The Search for the "Path of Betrayal" and The Location of the Phokian Skirmish
Jun 1-15, 2002, Thermopylae, GREECE
Endorsements
The Center for Hellenic Studies (PAIDEIA) at the University of Connecticut, Mr. Ilias Tomazos, President
The Honorable Dimitris Alambanos, Member of Parliament and the Prefecture of Fthiotis (Lamia region), Greece
The Honorable Demosthenes Matalas, Mayor of Sparta, Greece
The Pan-Laconian Federation of the USA and Canada, Ms. Athina Conits, President
Technical Consultants
Professor Peter Green, Historian, University of Iowa, USA
Eirini Manoli, State Licensed Archaeologist, Athens, Greece
Sponsors
The Leonidas 2002 Expedition is sponsored in part by:
Metal Detection Equipment kindly provided byGarrett
Global Postioning Systems kindly provided byMagellan
The 2002 Leonidas Expedition Report
The
2001 Leonidas Expedition raised new questions and it has become
necessary for us to return to the site for further work. Specifically ,
we shall be addressing the following points:
(1)
Where is the actual location of the skirmish that took place between
Hydarnes and the Immortals, and the contingent of 1000 Phokians sent by
Leonidas to guard the Anopaia? Current thinking sites the location of
this extremely important skirmish at Nevropolis. Yet we know from
Herodotus that after the skirmish the Persian marched on and descended
the mountain. However, it is impossible to descend the mountains from
Nevropolis because the crest is a further 1.8 miles up the mountain.
A
second location which is located at 3600 ft. and overlooks the Kastraki
range and the Malian Plain is what we have come to call the crest. This
is also a likely location for the skirmish since the defense of this
site enables defenders to block access to the plain from two access
routes. The first is from Nevropolis and the second access is the
approach from Ano/Kato Damasta. Such a position also affords the
defenders a view of part of the plain below. This may be an important
point if Leonidas and the Phokians needed to maintain some form of
communication. A third likely location, which can be approached by
avoiding the crest all together is by way of the Kastraki range. The
path leading through to this location also starts in the Ano/Kato
Damasta area and progresses in a southeaster direction toward
Paleodrakospilia. It the turns east and passes though a set of twin
rocky peaks which we have called the Rock Gates. This location is
strong candidate for the Phokian defense position because it
effectively blocks access to the plain behind the Greek lie from all
three approaches discussed above. If the Phokians were unsure whether
the Persians were coming around by way of Nevropolis, or the crest, or
by the way of Kastraki, the Rock Gates would have been the most likely
place worth defending.
We
propose to examine all three sites with metal detectors supplied to us
by Garrett Metal Detectors. Since we know that the Persians fired
thousands of arrows against the Phokians it should be possible to
locate arrowheads at one of the three locations.
We
believe the significance of the skirmish has not been fully
articulated. For example, had the Phokians been able to hold the
Persians, the pass at Thermopylae may have never been overrun. Thus,
the Phokian defeat sealed the fate of Leonidas and the allies and
contributed to the destruction of Athens. For these reasons locating
the site of the skirmish has important historical significance.
(2)
Unresolved inconsistencies in Herodotus regarding the beginning of the
path require that we investigate further the path form Koutseki (Ano
Damasta), by way of Chalkomata Spring, to Elevtherochori, or by way of
the Monastery at Damasta, or by way of Kastraki. Three significant
passages in Herodotus suggest that the location of the beginning of the
path is north the upper Asopos (i.e., below Kastro Orias) but where the
Asopos debouches into the Malian Plain.Herodotus
writes, "South of Trachis (he means east) there is a cleft in the
mountain range which he continues by stating that, "in this space is
located the village of Anthili, which the river Asopos passes ere
reaches the sea." And finally, Herodotus describes the beginning of the
path thus: "Beginning at the Asopos, where the stream flows thorough
the cleft in the hills, it runs along the ridge of the mountain..."
When taken together, these passages locate the beginning of the path
near Trachis and Anthili (and we know their location from the works of
various archaeologists), east of the Asopos Gorge. This approach may
not be the same as the one employed by Pritchett and other (that is,
from Koutseki, or Ano/Kato Damasta to Elevtherochori). However if it
is, it would have the Persians engaging the Phokians about two or three
hours before dawn, which is too early according to current thinking and
our analysis. However, this inconsistency may not be quite so
problematic if we have the Immortals starting their march from their
encampment (near Varthates, we think), about the time of the lighting
of the lamps, and not from the base of Mt. Kallidromos. Nevertheless,
we are of the opinion that this path (from somewhere between Koutseki
and just east of the Asopos Gorge) merits further investigation. And,
we also need to factor in the time it took the Immortals to march from
their camp near Varthates to the base of the mountain near Anthili or
Kato/Ano Damasta (Koutseki) village. We estimate that this scenario
would add another hour and a half to their march and would bring the
total time taken for the night march in line with our proposed mode.
However, this hypothesis requires further testing onsite.
Commentary and Objectives for 2002 Expedition
Our
previous expeditions in the summers of 2000 and 2001 have provided us
with considerable information and insights regarding the path of the
Immortals (which we have called "The Path of Betrayal"), and the
possible location of the Phokian skirmish. We propose to return in the
summer of 2002 and complete the work. We have considerable resources
and information at our disposal now and we feel confident that we shall
be able to arrive at a "best case scenario" for the path and the site
of the Phokian skirmish. Our research is guided by the following:
(i) Prior work and writings on the topic
(ii)
Our own investigations in the field. So far we hiked most of the major
paths suggested by previous authors, and a few others that we
considered likely candidates as well. We cannot underscore the
importance of actual field work in gaining significant understandings
and insights about terrain, topography and levels of difficulty. For
example, after hiking up to Elevtherochori from the Asopos, starting
just below Kastro Orias, it became evident that the steep gradient
would have rendered the Immortals useless for the battle. It is just
too steep and in 480 B.C., before erosion took its toll on the mountain
it may well have been an even steeper climb. These types of insights
cannot be acquired by library research alone.
(iii)The use of sophisticated equipment such as Global Positioning, Metal Detectors and Satellite Imaging
(iv) Information obtained from interviews with locals, all of whom have a story to tell that reflects richness and tradition
(v) Textual analysis of the writings of Herodotus
(vi)
The study of and comparison of various modern and older maps. These
show changes in terrain and how the work of man has now transformed
some portions of Mt. Kallidromos. For example, the northern slopes of
Kallidromos around Ano/Kato Damasta have been bull-dozed, shaped and
reshaped to construct modern highways, gas stations and rest stops.
Trees have been cut down and the general topography has been altered
beyond recognition. Evidence of these radical transformations is
provided by eyewitness interviews, thorough visual inspections and by
examining older maps of the region. One major path beginning at Kato
Damasta, which is clearly illustrated in the map of the British General
Staff Map of 1944 (1994 edition), that leads both to Elevtherochori and
to other portions of the mountain, has been almost obliterated by the
work of man today.
June 2002 Expedition Members
Andrew Yiannakis, Ph.D., Clemson University, USA
Ian Macgregor Morris, Ph.D., University of Nottingham, UK