Through the investigation of selected primary and secondary sources, students in this lesson will identify, understand and be able to explain how a vastly outnumbered and outgunned greek force was able to hold out against a much larger and more powerful persian army at the battle of thermopylae and why this battle is considered to be a watershed event in the history of western civilization. Then introduce that comic and movie are based on battle of thermopylae. What are the major differences between frank millers 300 and. And it is turning out to be a really interesting project. Were there really only 300 spartans at the battle of thermopylae.
I know 300 is said to be really close to the truth and unholleywood but what are some key diffrences. Based on their hypotheses, the following authors have concluded that the battle commenced on the following day. Which citystate fought the persians in the battle of thermopylae. A coalition based not on politics or political cooperation but of an. Diodorus account seems to have been based on that of ephorus and contains one significant. How did the historical battle of thermopylae differ from.
Ask students by show of hand to show if they have seen movie 300 2. Has any archaeological evidence been found of the spartans. Although there were 300 spartans present at the defense of thermopylae, there were at least 4,000 allies involved on the first two days and 1,500 men involved in the fatal last stand. The grapic novel 300 and the movie 300 are different interpretations in different formats of the same event,so both are actualy based on the historical battle of thermopylae. The battle of thermopylae is literally a textbook case, required reading even to this day at military colleges and officer training around the world. Battle of thermopylae ancient history encyclopedia. Excluding the huge problems with the equipment for example spartans fighting with no armour or t. Explore an extensive gallery of images from the motion picture based on frank millers dark horse. It is all based around the battle of thermopylae, at which 300 spartans took on a huge number of persian soldiers. Jan 14, 2008 no doubt many people would be interested to visit the modern site of the battle of thermopylae after watching the movie 300 in 2007. The battle of thermopylae has been an integral part of the curriculum of many high schools, colleges and universities around the world. It is based on material from the wikipedia article battle of. I am in the process of doing a rather large diorama of the battle of thermopylae. The other looming difference is that most modern scholars debate herodotus the only primary source for the the battle of thermopylae estimate of the persian forces, putting the number between 100,000 300,000.
Pages in category battle of thermopylae the following 34 pages are in this category, out of 34 total. Battle of thermopylae simple english wikipedia, the free. Its story is based on the famous battle of thermopylae, quote the battle of thermopylae r. It was fought for 3 days in the year 480 bc and was part of the second persian invasion of greece led by xerxes the great. The battle of thermopylae, 480 bc, was a battle in the second persian invasion of greece. Bible story of the gideon 300 or the battle of thermopylae. A coalition based not on politics or political cooperation but of an alliance for mutual defense. The 300 spartans diorama the battle at thermopylae.
The battle of thermopylae august 480 bc is one of the most famous military defeats in history, and is best known for the fate of the 300 spartans, killed alongside 700 thespians on the final day of the battle grecopersian wars. Leonidas took with him the 300 men of the royal bodyguard, the hippeis. The battle of thermopylae is a battle in september 480 bc during the greekpersian war 480 479 bc. And,in the same way,plutarch,suetonius,and shakespeare all based their literary works on caesar on the real events in his life. Nic fields has reduced the thermopylae battle to the shortest, most wellwritten and concise version that exists today. For fortyeight hours, the defenders of thermopylae held out, defeating not just the poorly trained levies sent to dull them, but the immortals, the persian elite. The filmmakers decided to go with frank millers version of events, taking a little poetic license with the facts of the battle. The spartan and thespian last stand has been immortalized in the works of herodotus and glorified in the 1962 movie the 300 spartans starring richard egan, along with many other mediums consisting of.
Sparta and other greek allies who was the leader of this citystate. His name was raised to a heroic and legendary status as a result of the events in the battle of thermopylae. Learn thermopylae with free interactive flashcards. Is the movie 300 an accurate portrayal of the battle of. Still a tiny figure compared to the forces against themthere is evidence that the vast persian army has been vastly exaggeratedbut more than the legend, which forgets some contributors. Today, a road is located where the sea washed ashore in 480. The battle is revisited in countless adages and works of popular culture, such as in films e. How would leonidas command 300 american soldiers in the. The 300 spartans led by the spartan king leonidas met the persians by thermopylae, while the naval forces, which were under the athenian. The battle of thermopylae also served as the inspiration for the film 300 2006. This makes its way onto the blog for men for obvious reasons. The battle of thermopylae between greeks led by leonidas and persians led by xerxes. Choose from 282 different sets of thermopylae flashcards on quizlet. Aug 30, 2008 the battle of thermopylae and heroec resistance of our king leonidas and his men, the 300 spartans and the 700 thespians under the leadership of demophilos against the hords of xerxes emperor of.
In 1955 a statue of leonidas was erected by king paul of greece in commemoration of his and his troops bravery. Notes on the battle of thermopylae history channel video. Other than the points already made in the other answers, the battle in the film also did a very poor job in capturing how both sides actually fought. Battle of thermopylae, where the king of sparta led his army against the advancing persians. Why the legend of the spartan 300 still inspires us today greece is marking 2,500 years since the persian invasion was repulsed at the battle of thermopylae.
Battlebox the battle of thermopylae of 480 bc set an alliance of greek citystates against an invading persian army. Battle of thermopylae date, location, and facts britannica. Let them know movie is based on comic by same name 3. The story of leonidas and the legendary battle of the 300 at thermopylae most people who have watched zack snyders famous 2007 fantasy historical film 300, might think they know the ancient greek story of leonidas and the battle of thermopylae, but the historic facts are quite different to what was portrayed in the fantasy film. Why the legend of the spartan 300 still inspires us today. Now, the history channel offers a definitive perspective on the epic conflict with this instructive and thrilling featurelength presentation. Leonidas, like other spartans, was a religious man.
Based on frank millers graphic novel, 300 is very loosely based the 480 b. Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 bc, in which an overmatched combined greek force of approximately 4,000 held off advancing persians under xerxes, and the term since has been used to reference heroic resistance against a. In order to get it looking the way i want it to look i have done quite a bit of research on the battle, the spartans and the hot gates pass at thermopylae. The last stand of the 300 spartans top documentary films. When i was younger i remember hearing vague stories of the gideon 300, actually in a christian song, then when i was older id read stories of the spartans and their battle using 300 warriors. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. The greeks chose the narrow pass of thermopylae as the site of the battle in a brilliant strategic move and. Mar 29, 2008 i know 300 is said to be really close to the truth and unholleywood but what are some key diffrences. Oct 22, 2019 the persian army did indeed arrive at thermopylae and, after their offer of free passage to the greek defenders was refused, they attacked on the fifth day. Soon after the battle, the greeks built a stone lion in honour of those who had died and specifically for the fallen king leonidas. Leonidas, sparta, king, battle, thermopylae, sacrifice, persians.
The story of leonidas and the legendary battle of the 300. Vector version italian i, the holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license. The movie was generally accepted as a pretty good action flick. The story of leonidas and the legendary battle of the 300 at. In this ferocious retelling of the battle of thermopylae based on the epic graphic novel by sin city creator frank miller, king xerxes of persia rodrigo santoro lost amasses an army of hundreds of thousands, drawn from asia and africa, to invade and conquer the tiny, divided nation of greece in 481 b.
Battle of thermopylae, august 480 bc military history. How did the historical battle of thermopylae differ from its. Nov 30, 2017 so the battle of thermopylae included a land and sea component. Notes on the battle of thermopylae history channel video last stand of the 300 1 0. The 300 spartans led by the spartan king leonidas met the persians by thermopylae, while the naval forces, which were under the athenian themistocles, met them by sea, most importantly at artemisium. Though vastly outnumbered, the greeks held back the persian advance until a defector informed the persians of an alternate route, leading to the defeat of the greek army and the sacking of athens. Descriptive texts and many photos of the battlefield and the modern monuments. What are the major differences between frank millers 300 and the historical event it was based on. The battle that changed the world, describes spartas unique society and culture at the time xerxes was amassing his army. On your way back to athens, stop at thermopylae, where one of most epic battles of all times took place. Dont believe the hype spartans were not known for being particularly inventive or strategically minded. Thermopylae actually pitted a small force of greeks approx 60007000, led by 300 spartans, against an army of persians that historians say numbered anywhere from 60,000 to 1,000,000. It is the story of thermopylae, where king leonidas and the spartan 300 stood against xerxes mighty host at a narrow pass.
It is true there were only 300 spartan soldiers at thermopylae but they were not alone. Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between persians and greeks in august 480 bce. Hed have them all form a line behind strong shields and lock formation, relying on long spears to deal with advancing enemy infantry. The battle that changed the world cartledge, paul on. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the greeks held the narrow pass for three days with spartan king leonidas fighting a lastditch defence with a small force of spartans and other greek hoplites. Contentthermopylae battlefield monument to the 300, thermopylae. After the 2007 movie, which introduced thermopylae to the us and uk public, i say introduced, as most people i spoke to, who saw the movie, were so uninformed that they were unaware it was based on a real event. No doubt many people would be interested to visit the modern site of the battle of thermopylae after watching the movie 300 in 2007. The battle of thermopylae, on 2425 april 1941, was part of the german invasion of greece during world war ii. Is the bible story of the gideon 300 copied from the battle of thermopylae or the other way around. So without further ado, let us try to sift some of the facts from fiction, and have a gander at the 10 things one should know about the battle of thermopylae a momentous episode of history that stands testament to the importance of tactics and bravery in war. See all 63 battlefield of thermopylae tours on tripadvisor. Thermopylae books about the battle of thermopylae thoughtco.
A surviving bronze sculpture, likely created in or near sparta, depicts a young girl running. Who was the 2nd spartan soldier that survived the battle but turned back when heared about the attack and died. The first line of defense would be at thermopylae, an area in central greece north of the gulf of corinth where three narrow passes form a gap between mountains and sea. Both are fictionalized retellings of the battle of thermopylae within the persian wars. In 490 the persian emperor darius had sent an invasion force across the aegean to punish eretria and athens for their support of the ionian revolt. In the annals of heroism, the battle of thermopylae is an archetype, a classic. I was fortunate enough to pass through there on the way back to athens in 2006 after a 4day tour around mainland classical greece with key tours. What are the differences between frank millers visions of the battle of thermopylae and the historical accounts. In 480 the ephors sent leonidas with the 300 men of an allsire unit soldiers. This website is dedicated to king leonidas, the 300 spartans, 700 thespians and other greek warriors who fought to the death during the battle of thermopylae hot gates in august, 480 b. It was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, led by sparta, and the persian empire of xerxes i. It took place in a narrow gorge, called thermopylae, where a group of 300 spartan hoplites died heroically, blocking a way to the persian army of the tsar xerxes i. In addition, the battle has been taught in military academies as an example of how a small welltrained group of resolute warriors can defend their position against a numerically superior force. Following the retreat of allied forces from the mountain passes at olympus and servia, british commonwealth forces began to set up defensive positions at the coastal pass at thermopylae, famous for the battle of.
Find out what really happened at the battle of thermopylae in 480 b. In 480 the ephors sent leonidas with the 300 men of an allsire unit soldiers who had sons to carry on their bloodline and 6700 allies to hold the pass of thermopylae against the hundreds of thousands of persian soldiers who had. The film was directed by zack snyder, while miller served as executive producer and consultant. The battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, led by king. Battle of thermopylae is most famous for the last stand of 300 spartans though it is not known by many that it also involved 1100 warriors from other greek states. Leonidas monument thermopylae 2020 all you need to know. Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 bc, in which an overmatched combined greek force of approximately 4,000 held off advancing persians under xerxes, and the term since has been used to reference heroic resistance against a more powerful enemy. Thermopylae holidays in central greece discover greece.
Leonidas, king of sparta is best remembered for leading a force of 300 and his self sacrifice at the battle of thermopylae, in 480 b. I imagine that, at the very least, things like arrowheads must have been left lying everywhere in vast quantities and might have. We recommend booking battlefield of thermopylae tours ahead of time to secure your spot. So the battle of thermopylae included a land and sea component. While it has been highly improbable in establishing the exact chronology of the battle of thermopylae since it occurred approximately 2,500 years ago, several authors have promulgated certain theories as to the date of the battle in 480 b. Fascinating history about the battle between the spartans and persians that changed the world 480 bc fascinating world history book 2 historyepisode 3. The battle of thermopylae where the greeks fought the persians. What are the major differences between frank millers 300. I can only think of, were the guy runs back to sparta and tells the people about the battle. Monument at thermopylae for king leonidas and the 300 spartans, 298 of whom died during the battle. Has any archaeological evidence been found of the spartans last stand at thermopylae in 480 bc. Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 bc, in which an outnumbered greek force probably of seven thousand including the famous 300 spartans, 500 warriors from tegea, 500 from mantinea, 120 from arcadian orchomenos, from the rest of arcadia, 200 from phlius, 80 from mycenae, 400 corinthians, 400 thebans. The battle was fought for over three days, at the same time as the naval battle of artemisium. Leonidas, the king of sparta, motivates his warriors to defend the hot gates, thus blocking the invading persian forces of xerxes into the narrow.
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