
the urgency because of the large Persian army marching on Greece it was deemed that there were
ample reason to go into battle during the festival. King leonidas I of Sparta was chosen to lead the
Spartan force and he took to the Oracle, a priest through whom a deity is believed to speak, to find
out what would happen. The Oracle told him that he would die in battle so he chose 300 men of the
Royal bodyguards who had sons to carry on the family lineage because he knew he would not die
alone. King Leonidas of Sparta

Misconceptions Concerning The Battle Of Thermopylae

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Misconceptions Concerning The Battle Of Thermopylae

Similar to Misconceptions Concerning The Battle Of Thermopylae (6)

More from Stephanie King

More from Stephanie King (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Misconceptions Concerning The Battle Of Thermopylae