The writing on the marble says..."Come & get it".
In August 480 BC, Leonidas went out to meet Xerxes' army at Thermopylae with a small force of 300 men, where he was joined by forces from other Greek city-states, who put themselves under his command to form an army of 14,000 strong.
Xerxes waited four days to attack, hoping the Greeks would disperse. Finally, on the fifth day the Persians attacked. Leonidas and his men repulsed the Persians' frontal attacks for the fifth and sixth days, killing roughly 20,000 of the enemy troops and losing about 2,500 of their own. The Persian elite unit known to the Greeks as "the Immortals" was held back, and two of Xerxes' brothers (Abrocomes and Hyperanthes) died in battle. On the seventh day (August 11), a Malian Greek traitor named Ephialtes led the Persian general Hydarnes by a mountain track to the rear of the Greeks.At that point Leonidas sent away all Greek troops and remained in the pass with his 300 Spartans, 900 Helots, and 700 Thespians who refused to leave. Another 400 Thebans were kept with Leonidas as hostages. The Thespians stayed entirely of their own will, declaring that they would not abandon Leonidas and his followers. Their leader was Demophilus, son of Diadromes, and as Herodotus writes: "Hence they lived with the Spartans and died with them." (5 years and 2322 days ago)
Thank you for including that nice history. Too many people saw that movie "300" and think it was ONLY the 300 Spartans that held back Xerxes. Regardless, it WAS an amazing feat that deserves remembrance.
Hi points for the great story.
Nice shot ! The low angle makes the picture really powerfull !
I went there when I was child ... If I remember well, it's just a monument long the road with nothing else around (like temples or other statues ... ) ... ? ...
Correct...This statue stands right on the middle of the battlefield.
Howdie stranger!
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