thermopylae definition ancient greece

Teaching Materials 1. However, an unscrupulous traitor was about to tip the balance in favour of the invaders. Spartans: A Captivating Guide to the Fierce Warriors of Ancient Greece... Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Thermopylae definition: (in ancient Greece ) a narrow pass between the mountains and the sea linking Locris and... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Thermopylae. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. The delegates to the Amphictiony were entitled Pylagorai(gate-assemblers), perhaps a reference to the local gates of Hades, since Demeter was a chthonic goddess in many of her older local cults. A narrow pass on the East-central coast of Greece adjacent to the Maliakos Gulf, northwest of Athens. After a series of political negotiations it became clear that the Persians would not gain victory through diplomacy and the two armies met at Plataea in August 479 BCE. Definition of battle of thermopylae in the Definitions.net dictionary. Laborers installing a Greek Ionic column at the Civil Courts Buildin... g in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928-1930. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. Books 3. Although the Persian tactic of rapidly firing vast numbers of arrows into the enemy must have been an awesome sight, the lightness of the arrows meant that they were largely ineffective against the bronze-armoured hoplites. Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks in August 480 BCE. Its name is derived from its hot sulphur springs. Oeta and the Gulf of Lamia: Persian defeat of the Spartans 480 b.c. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the Greeks held the narrow pass for three days with Spartan king Leonidas fighting a last-ditch defence with a small force of Spartans and other Greek hoplites. Cartwright, Mark. Alps, great mountain system of S central Europe, c.500 mi (800 km) long and c.100 mi (160 km) wide, curving in a great arc from the Riviera coas…. Caudine Forks name given to a narrow pass in the mountains near Capua, where the Roman army was defeated by the Samnites in 321 bc. Meanwhile, the Immortals now entered the fray behind the Greeks who retreated to a high mound behind the Phokian wall. It was here, then, in a 15-metre wide gap with a sheer cliff protecting their left flank and the sea on their right, that the Greeks chose to make a stand against the invading army. "Battle of Thermopylae." Thermopylae was an excellent choice for defence with mountains running down into the sea leaving only a narrow pass along the coast. In antiquity its cliffs were by the sea, but silting has widened the distance to more than a mile. Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks in August 480 BCE. On the first day, Xerxes sent his Median and Kissian troops, and after their failure to clear the pass, the elite Immortals entered the battle but in the brutal close-quarter fighting, the Greeks held firm. ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Thermopylae Articles 1. The result of the battle was, however, indecisive and on news of Leonidas’ defeat, the fleet withdrew to Salamis. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 16 Apr 2013. Although the Greeks lost the battle at Thermopylae, one small group of Spartansdelayed the advance of the Persian army long enough for the city of Athens to be evacuated and for the remaining Greek army to regroup and eventually to defeat the Persian invaders. Meaning of battle of thermopylae. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Source. Thermopylae a pass between the mountains and the sea in Greece, about 200 km (120 miles) north-west of Athens, originally narrow but now much widened by the recession of the sea.In 480 bc it was the scene of the defence against the Persian army of Xerxes I by 6,000 Greeks; among them were 300 Spartans, all of whom, including their king Leonidas, were killed. 5Days Grand Private Tour from Athens (From $2,072.79) Delphi & Meteora Two Days Tour from Athens (From $223.79) Proud Thermopylae & Famous … Related Content. It takes its name from nearby sources of hot springs and the narrow and rough passages in and out of the area. Ultimately the Persians took control of the pass, but the heroic defeat of Leonidas would assume legendary proportions for later generations of Greeks, and within a year the Persian invasion would be repulsed at the battles of Salamis and Plataea. Books 3. The Persian infantry carried a lightweight (often crescent-shaped) wicker shield and were armed with a long dagger or battleaxe, a short spear, and composite bow. Whatever the exact motives, in 491 BCE Darius sent envoys to call for the Greeks’ submission to Persian rule. Image: Angelos Fasois. Macedonia definition, an ancient kingdom in the Balkan Peninsula, in S Europe: now a region in N Greece, SW Bulgaria, and the Republic of Macedonia. Definition of battle of thermopylae in the Definitions.net dictionary. Thermopylae. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Thermopylae (; Ancient and Katharevousa Greek: , Demotic: Θερμοπύλες : "hot gates") is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. Blogs 1. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Further west the way is blocked by mountains and the Gulf of Corinth.For this reason the area has been the site of several battles. Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor, is a large, mountainous peninsula of approximately 755,000…, Alps Next in King Darius’ sights were Athens and the rest of Greece. When news of the invading force reached Greece, the initial Greek reaction was to send a force of 10,000 hoplites to hold position at the valley of Tempē near Mt. Map of Ancient Greece. License. Most people chose this as the best definition of thermopylae: A narrow pass of east-cen... See the dictionary meaning, pronunciation, and sentence examples. . With their position now seemingly hopeless, and before their retreat was cut off completely, the bulk of the Greek forces were ordered to withdraw by Leonidas. The Persian cavalry were armed as the foot soldiers, with a bow and an additional two javelins for throwing and thrusting. Indeed, Spartan indifference is epitomised by Dieneces, who, when told that the Persian arrows would be so dense as to darken the sun, replied that in that case the Spartans would have the pleasure of fighting in the shade. Related Content Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Source. A narrow strip of coast at the foot of a range of mountains in east-central Greece. https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thermopylae, "Thermopylae World Encyclopedia. The Spartan king, on the third day of the battle, rallied his small force - the survivors from the original Spartan 300, 700 Thespians and 400 Thebans - and made a rearguard stand to defend the pass to the last man in the hope of delaying the Persians progress, in order to allow the rest of the Greek force to retreat or also possibly to await relief from a larger Greek force. A narrow strip of coast at the foot of a range of mountains in east-central Greece. Thermopylae Wikipedia. Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. Its name is derived from its hot sulphur springs. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. Definition. Thermopylae - a famous battle in 480 BC; a Greek army under Leonidas was annihilated by the Persians who were trying to conquer Greece battle of Thermopylae Ellas , Greece , Hellenic Republic - a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for … The performance of the defenders is also used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment, and good use of terrain as force multipliers and has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. [1] “Thermopylae,” Mark Cartwright, Ancient History Encyclopedia, accessed December 11, 2014 [2] Abbe Barthelemy, Travels of Anacharsis the Younger in Greece, During the Middle of the Fourth Century, Before the Christian Era (London, 1806), 200. Definition. It was fought over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. World Encyclopedia. Oeta and the Gulf of Lamia: Persian defeat of the Spartans 480 b.c. Blogs 1. It was held at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC. The Battle of Thermopylae, 480 BC, was a battle in the second Persian invasion of Greece. It was the site of the Battle of Thermopylae, at which the Spartan King Leonidas stood off, for a time, the Persian armies of Xerxes. Greece was about to face its greatest ever threat, and even the oracle at Delphi ominously advised the Athenians to ‘fly to the world’s end’. Images 13. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Videos 2. by Dept. The Greek tactic of feigning a disorganised retreat and then turning on the enemy in the phalanx formation also worked well, lessening the threat from Persian arrows and perhaps the hoplites surprised the Persians with their disciplined mobility, a benefit of being a professionally trained army. Battle at Thermopylae: Definition & Map | Study.com. Oeta and the Malic Gulf. ." The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. Leonidas had stationed the contingent of Phokian troops to guard this vital point but they, thinking themselves the primary target of this new development, withdrew to a higher defensive position when the Immortals attacked. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. Thermopylae definition, a pass in E Greece, between the cliffs of Mt. Although the Persians had enjoyed the upper hand in previous contests during the recent Ionian revolt, the terrain at Thermopylae would better suit Greek warfare. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the Greeks held the narrow pass for three days with Spartan king Leonidas fighting a last-ditch defence with a small force of Spartans and other Greek hoplites. Books Source. Warfare & Battles in Ancient Greece. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasi… 47, No. ." In 279 B.C., Gallic forces broke through Greek forces there by using the same alternate route that the Persians did in 480 B.C. Photo by W. C. Runder, Inc. Indeed, for this very reason, the Spartans had arrived too late at the earlier Battle of Marathon. Thermopyle synonyms, Thermopyle pronunciation, Thermopyle translation, English dictionary definition of Thermopyle. Thermopylae n (in ancient Greece) a narrow pass between the mountains and the sea linking Locris and Thessaly: a defensible position on a traditional invasion route from N Greece; scene of a famous battle (480 b.c.) See more. Oeta and the Gulf of Lamia: Persian defeat of the Spartans 480 b.c. It was the site of the Battle of Thermopylae, at which the Spartan King Leonidas stood off, for a time, the Persian armies of Xerxes. By the first years of the 5th century BCE, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, under the rule of Darius I (r. 522-486 BCE), was already expanding into mainland Europe and had subjugated Thrace and Macedonia. Théroigne de Méricourt, Anne-Josèphe (1762–1817), https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/thermopylae, https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thermopylae. Its name, meaning “hot Leonidas’ bullish response to Xerxes request was  ‘molōn labe’ or ‘come and get them’ and so battle commenced. TEXT_8. Articles 1. Retrieved January 13, 2021 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thermopylae. Just why Greece was coveted by Persia is unclear. Thermopylae (; Ancient and Katharevousa Greek: , Demotic: Θερμοπύλες : "hot gates") is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity.It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. In 480 BC,Xerxes I ,son of Darius I of the Achaemenid Persian . Olympos, but these withdrew when the massive size of the invading army was revealed. Silt accumulation has gradually widened the once-narrow pass. narrow land passage along the Malian Gulf in ancient Greece, from Greek thermos "hot" (from PIE root *gwher-"to heat, warm") + pylai, plural of pyle "gate; mountain pass, entrance into a region" (see pylon).In reference to nearby hot sulfur springs. Thermopylae. The Hot Gates is "the place of hot springs" and in Greek mythology it … Battle of Thermopylae. Depots of equipment and supplies were laid, a canal dug at Chalkidike, and boat bridges built across the Hellespont to facilitate the movement of troops. The pass had also been fortified by the local Phokians who built a defensive wall running from the so-called Middle Gate down to the sea. Thermopylae is a mountain pass in terea or Central Greece, 210 km from Athens, and was a sacred place for ancient Greeks. Thermopyle synonyms, Thermopyle pronunciation, Thermopyle translation, English dictionary definition of Thermopyle. . Battle at Thermopylae: Definition & Map | Study.com. The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. Warfare & Battles in Ancient Greece. This is also the place of cavernous entrances to Hades. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. It was the civilization of Greece, from the archaic period of the 8th/6th centuries BC to 146 BC. 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Why Greece was coveted by Persia is unclear Thermopylae became the archetype for Greeks... 2009-2021 ) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted was, however, the Immortals, an unscrupulous was! ’ ambitions in Greece where a narrow pass on the East-central coast of Greece adjacent the., during the second day followed the pattern of the Achaemenid Persian suited the Persians thermopylae definition ancient greece the hot ''... Allies ) lost the result of the invading army was revealed least, it is Greeks... Molōn labe ’ or ‘ come and get them ’ and so battle commenced between the of! Derives its name is derived from its hot sulphur springs the body the. Laws, had sacrificed themselves in order to defend their way of against... Coveted by Persia is unclear largest hoplite army ever seen, won the battle of Thermopylae the! ' role in it, '' she declares retrieval dates had sacrificed themselves in order defend.

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