KING LEONIDAS, THE 300 SPARTANS AND THE BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAE - THE GLORY OF ANCIENT GREEK WARRIORS

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300 Spartan Warriors Blog

King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans of Thermopylae

 
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Other than Thermopylae, what battle of the Greco-Persian Wars would you like to read about?

To vote, or read the most current results, please access this link to the daily updated
300SpartanWarriors Blog.

   
 
Coming soon - See below

   
 
300 spartans battle of thermopylae
'The Warriors of Thermopylae' Living History Group filmed by the media - For inquiries relative to our presentations and demonstrations at a school near you, please click this image - Image courtesy of Kathy
   
 

"The most valiant are sometimes the most unfortunate. Thus there are triumphant defeats that rival victories. Nor did those four sister victories, the fairest that the sun ever set eyes on - Salamis, Plataea, Mycale, and Sicily - ever dare match all their combined glory against the glory of the annihilation of King Leonidas and his men at the pass of Thermopylae." - Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)


King Leonidas 300 Spartans Thermopylae
'Leonidas at Thermopylae' by Jacques-Louis David (1814)
Ω ΞΕΙΝ ΑΓΓΕΛΛΕΙΝ ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΟΙΣ ΟΤΙ ΤΗΔΕ ΚΕΙΜΕΘΑ ΤΟΙΣ ΚΕΙΝΩΝ ΡΗΜΑΣΙ ΠΕΙΘΟΜΕΝΟΙ

(GO TELL THE SPARTANS PASSERBY,
THAT HERE OBEDIENT TO THEIR LAWS WE LIE)

Composed by the poet Simonides, this epitaph, written in Greek and its English translation directly beneath it, paid tribute to the bravery and self-sacrifice of King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae


   
 
This website is dedicated to King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans, who along with 700 Thespians fought to the death during the Battle of Thermopylae (Hot Gates) in August, 480 B.C. The Spartan and Thespian last stand has been immortalized in the works of Herodotus and glorified in the 1962 20th Century Fox movie 'The 300 Spartans' co-starring Richard Egan, Sir Ralph Richardson and Diane Baker. In addition, there have many other homages consisting of artwork, books, statues, etc., most notably, Jacques-Louis David's masterpiece entitled 'Leonidas at Thermopylae'.

300 Spartans Battle of Thermopylae
1962's 'The 300 Spartans' (c) 20th Century Fox
The description  of the heroism displayed approximately 2,500 years ago which resonates to this day, was the focus of Steven Pressfield's 1998 tour de force, 'Gates of Fire'.  Unquestionably one of the finest books about the legendary  three day defense of the Pass of Thermopylae, it has received many accolades worldwide and whose interest as a movie project still continues unabated. Its status as a classic was elevated even more so, when it became required reading in college and university programs around the world. 

   
 
 
 
   
 
In 2007, the debut of Warner Bros'. '300' garnered much attention as a new audience, many of whom previously unfamiliar with one of ancient history's  iconic battles, were introduced to this most recent adaptation. However, controversy ensued, as the movie which was based on a series of comic books written and illustrated by Frank Miller, was criticized by academics, scholars and several international communities due to its revisionism.  In addition, the accessibility of the '300' DVD had now allowed many of the under-17 age group that didn't gain admittance due to its restrictive 'R' rating, the opportunity to finally view the movie.


300 spartans phalanx Battle of thermopylae
Rare and discontinued memorabilia, which includes the 1998 signed Frank Miller lithograph, limited to only '300' copies - Image (c) Warner Bros.
 
Of paramount importance has been the concern rendered by elementary and high school teachers, who feel that the aforementioned age group may not  be able to distinguish fact from fiction. While those affiliated with '300' have gone on record as saying that the movie is not historically accurate, how is a student who has not read the classics at this impressionable age able to ascertain what scenes are factual and what aren't? 

Since there were many embellishments throughout which have been addressed in these pages, it is precisely for this reason that it is important to include images from the ancient ceremonial capital of Persepolis as it provides a glimpse of how the Persian warriors and royalty appeared during those times. Therefore, these pages will include student resources, and classroom demonstrations by the reenactment group 'The Warriors of Thermopylae'. An interactive learning environment is now available  for schools interested in learning more about the Battle of Thermopylae, Sparta, its allies and Persia.

 
An overview of the battle throughout this website will include armor worn by the warriors, illustrations, images of the battlefield, maps, the number of combatants which comprised the Greek and Persian armies and much more. Images from the ancient city of Persepolis, digital reconstructions, museum displays, etc. will be compared with '300' vs. 1962's 'The 300 Spartans', thereby, providing a more accurate depiction of the battle than that portrayed by Hollywood.

300 Spartans Battle of Thermopylae phalanx King Leonidas 300 Spartans
Copyrighted image courtesy of Nikos Panos - To read the Battle of Thermopylae overview, please click this image
 
For those who have a deep appreciation and admiration for the story of the 300 Spartans, please note that a portion of the proceeds from  all of the items that appear in this site, including the King Leonidas limited edition sculpture and those from the online store will be forwarded towards the funding of the 2010 Leonidas Expedition. The objectives of the expedition are to locate the site of the Phokian skirmish and to establish a 'best case scenario' for the path that Hydarnes and the Immortals used to encircle the Greek forces.

King Leonidas 300 Spartans Battle of Thermopylae
Monument at Thermopylae dedicated to King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans of Thermopylae - To view the 2010 Leonidas Expedition roster, please click here
 
The enconium below also composed by the poet Simonides and dedicated to the 300 Spartans was recorded by the historian Diodorus of Sicily - From Professor Peter Green's book 'Diodorus Siculus, Books 11-12.37.1'


"Of those who died at Thermopylai renowned is the fortune, noble the fate:

Their grave's an altar, their memorial our mourning, their fate our praise.
Such a shroud neither decay nor all-conquering destroy.
This sepulcher of brave men has taken the high renown of Hellas for its fellow occupant, as witness Leonidas, Sparta's king who left behind a great memorial of valor, everlasting renown."

 

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All original texts and images are copyright (c) 2006-2009 by John Trikeriotis


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