What if Sparta won at Thermopylae?
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What if Sparta won at Thermopylae?
If they won, they probably would’ve followed the Persians back to Asia Minor. They’d eventually loose because of the Persian home advantage. And also the growing rift between Athens and Sparta would likely lead to an even larger Peloponnesian war.
How big was the Spartan army at Thermopylae?
A Greek force of approximately 7,000 men marched north to block the pass in the middle of 480 BC. The Persian army was rumoured to have numbered over one million soldiers….
| Battle of Thermopylae | |
|---|---|
| Strength | |
| Total 7,000 | 70,000–300,000 |
| Casualties and losses | |
| 4,000 (Herodotus) | c. 20,000 (Herodotus) |
Who had the largest number of military forces at the Battle of Thermopylae?
The Greek army was led by Leonidas, who was estimated to have had around 7,000 men. Xerxes, on the other hand, had anywhere from 70,000 to 300,000. Despite the disparity in numbers, the Greeks were able to maintain their position.
How many Spartans were at the Battle of Thermopylae?
300 Spartans
Battle of Thermopylae 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, in an attempt to prevent the Persians from passing through Thermopylae.
How many Spartans died in the Battle of Thermopylae?
One of the all-time great stories of ancient history involved the defense of Thermopylae, when a narrow pass was held for three days against a vast Persian army by just 300 Spartans, 299 of whom perished.
How did the Battle of Thermopylae become Sparta’s myth?
And it became Sparta’s myth. The 300 Spartans were a minority of the defending force – not just in the army but even in the last stand – but the clash became the battle of the Spartan 300, not the Greek 7,000, in popular imagination. It was Thermopylae that created the myth that Spartans always win or die…
What is the significance of Thermopylae?
Thermopylae also generated proliferating stories of Spartan courage under fire, always tied to the Spartan reputation as ‘men of deeds’ not words. The Spartan soldier Dieneces, when told that the Persian arrows would blot out the sun, is said to have replied calmly: “Good news; we’ll be fighting in the shade.”
How did the Greek block the Persian army at Thermopylae?
The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, and simultaneously block the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium. A Greek force of approximately 7,000 men marched north to block the pass in the middle of 480 BC.
Was the last stand at Thermopylae a successful delaying action?
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.