Battle of Thermopylae

Under threat of another invasion, a confederate alliance of Greek city-

states is formed in 481 BC at a meeting in Corinth.

A force of 10,000 hoplites are sent north to the Vale of

Tempe near Mt. Olympus (far north)
 Vale of Tempe
• Spartans led by Euanetus
• Athenians by Themisticles
• Alexander I of Macedon informs them that the Persians
can get around that pass, and they retreat.
• Carneia festival
– Military activity forbidden by Spartan law
– Judged sufficiently important to disregard
– What happened at Marathon
– Consulted the Oracle of Delphi
• Either a Spartan king must die
• Or Persia will sack Greece
A NEW ATTACK
• Persians made plans for
another invasion
– With goal of
conquering entire
peninsula
– Led by new emperor,
Xerxes
• Greeks prepare for
invasion by setting up
defensive line stretching
from pass at
Thermopylae to northern
tip of Euboea
• Thermopylae was narrow pass through mountains
– Since only a few soldiers could get through at a time, Greeks hoped
it would nullify Persian numerical advantage
– 7000 men held pass commanded by King Leonidas of Sparta
– Xerxes offers Leonidas kingship of Greece and then asks for their
weapons; Leonidas replies Μολoν Λαβέ, "Come and get them"
• Persians could not make any headway against Greeks for several days
– Greek traitor, Ephialtes, led Persians around pass and they came in
behind Greeks
• Leonidas sent most men away and kept the 300 Spartans, 700
Thespians, and 400 Thebans to hold the pass
• Wiped out by Persians archers
 Battle of Salamis
• Athens evacuated population to
nearby island of Salamis
– Persians hesitated to attack
because Bay of Salamis was
full of Athenian ships

• Athenians tricked Persians into

entering bay with their navy
– Smaller, more maneuverable
Athenian ships then
destroyed Persian fleet
• Xerxes withdrew back to
Asia Minor
 Final Victory: Battle of Platea
• Xerxes still had 300,000 man
army in Greece; Mardonius in
command (dies in battle)
• Spartan commander Pausanias
set up camp in plain below
Persian army at Plataea 479 BC
– 5,000 Spartiates
– 5,000 Perioikoi
– 35,000 Helots
– 50,000 Other city-states
– Persians attacked but
Spartans counter-attacked
and achieved victory
• Naval victory, Battle of Mycale
the same day over the Persian
fleet
• A few weeks later, Athenian navy
liberated Ionian city-states
• Alliance of Spartan land power
and Athenian naval power had
defeated the most powerful
empire in the world