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    Contents:
  • Introduction to the Historical Overview in Perseus
  • Geographical and Historical Introduction
  • The Early Greek Dark Age and Revival in the Near East
  • Remaking Greek Civilization
  • The Archaic Age
  • The Late Archaic City-State
  • Introduction to the Fifth Century
  • Clash Between Greeks and Persians
  • Athenian Empire in the Golden Age
  • Athenian Religious and Cultural Life in the Golden Age
  • Continuity and Change in Athenian Social and Intellectual History
  • The Peloponnesian War and Athenian Life
  • Introduction to the Fourth Century
  • The Aftermath of the Peloponnesian War
  • New Directions in Philosophy and Education
  • The Creation of Macedonian Power
    		•

    Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander

    Clash Between Greeks and Persians: The Great Invasion of 480-479 B.C.

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    8.4.1. VIII.[4] Greek Courage at Thermopylae

    The Spartans showed their courage when three hundred of their men, along with a few other allied Greek contingents, held off Xerxes' huge army for several days at the narrow pass called Thermopylae (“Warm Gates”) in central Greece. The characteristic Spartan refusal to be intimidated was summed up in the reputed comment of a Spartan hoplite. A companion remarked that the Persian archers were so numerous that their arrows darkened the sky in battle. “That's good news,” said the Spartan, “we will get to fight in the shade.” The pass was so narrow that the Persians could not employ their superior numbers to overwhelm the Greek defenders, who were better warriors one-on-one. Only when a local Greek, hoping for a reward from the Persian king, showed the Persian troops a secret route around the pass were they able to massacre its Greek defenders by attacking them from the front and the rear simultaneously.



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