Who won the battle of Thermopylae between Xerxes and Leonidas?
Persian
Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard their retreat with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians….Battle of Thermopylae.
| Date | 21–23 July or 20 August or 8–10 September 480 BC |
|---|---|
| Result | Persian victory |
| Territorial changes | Persians gain control of Phocis, Boeotia, and Attica |
Who was the traitor at Thermopylae?
Ephialtes
In the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, Ephialtes was portrayed by Kieron Moore and is depicted as a loner who worked on a goat farm near Thermopylae. He betrays the Spartans to the Persians out of greed for riches, and, it is implied, unrequited love for a Spartan girl named Ellas.
Who killed Leonidas at Thermopylae?
An army of Spartans, Thespians and Thebans remained to fight the Persians. Leonidas and the 300 Spartans with him were all killed, along with most of their remaining allies. The Persians found and beheaded Leonidas’ corpse–an act that was considered to be a grave insult.
How many Persians were at the Battle of Thermopylae?
*The combined totals for Greek armies is 6,300, although most modern estimates are around the 7,000 mark. **Included in the Total Persian Army figures….Army sizes and compositions during the Battle of Thermopylae 480BCE.
| Characteristic | Greeks* | Persians |
|---|---|---|
| Immortals** | – | 10,000 |
| Total Persian Army (lower estimate) | – | 70,000 |
How many people were involved in the Battle of Thermopylae?
Herodotus claimed that there were, in total, 2.6 million military personnel, accompanied by an equivalent number of support personnel. The poet Simonides, who was a near-contemporary, talks of four million; Ctesias gave 800,000 as the total number of the army that was assembled by Xerxes.
Why was the last stand at Thermopylae so important?
Alternatively, the argument is sometimes advanced that the last stand at Thermopylae was a successful delaying action that gave the Greek navy time to prepare for the Battle of Salamis. However, compared to the probable time (about one month) between Thermopylae and Salamis, the time bought was negligible.
Why was there a gap between Salamis and Thermopylae?
George Cawkwell suggests that the gap between Thermopylae and Salamis was caused by Xerxes’ systematically reducing Greek opposition in Phocis and Boeotia, and not as a result of the Battle of Thermopylae; thus, as a delaying action, Thermopylae was insignificant compared to Xerxes’ own procrastination.
Is the Battle of Thermopylae similar to the Alamo?
Other analogous battles include: Battle of Wizna known as the “Polish Thermopylae” in Polish culture Battle of Kosovo, known as the “Serbian Thermopylae” in Serbian culture Siege of the Alamo, known as “the Texan Thermopylae” in US culture Three Hundred Aragvians – a similar last stand by a similar number, in Georgia