Ancient Sparta and

The Battle Of Thermopylae

By: Luke Oyster

•Located on the Eurotas River in ancient Parnon•Emerged around the 10th century

Government

• Was a Polis• Used a combination of a monarchy, oligarchy

and a democracy • Lycurgus and Eunomia

Relations

• Unstable relations• Peloponnesian Wars• Dominators

Control of Helots

• 8th century B.C. gained control of Messenia • More resources • More military training• Uprisings (7th century)

Society

• Male Dominate• Equals made not born• Dedicated life to training

Hoplites

• Superior warriors• Pride of Sparta • Unselfish/Phalanx

Phalanx

• Fighting unit of the ancient Greeks

• Worked together• Sole reason for

Greek’s success against Persia

Weapons and Armor

• Expected to pay for their own equipment• Carried a spear, sword and shield • Bronze was better but more expensive

Persian Wars

• Lasted from 490-478B.C.E• Two separate campaigns – Darius I– Xerxes

Sparta’s Role

• Gained command of forces • Very small number of soldiers • Needed a strategic location – Thermopylae

The Battle of Thermopylae

• In 480 B.C.E• Thermopylae was a narrow passage• Only 300 Spartans • Limited number due to Olympic Festival

Battle of Thermopylae Cont.

• King Leonidas was king of Sparta at this time • Spartans held their ground for 3 days• Greeks were betrayed

Results

• Scouts saw Persians coming• King Leonidas and his Spartans die• Major powers of Greece unite • Drive Persia out a second time

The End

Works Cited

• http://library.thinkquest.org/17709/wars/persian.htm

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplite• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta• Kishlansky, Mark A., Patrick J. Geary, and

Patricia O'Brien. Civilization in the West. Vol. 1. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education/Longman, 2010. Print.

• The History of Herodotus, Books 1 and 7

Photos and Sound Cited• Slide two(This is Sparta): http://ivanstechroundup.blogspot.com/• Slide three(Lycurgus):

http://carnogold.wikispaces.com/Spartan+Society• Slide four(Athens):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Athens_Acropolis.jpg• Slide seven(Hoplite): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplite• Slide eight(Phalanx):

http://jdwaggoner.wordpress.com/2008/08/page/2/• Slide nine (Shield):

http://media.photobucket.com/image/spartan+shield+/spartanpoet/S852_002.jpg

• Slide fifteen(300): http://www.journerdism.com/champions-needed/

• Slide two (sound, this is Sparta) and slide fifteen(sound, tonight we dine in hell): http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Leonidas_Soundboard_300.aspx