The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, (
Anax and Cymede
) and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days (Day of Judgment, Holy Day, Day of Destiny), during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ('The Hot Gates') (Boros Guildgate). The Athenian general Themistocles (Phalanx Leader) had proposed that the allied Greeks (
Alliance of Arms
) block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae (Boros Guildgate).
The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands (
Noble Stand
). After the second day of battle a local resident named Ephialtes (
Sokenzan Renegade
) betrayed (Act of Treason) the Greeks by revealing a small path (Sorrow's Path) that led behind the Greek lines. Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard the rear with 300 Spartans (
Akroan Crusader
,
Akroan Hoplite
), 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans and perhaps a few hundred others (
Favored Hoplite
,
Labyrinth Champion
,
Soldier of the Pantheon
, Fabled Hero), most of whom were killed (
Acceptable Losses
).
Background
Darius sent emissaries (
Soltari Emissary
) to all the Greek city-states in 491 BC asking for a gift of 'earth and water' in token of their submission to him (Gift of Estates). Having had a demonstration of his power the previous year, the majority of Greek cities duly obliged. In Athens, however, the ambassadors were put on trial (
Control of the Court
) and then executed by throwing them in a pit (
Rocky Tar Pit
); in Sparta, they were simply thrown down a well (
Miren, the Moaning Well
). This meant that Sparta was also effectively at war with Persia (
Total War
).
The Athenians had also been preparing for war with the Persians since the mid-480s BC, and in 482 BC the decision was taken, under the guidance of the Athenian politician Themistocles (
Blessed Orator
), to build a massive fleet that would be essential for the Greeks to fight the Persians (Assemble the Legion). However, the Athenians did not have the manpower to fight on land and sea; and therefore combating the Persians would require an alliance of Greek city states (
Unlikely Alliance
). A congress of city states met at Corinth in late autumn of 481 BC (
Congregate
), and a confederate alliance of Greek city-states was formed (
Alliance of Arms
). It had the power to send envoys asking for assistance (
Timely Reinforcements
) and to dispatch troops (
Rally the Troops
) from the member states to defensive points after joint consultation (
Congregate
).
A strategy was therefore suggested by Themistocles (
Blessed Orator
) to the Greeks. The route to southern Greece would require the army of Xerxes to travel through the very narrow pass of Thermopylae (Boros Guildgate). This could easily be blocked by the Greek hoplites (
Akroan Hoplite
), despite the overwhelming numbers of Persians.
Prelude
News of the imminent Persian approach eventually reached Greece in August thanks to a Greek spy (
Mercenary Informer
). At this time of year the Spartans, de facto military leaders of the alliance, were celebrating the
Festival
of Carneia. During the Carneia, military activity was forbidden by Spartan law (Rule of Law); it was also the time of the Olympic Games, and therefore the Olympic truce (
Temporary Truce
), and thus it would have been doubly sacrilegious for the whole Spartan army to march to war. On this occasion, the ephors (
Stern Judge
s) decided the urgency was sufficiently great to justify an advance expedition to block the pass, under one of its kings, Leonidas I. Leonidas took with him the 300 men of the royal bodyguard, the Hippeis (
Kjeldoran Royal Guard
).
The legend of Thermopylae, as told by Herodotus, has it that the Spartans consulted the Oracle at Delphi (
Oracle en-Vec
) earlier in the year. The Oracle is said to have made the following
Prophecy
:
"O ye men who dwell in the streets of broad Lacedaemon!
Either your glorious town shall be sacked by the children of Perseus,
Or, in exchange, must all through the whole Laconian country
Mourn for the loss of a king, descendant of great Heracles."
Herodotus tells us that Leonidas, in line with the prophecy, was convinced he was going to certain death (
Fight to the Death
) since his forces were not adequate for a victory, and so he selected only Spartans with living sons.
The Spartan force was reinforced (
Reinforcements
) en route to Thermopylae by contingents from various cities and numbered more than 7,000 by the time it arrived at the Thermopylae pass. Leonidas chose to camp at, and defend, the 'middle gate', (Dolmen Gate) the narrowest part of the pass of Thermopylae, where the Phocians had built a defensive wall (
Wall of Stone
) some time before. News also reached Leonidas, from the nearby city of Trachis, that there was a mountain track which could be used to outflank the pass of Thermopylae (Path of Sorrow). Leonidas stationed 1,000 Phocians on the heights to prevent such a maneuver (
Safeguard
).
A Persian emissary was sent by Xerxes to negotiate with Leonidas (
Soltari Emissary
). The Greeks were offered their freedom and the title "Friends of the Persian People," moreover they would be re-settled on land better than that they possessed . These terms were refused by Leonidas.
Battle
First day (Day of Judgment)
On the fifth day after the Persian arrival at Thermopylae (which would become the first day of the battle), Xerxes finally resolved to attack the Greeks. First of all, he ordered five thousand archers to fire a barrage of arrows at the Greeks (
Hail of Arrows
), but the bronze shields (Accorder's Shield,
Kite Shield
,
Kry Shield
,
Mourner's Shield
, Pariah's Shield, Shield of Kaldra,
Vanguard's Shield
) and helmets (Champion's Helm, Helm of Awakening,
Helm of Chatzuk
,
Helm of Kaldra
, Prowler's Helm) deflected the missiles, leaving no permanent damage - the missiles were fired from at least 100 yards away, according to modern day scholars. After that, Xerxes sent a force of ten thousand Medes and Cissians against the Greeks, to take them prisoner and bring them before him. Details of the tactics are scant; Diodorus says "the men stood shoulder to shoulder" and the Greeks were "superior in valor (
Battlewise Valor
) and in the great size of their shields ." According to Ctesias, the first wave was "cut to ribbons" with only two or three Spartans dead.According to Herodotus and Diodorus, the king, having taken the measure of the enemy, threw his best troops into a second assault the same day, the Immortals, an elite corps of 10,000 men. However, the Immortals fared no better than the Medes had, failing to make headway against the Greeks (
Gleam of Battle
). The Spartans apparently used a tactic of feigning retreat (
False Defeat
), and then turning and killing the enemy troops when they ran after the Spartans.
Second day (Holy Day)
On the second day, Xerxes again sent in the infantry to attack the pass, "supposing that their enemies, being so few, were now disabled by wounds and could no longer resist." However, the Persians fared no better on the second day than on the first. Xerxes at last stopped the assault and withdrew to his camp, "totally perplexed".
Late on the second day of battle, however, as the Persian king was pondering what to do next, he received a windfall; a Trachinian named Ephialtes (
Sokenzan Renegade
) informed him of the mountain path around Thermopylae and offered to guide the Persian army (
Guided Strike
). Ephialtes was motivated by the desire of a reward (
Reaping the Rewards
).
Third day (Day of Destiny)
At daybreak on the third day, the Phocians guarding the path above Thermopylae became aware of the outflanking Persian column by the rustling of oak leaves. Learning from a runner that the Phocians had not held the path (Scout's Warning), Leonidas called a council of war at dawn
Break of Day
. Some of the Greeks argued for withdrawal, but Leonidas resolved to stay at the pass with the Spartans (
Defiant Stand
).
A Persian force of ten thousand men, consisting of light infantry and cavalry, charged at the front of the Greek formation. The Greeks this time sallied forth from the wall to meet the Persians in the wider part of the pass in an attempt to slaughter as many Persians as they could. They fought with spears (Moonsilver Spear, Spear of Heliod) until every spear was Shattered and then switched to xiphe (short swords) (
Silver-Inlaid Dagger
).
The 300 Spartans and the other Greeks fought valiantly and became part of a legendary story...
deck-large: most entertaining deck
