![]() Xerxes wished to know what was going on and sent a rider up the pass. “The Battle of Thermopylae,” Map Courtesy of the Department of History, United States Military Academy. Struck by the Lorcian and Phocians’ predicament, Leonidas decided to continue the defense and sent envoys for further help. Their lands would be forfeited to Xerxes. They had marshaled every fighting man they could but without the Peloponnesians they had no chance. Such words roused anger in the hearts of the Locrians and Phocians. How could a handful of mere mortals face the fury of such an army? Most of the Peloponnesians called for a retreat back to the Isthmus. Indeed, fear took hold of many of the Greeks who watched Xerxes’ multitude in awe. He chose to wait, the mere sight of his mighty host would cause the Greeks to loose heart! “Herm of Themistocles” Illustrerad Verldshistoria by Ernst Wallis et al -Licensed under Public Domain via Commons – wikimedia Xerxes knew that despite the pitiful numbers of Greeks, it would not be easy to take the narrow pass. Below to the west, on the Malian plain awaited the Persian multitude. Some days earlier, Leonidas took position at the repaired Phocian wall. Mitchell, Department of History, United States Military Academy – Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -wikimedia When darkness fell the Greeks withdrew, having captured 30 ships. More and more Persian ships threatened to encircle the Greeks who slashed back from a kuklos-a defensive formation of Greek ships facing bow outward, stern inward, like the spokes of a wheel. The massive Greek ships initially sank a number of Persian ships, which set forth from their harbors piecemeal. Urged on by Themistocles, the confederate fleet chanced an engagement with the Persians in the afternoon of August 18. “Have a good breakfast, men, for we dine in Hades,” King Leonidas to his Spartan bodyguard The Battle of Thermopylae, 480 BC Part 2: Defending the Pass
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