Tobias Koch
Professor Stone
HUM-2220
19 November 2014
The Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae has two valuable historical contexts that have impacted history in a primary way. To begin with the Battle of Thermopylae helped outline numerous tactical and moral mentalities that are still used to this day in military schemes. Most significantly, the Battle of Thermopylae gave mankind the picture perfect concept of what a good leader is and the characteristics they should entail.
Thermopylae was the site of numerous confrontations in ancient times, which was by a mountain passage close to the Aegean Sea located in northern Greece. The passage is later revived by native Phokians and they constructed a protective
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wall that ran from the Middle Gate all the way down to the Aegean Sea. After a period of time the wall ended up by crumbling and falling apart, yet the Spartans instrument an essential mindset to have in warfare that is still used to this very day. The wall was behind the Greek military in the passage and consequently permitted Leonidas to use the wall. The Generals as well as the archers, have the capability to perceive what was ahead of the Greek army and give out instructions. Secondly, the wall someway was reserved space so that the attacking military was funneled into a tighter place that permitted the Greeks to ensure an improved benefit in the battle. Leonidas regimented his army to create the best of their situation by assembling reparations to the wall best to their abilities. The military, instruments this precise character. In war you will have to make due with the surroundings that you’ve been placed in. This notion is infused in our own Nations premium soldiers. One of the most chilling quotes reads “As the Persian army advanced to the assault, the Greeks under Leonidas, knowing that the fight would be their last, pressed forward into the wider part of the pass much farther than they had done before” (308). Similar to the historical context of the Battle of Thermopylae, the Navy Seals have their own war creeds such as “Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation’s Enemies”, “Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit”.
These schemes wouldn’t be thought out, yet alone are available for Military Generals to introduce and prepare their soldiers if it wasn’t for Leonidas and the Battle of Thermopylae. It was at the base of the wide gap that stands aproxietmently 30 feet in width, with an enormous cliff protecting their left side and the sea on their right side. The Greeks selected to make a stand versus the attacking military. Making sure your troops cannot get flanked is also a common and fundamental perception that all soldiers permanently want to prevent. The Spartans were defeated because Ephialtes, a native, yet traitor of Greece helped lead the Persian Army which attacked the Spartans and the rest of the Greek army from behind and in turn defeating the Spartans and other Greek armies. “ Xerxes found Ephialtes offer most satisfactory. He was delighted with it, and promptly gave orders to Hydames to carry out the movement with the troops under his commander. They left camp about the time the lmaps are lit” (307). Spying is another tactic that has been adapted into warfare and introduced during the Battle of Thermopylae. Lastly, the Spartans critical strategy was three signposts that were noticeable to …show more content…
the Greeks but not recognized to the Persians. The farthest sign was a rock that perceived a lion. So from then on it was branded as the Lions Gate. When instructions were ordered they were stated where to walk to but “go no further” (308). They would walk up to any of the sig they were told to, but progress no more and reappear back to their initial commencing idea and began all over again. So in essence they were not attracted out into the open field where they would be deprived of an advantage in the battle. Following the battle of Thermopylae King Leonidas is swiftly turned into a legend.
His leadership is extremely significant to the military through this battle. King Leonidas was the captain and leader of the Spartan and combined Greek armies throughout the Battle of Thermopylae. More importantly he was chosen to lead the military into battle. If a Persian triumph had happened in the Battle of Thermopylae, Athens would have been miserable. The Persians trooped easily though the gory passage and on the capital. Fortunately, the city had been banished to Salamis and a trivial resistance waited for Xerxes. Nevertheless this little protection was rapidly slaughtered and Athens was then scorched to ashes. The folklore of Thermopylae cannot be downgraded to a three-day clash where the Persians who are perceived as antiheroes of this conflict, triumph. The daring "hold to the last man" engagements of the Spartans even later when Leonidas died are recollected to this day. Nowadays at Thermopylae, there are two basic testimonials of the fight. The utmost inspirational is of a Spartan directing his small sword onward. In this battle, the model for a perfect leader is born. When an enormous opponent army approaching to dominate and overpower a society, a courageous and knowledgeable leader who will sacrifice his existence for his nation. Thermopylae was not a confrontation that transformed the way society looks at life. Also, I do not believe that this battle prevented
Western civilization being exterminated from earth. This conflict reformed the way someone looks at warriors and essential bravery. The militaries that quarreled comprehended their parameters, of course with the exemption of the Spartans and they clashed to the death beside tremendous probabilities. If it weren’t for the audacity of the three hundred Spartans and the Greeks that were conducted home history wouldn’t have an illustration of the definitive bravery and cost for an individuals nation and principles. Many important events have occurred in human history, but the events that introduce new ideas and concepts for the first time ever are the most influential and memorable. The Battle of Thermopylae influenced the world and has enormous historical context because of the strategies used in the battle. Moreover, I believe is the most valuable concept taken is the mindset of making the best of your situation, and additionally, the ultimate sacrifice that a leader has to make for his country.
All these battles had significant impacts to either the war or the moral of the Greek Army. The most significant Battles were The Battle of Salamis and The Battle of Plataea. These battles also saw the contributions of many key individuals, which lead to the victory of the Greeks in the ends as well as the rise of the Greek navy. These Key individuals included Leonidas, Themistocles, Eurybiades and Pausanias. They all had major roles and all contributed differently through out the Persian invasions leading to the victory of the Greeks of the
The French Revolution, the American Civil War, the constant civil conflicts in certain parts of Africa in recent history and even today; these are all historical clashes of countrymen. They all also contain stories of immense atrocities. The violence, bloodshed, and ruthlessness that were seen throughout these events were appalling. They were made perhaps even more so by the fact that theses horrors were inflicted upon one another by countrymen, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers. The civil war or stasis at Corcyra during the Peloponnesian War was no different. This paper will detail the events surrounding the conflict and attempt to give scope to it as a mirror into the rest of the conflict.
The battle of Thermopylae was the Greek’s first stand against the massive army of King Xerxes, and was the most influential battle of the entire war. Up to this point, the Persian army was seen as too massive and powerful to be stopped. The once warring city-states of Greece knew they couldn’t stand against the Persians alone, and knew in order to defend their homeland they would have to unite. A unity of command was agreed upon; King Leonidas of Sparta was chosen to lead the Greek forces. He was chosen to lead because of the unsurpassed warring abilities the Spartans were so well known for made him perfect for the objective of stopping the Persians.
The Greeks were able to repel the overwhelming and seemly unstoppable Persian Empire. They were able to do so because of the victories won thanks to the Athenian navy in the Aegean Sea, the hard fought and strategically important battles that the Spartans just would not give up during and they were able to put aside their differences in order to face the greater threat for the good or their culture. Each major city/state contributed what it was good at. It was a nice display of teamwork.
When reading the two excerpts from Thucydides it is clear that his book, The History of the Peloponnesian War, was written to memorialize Athenian history. Although it is considered to be the first textbook it was still written by an Athenian so analysis of the excerpts are still required. But while analyzing the two excerpts will provide information about the reliability of the document, it will also provide insight to answer the question “What is the author trying to say about his native city of Athens?”
Greeks and Romans are famous for the strategy's that they used. The Greeks main strategy was called the Phanlax. They basically have a rectangle of troops and each on...
Leonidas was respected in Sparta, it was not by his often effective but not morally decisions, it was to resolve an issue when he felt that somebody or something was trying to hurt Sparta. Leonidas was expected to put an end with some abnormal answer. The training, the form i...
Sun Tzu strongly advocates for trickery on the battlefield, saying “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable.”7 The Athenians use their smaller army to their advantage and planned a tactical military formation outside of Marathon. They placed the majority of the men in the left and right wings of the army, which meant the “ranks of the centre were diminished, and it became the weakest part of the line” in the hopes that the Persian army would break through.8 When the battle commenced, the front line of Athenians charged at the enemy, and to the Persians “it seemed to them that the Athenians were bereft of their senses, an bent upon their own destruction; for they saw a mere handful of men coming on at a run.”9 The Persians were lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that their enemies had much less men than they actually
One of the most significant battles in antiquity was fought on the narrow, tree strewn plain of Marathon, in September, 490 BC. There, the Athenian army defeated a Persian force more than twice its size, because of superior leadership, training and equipment. The battle of Marathon has provided inspiration to the underdogs throughout history. In 490 BC, the Athenians proved that superior strategy, and technology can claim victory over massive numbers.
The Battle of Salamis is said to be one of the most important battles in all of history. It was a naval battle fought between the massive Persian army and smaller Greek army in the Bay of Salamis in 480 BCE. This battle was one of the many battles that were a part of the Greco-Persian war. This paper will explore the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself, including advantages and disadvantages both sides had on one and other, and finally will discuss the affects the result of this battle had on each side. Surprisingly, the much smaller Greek army defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. How did this happen, one may ask? Although the Persians appeared to have the military advantage in this battle, particularly in terms of sheer size and numbers, the Greeks successfully defeated them with the help of their leaders, tactics, and many Persian blunders.
The causes of the Peloponnesian War proved to be too great between the tension-filled stubborn Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta. As Thucydides says in Karl Walling’s article, “Never had so many human beings been exiled, or so much human blood been shed” (4). The three phases of the war, which again, are the Archidamian war, the Sicilian Expedition and the Decelean war, show the events that followed the causes of the war, while also showing the forthcoming detrimental effects that eventually consumed both Athens and eventually Sparta effectively reshaping Greece.
The Peloponnesian War is the conflict between the pelopoponesians league led by Sparta and the Delian league, led by Athens. Much of our knowledge on the causes and events of the Peloponnesian War, depends on the Athenian Thucydides 460-400 BC, writer of the History of the Peloponessian War. He servd as an Athenian commander in Northern Greece during the early years of the war until the assembly exiled him as he lost an outpost to the enemy. During this exile, he was able to interview witnesses on both sides of the conflicted. Unlike Heredotus he concentrated on contemporary history and presented his account of the war in an annalistic framework that only occasionally diverts from chronological order. In his account, he discuses the precursors to the war, including the 30 years truce and revolutions, such as the stasis in Corcyra. When looking at wars, the primary focus is normally the fighting itself, such as what we see for World War II. However, it is important to look at the anatomy of war, meaning what effect the war has on the people who are experiencing it first hand, and the consquences that the conflict has on the rest of the world. Therefore in this essay I shall discuss, drawing directly from Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War, how the civilians reacted to the war, their involvement and socio economic factors. Furthermore, the first section of my essay shall focus on the direct effect of war on the people, regarding the plague, and violence and hopelessness that was experienced. Then I shall go on to discuss more general effects of the war and how it affected the Greek world, discussing the social and economic losses that occurred such as the cost of the war in attica, the coup d’etat that occurred in gove...
Simkin, John. “ Military Tactics of the Roman Army.” spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk. Spartacus Educational, Sept. 1997- June 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013.
Beginning with Greek hoplite warfare, we will see how the Romans adopted Greek principles of warfare and evolved their strategy in order to confront new and emerging challenges. From improving their tactics, making advancements in weaponry, to creating a standing army staffed by professional soldiers, we will see how Rome’s military evolved in ways the Greeks could not compete with, and would eventually succumb to. We will see the rise of the most lethal institution of Roman society, the Roman Army.
The human need for conflict is a constant factor in everyday life and has been demonstrated throughout our readings of the Romans and the Greeks. As seen in Herodotus’ The History, tales of battles and wars are described in epic proportions and are a constant theme throughout his writings. Herodotus plays into the aspect of fighting, as well as the cultural belief of Greece that war was a necessary part of society and should be valued by the citizens. By heightening the actions of soldiers in battle, war is encouraged as a way of life because it is emphasized as a way of being remembered and praised for committing honorable deeds and protecting Greece. Herodotus incorporates numerous acts of valor like those seen in The Battle of Thermopylae in his writings in order to provide the ultimate connection between Greek behavior and warfare as a representation of what it meant to practice good citizenship. Herodotus incorporates the Role of the Gods, male behavior, and describing the Persians in The History in his attempt to portray the historic event of the 300’s last stand against the Persians in a way that Greeks would look up to and hopefully want to follow.