Thermopylae (480 B.C.)

The Battle Xerxes I, the Persian ruler at the time, invaded Greece to avenge his father (Darius I) for his defeat at Marathon. The once separate city-states of Greece banded together to defend themselves as a nation. The Greeks chose Thermopylae as the point of battle because it was a narrow land pass and was situated right next to the sea. This meant that fewer Persian troops could be on the frontlines, making it easier for the Greeks to hold the massive Persian army at bay. While the Greeks were fighting at Thermopylae a naval battle took place in the straits between the mainland and Salamis. The Greek fleet was led by Themistocles, an Athenian general. They used a special kind of ship called a trireme, which they used to ram into each other, then board the other ship.

Facts Herodotus, is commonly called the Father of History, but he is also known for exaggerating the facts. The Persian army for instance is described by him to have consisted of more than 1.7 million soldiers and over 2 million in the naval force. Modern estimates claim Xerxes army to have been from around 60,000 to 250,000. The pass at Thermopylae was not held by just 300 Spartans but in fact by about 7000 other Greek soldiers from different city-states. During the last stand at Thermopylae, Leonidas, the Spartan king, sent away all the Greek soldiers, excluding the Thebans, the Thespians, and his own Spartan army.

Greek Weapons and the Phalanx Formation The phalanx was a Greek formation that was used by the Spartan army during the battle of Thermopylae. The formation consisted of a rectangular mass of soldiers with each holding a spear in one hand and a bronze hoplon shield in the other. If either was lost a sword was used as a secondary weapon. The soldiers who used the phalanx formation were known as hoplites for their use of the hoplon shield.

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