Battle of Thermopylae
event · 3 works · 3 mentions · 5 anchored passages
Thermopylae · defeat at Thermopylae · the battle at Thermopylae · the fighting
in the texts
The Histories
The pitched battle fought over several days at the pass of Thermopylae between Leonidas' Greek force and Xerxes' Persian army, ending in the death of Leonidas and his remaining men.
When they joined battle with the Hellenes, they fared neither better nor worse than the Median army, since they used shorter spears than the Hellenes and could not use their numbers fighting in a narrow space.
Now, however, they joined battle outside the narrows and many of the barbarians fell, for the leaders of the companies beat everyone with whips from behind, urging them ever forward.
This hill is at the mouth of the pass, where the stone lion in honor of Leonidas now stands.
Panegyricus
The Spartan-led defense of the mountain pass against the Persian land army, ending in the annihilation of the defenders.
the latter going to Thermopylae to oppose the land forces with a thousand picked soldiers of their own, supported by a few of their allies, with the purpose of checking the Persians in the narrow pass from advancing farther;
Although in spirit they were victorious, in body they were outworn;
To Philip
The Spartan defeat admired as proof of valor rather than selfish greed.
their defeat at Thermopylae is more admired than their many victories;