I. Leonidas-King of Sparta
Leonidas, BC. He was the Spartan king who led a small army of Greek allies at the Battle of Thermophile in 480 BC, when the Greeks bravely defended the pass that the Persian king Xerxes was trying to invade Greece with his massive army. Ultimately, Leonidas and his soldiers were defeated, but they bought the Greek city-states big time. They were an inspiring example not only of what the Greek hoplites (infantry) could do against the invading forces, but also of the price the Greeks were willing to pay to protect their freedom from outside pressure.
Herodotus, in his History book, says that Leonidas' lineage dates back to 20 generations ago, namely the mythological character Hercules. Leonidas' father was the Spartan king Anaxandrides. He was also the son of King Leon. However, Anaxandrides had problems finding heirs after his first wife suffered from infertility. The Spartan Ephors (senior judge) and Elders forced Anaxandrides to take a second wife to continue the royal line. She herself bore a son, Cleomenes, but strangely enough, Anaxandrides' first wife also said she was pregnant at the time and gave birth to a son, Dorieus. Then, after a short time, his first wife, BC. She gave birth to Leonidas and Cleombrotus in the 540s, which some said were twins.
Since Leonidas had two older brothers, it seemed unlikely that he would represent the Agiad Dynasty and be one of the two Spartan kings. However, Doreius' death on his campaign in Sicily and Cleomenes' dubious suicide (linked to his bad drinking habits) made it possible to do this to Leonidas, as he had no heirs. Leonidas was married to Gorgo, the daughter of Cleomene. B.C. In 490 BC, the death of his father meant that Leonidas would become king.
Battle of Thermophile
We know that Leonidas was in his sixties and undoubtedly a very experienced military commander at the time of the Battle of Thermophile, but we do not know much about his previous battles. Xerxes' BC. After intending to invade mainland Greece in 480 BC, Leonidas was chosen to defend Thermophile's pass and lead a small army of Spartan hoplites (about 300 carefully chosen men with male heirs). During this time, the Spartans had participated in the holy festival of Carneia, so they technically couldn't go to war until it was over. Sparta could have stacked up to 8,000 hoplites on the battlefield, but this was not possible during the Carneian period. Many armies from other city-states, based on up to 7,000 men, had joined the 300 Spartans to stop Xerxes' 80,000-man army, although this was insufficient.
Thermophile, 150km north of Athens, was a great choice for defending Greece, because apart from the mountains and the sea, there was only a narrow pass that was passable. Yet Xerxes was so confident that he would win that he sent an emissary to tell Leonidas to surrender and lay down their arms. The Spartan king replied succinctly; 'molōn labe' (come and get it if it's tight).
Leonidas, leading from the front, and Greek troops fighting in a tight phalange (ancient Greeks speared regiment of infantry) were able to take advantage of their superior armor and weapons to hold the huge Persian army for two days. However, the Greek shepherd, who had told the Persians about the way behind the Greeks, had betrayed his troops and made matters worse. Leonidas, realizing this, ordered most of the army to withdraw. He only kept the Spartans, Thespians, and Thebes to make a final response to the onslaught from behind.
In the end, the Greek forces were defeated by one man, and Apollo's oracle at Delphi was right that one of Sparta's kings had to fall. After the war, Xerxes had Leonidas' head cut off for a public show. This was an extremely dishonorable act, and it was against all the rules of war at the time.
Leonidas' Revenge Taken
Leonidas' son Pleistarchus became king upon his father's death, but Pausanius took care of state affairs due to his young age. Within a year, the Greeks had avenged Thermophile with their victories at the Battle of Salamis and the Battle of Plataea. Even Leonidas' nephew Pausanius ruled the latter. Xerxes' invasion was fiercely repelled, and those who perished in Thermophile were not forgotten. A monument was built in Simonides' words. In the monument; 'Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by: We have obeyed their orders and here we lie dead'. A large stone lion was also erected in memory of Leonidas and his men. Forty years after the war, the king's body was exhumed and brought to Sparta. He was duly buried and a hero temple was established in his honor.
In ancient art, King Leonidas BC. It has been the subject of a marble statue made between 490 and 480, which has survived from the Sparta acropolis. His dazzling face in a crested Corinthian helmet, his wrought eyes depict the merciless determination of the fallen king that has become a legend.
