Friday, April 15, 2011

BIOGRAPHY KING LEONIDAS part 3

full forces after celebrating their various religious festivals. With the addition of troops from several smaller city-states, the Greek force probably number about 7,000, so they did have a reasonable chance of holding the Persians for a while. Again, the terrain of Thermopylae would be their biggest asset.
Nevertheless, Leonidas clearly realized that he would not return from Thermopylae. Partially, that was his intention. The oracle at Delphi had already prophesied that Sparta would either mourn the loss of its city, or one of its kings who was descended from Hercules. Therefore, Leonidas believed that if he went with a small force and sacrificed himself, Sparta would be saved. Obviously, he would have probably to take the whole army with him, but he had to obey Sparta's laws. Therefore, he took only a personal bodyguard consisting of 300 of his best warriors, all with born sons to carry on their family names.
That he did not plan to return home can seen in his final words to his wife, Gorgo. According to Plutarch, before Leonidas left for Thermopylae, Gorgo asked him what he wanted her to do. He said, "marry a good man that will treat you well, bear him children, and live a good life." He knew he was not coming home. He would go to Thermopylae and sacrifice himself to save Sparta. He was right because Gorgo never saw him again.
The Greek coalition army was successful at holding the Persian advance for several days. It was not until a local named Ephialtes told the Persians about a path around the Greek lines that the Greeks were doomed. Surrounded, they had no chance at all. Leonidas therefore sent most of the army away, remaining only with his 300 Spartans, their slaves, and a few others. In total, this force probably numbered about 2,000. With the exception of some Thebans who surrendered, all of the remaining Greeks were killed.
Thermopylae may have been a defeat for the Greeks, but it was no great victory for the Persians. It is hard to say exactly how many men the Persians lost, but modern estimates put the figure around 20,000 men. Further, the battle gave the Athenians enough time to evacuate Athens and flee to the island of Salamis. Because of the men and time the Persians lost at the Battle of Thermopylae, the Greeks were able to defeat them in a naval battle at Salamis and later at a land battle at Platea. Persia never again attempted to invade Greece. It was the beginning of the end for the Persian Empire and the beginning of great things in Greece.
According to Herodotus, Xerxes ordered Leonidas' head to be cut off and put on a stake and his body crucified. Eventually, his body was returned to Sparta where it was buried. He was succeeded by his son Pleistarchus who ruled with the help of a regent for several years before ruling exclusively as the 18th in the Agiad line of Spartan kings.

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