Archaeological
Museum, Sparta, 5th century B.C.
Leonidas was a fifth century Spartan military king whose stand against the
invading Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece is one of the
enduring tales of Greek heroism, invoked throughout Western history as the
epitome of bravery exhibited against overwhelming odds.
After the Persian army of Xerxes invaded Greece, the Spartan army prepared
to join the armies of the other Greek states and march to face the Persians, but
a religious festival delayed the departure of the army, so Leonidas bravely led
a small force of Greeks, mostly his Spartan royal guard of 300 soldiers, but
also Thespian and Thebans, against the much larger Persian army, at the pass of
Thermopylae (Pillars of Fire) in 480 B.C.
There, Leonidas and his men held the pass for 3 days (Their tight phalanx wall
and discipline were no match for the Persians) and was defeated only after a
Greek traitor revealed to the Persians the existence of a mountain trail that
allowed them to outflank and attack the Greeks from the rear. All the Spartans
and Thespians died, including Leonidas. Those 3 days gave valuable time to the
Greek armies to prepare for battle and later defeat the Persians. |
| 
|