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- See More Of The Greek Ruins Of The Period
Roughly 2,502 years ago, a battle was joined between a mere 300 Spartans facing off against the hordes of the East. The 300 gallantly fought before being betrayed and surrounded, they then fought to the last man. Well, it didn't actually happen like that, but still, no battle of ancient history is more remembered in the West than the famous Battle of Thermopylae, and one can visit today.
Taking the - This Is Sparta theme further, one can also visit the ancient ruins of Sparta today, there's not much to see, but well worth it for history buffs. While the region, there are plenty of other excellent historic sites to visit like the site of the legendary city of Tory in Turkey, Mount Olympus in Greece (the home of the gods), and the ruins of the Temple of Artemis in Turkey by the more impressive ruins of Ephesus.
UPDATE: 2023/02/04 11:25 EST BY AARON SPRAY
See More Of The Greek Ruins Of The Period
There is not much to see at the Gates of Thermopylae today (indeed the 'gates' have disappeared). To really explore the battle and the history of the battle, one should also visit the ruins of Athens and Sparta. This article was updated and expanded with suggestions to continue south and see the ruins of the two powerful Greek city states.
The Battle Of Thermopylae With 300 Spartans
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought with a hodge-podge of around 7,000 Greeks (300 of whom were Spartans), fought to block a force of 70,000-300,000 Persians. The sight they chose was the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae which negated the numerical advantage of the Persians.
Messenger: This is madness!
King Leonidas: Madness? This is Sparta!
- 2006 Movie 300
- Armies: Roughly 7,000 Greeks and 100,000-150,000 Persians
- Greek Force: An Assortment of Spartans, Lakedemonians, Thebans, and Thespians
The Greek force was led by King Leonidas I of Sparta while the Persians were led by King Xerxes I. The Persians were blocked for 7 days (three days of battle) which resulted in a Persian victory.
The story of it being propaganda or moral victory for the Greeks came later - it was a strategic defeat and Athens was subsequently looted and burned. The Athenian Acropolis was largely built after this destruction and remains one of the greatest ancient sites today.
- Date: 480 BC
- Outcome: Persian Victory
- Herodotus: Claims The Persian Army Was One Million - But Modern Scholars Think 100,000 - 150,000 Is More Likely
As the Greek army realized it had been outflanked, the main Greek army retreated. Leonidas fought a delaying action so that they could escape. He stayed with his 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians (depending on the source). The Spartans fought to the man while most of the others surrendered.
One fun fact is the line out of the 2006 movie 300 is actually pulled from the historian Herodotus (from whom we get most of the information about the battle) in his book Herodotus (7.226)
Persian: Our arrows will blot out the sun.
Spartan: Then we will fight in the shade
"...they obscured the light of the sun by the multitude of the arrows... He said that their guest from Trachis brought them very good news, for if the Medes [Persians] obscured the light of the sun, the battle against them would be in the shade and not in the sun..." Herodotus (7.226)
Thermopylae Today
Today the narrow coastal passage of Thermopylae has disappeared. In fact, the whole site is nigh unrecognizable. The land is dominated by the coastal floodplain, and there is the continuous deposition of sediment.
Today the land on which the Battle of Thermopylae was fought is buried under 20 meters or 66 feet of sedimentary soil. The shoreline has also moved. Back then, there was a very narrow passage, and the battle was probably fought on a passage of around 100 meters or 330 feet from the mountain to the shore.
Today the shoreline has advanced by as much as 9 kilometers or 5.6 miles. Thus the narrow passageway no longer exists, and one will need to mentally picture it.
Its name, "the Hot Gates," comes from the hot sulfur springs found there; in Greek mythology was the entrance to the underworld of Hades.
Anyone can visit the site today. As this is a battlefield site and not a large archaeological site, it won't take long to see and explore the site (no more than 30 minutes). The main attraction is the Memorial of Leonidas and the 300 Spartans, together with a huge bronze statue of King Leonidas.
The statue stands on a massive stone wall with two marble statues of men representing the river Eurotas and Mount Taygetos. There is also a small museum in the area.
- See: The Memorial of Leonidas
- River Eurotas and Mount Taygetos: The Most Important Landmarks of Sparta
Tours of Thermopylae
Meteora Small-Group Day Trip & Visit to Thermopylae: This full-day tour starts from Athens and goes to Meteora (a UNESCO Listed extraordinary geological formation). One will visit majestic monasteries and stop by the historic site of Thermopylae. Here one will see the battlefield and the museum.
One will visit two of the six remaining Byzantine monasteries (dating from the 14th and 16th centuries), the Great Meteoron or the Holy Monastery of Varlaam, and more.
- Duration: 12 Hours
- Cost: From $135.00
- Includes: Pick up/Drop off In Downtown Athens and an English Speaking Driver
Marathon & Thermopylae Battlefields Private Day Tour: Viator lists another tour to Marathon and Thermopylae from Athens. This is also a private tour and perfect for those interested in ancient Greek battles. The tour takes the tourists to multiple sites, including the Marathon Archeological Museum, the Marathon Battlefield, Thermopylae, and more.
- Cost: From $245.00
- Includes: Athens Hotel Pick up
- Duration: 9 Hours
A range of other day tours of Thermopylae can also be found on Tripadvisor and Get Tour Guide.
See The Ruins At Athens & Sparta
Today the Acropolis of Athens is one of the top archeological sites in the world. People come from all over the world to see the impressive ruins on the hill overlooking Athens. Many of these ruins date from just after the battle of Thermopylae. After the Greek defeat at Thermopylae, the Greeks were unable to top the march of the Persians, who then entered Athens and burned it to the ground. After the eventual Greek triumph, the Greeks rebuilt Athens to be more impressive than before, and many of the ruins (like the Parthenon) survive to this day.
While Athens' contribution to the war was crucial (especially at sea), it is Sparta that is remembered for the land war. While in Greece, head down to the Peloponnese Peninsula and see the ruins of Sparta. Adjust one's expectations for this site. While Athens' ruins are very impressive, the ruins of Sparta are exceptionally underwhelming. Most of the site of Sparta has not been excavated, and there are only a few things to see. But it is rewarding to see the ruins of the once-proud city-state nonetheless.
Learn about Sparta at the museum near the ruins; it is open from Tuesday to Sunday throughout the year.