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Thermopylae: Myth, History, & Archaeology

Thermopylae: Myth, History, & Archaeology. Herodotus. 484-c.425 B.C. Father of History but Son of Myth Access to veterans of Persian wars. Plutarch. 46-127 A.D. Life of Lycurgus the Law-giver Spartan Institutions & Life. Xenophon. c.430-c.354 Mercenary in Persian “civil war” Anabasis

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Thermopylae: Myth, History, & Archaeology

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  1. Thermopylae: Myth, History, & Archaeology

  2. Herodotus • 484-c.425 B.C. • Father of History but Son of Myth • Access to veterans of Persian wars

  3. Plutarch • 46-127 A.D. • Life of Lycurgus the Law-giver • Spartan Institutions & Life

  4. Xenophon • c.430-c.354 • Mercenary in Persian “civil war” • Anabasis • “Warriors” • Spartan Institutions

  5. The Persian Empire 490 B.C.

  6. Persian Empire IRAN Afghanistan Iraq Pakistan Turkmenistan Levant Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine Anatolia (Turkey) Egypt Bulgaria

  7. Origin of Persian Wars • 500 B.C. Ionian Revolt • Greek Colonies on Coast of Asia Minor rebel against Persian taxes & military service • 498 B.C. Athens sends help, burns Sardis • 495 B.C. Darius regains control of Ionia • Darius (521-486 B.C.) plots revenge - invasion • 492 B.C. Persian General Mardonius campaigns in Thrace • 490 B.C. Persian Fleet sent to invade Greece

  8. Battle of Marathon 490 B.C. • Athenians led by Miltiades, former mercenary in Persian army • Greek losses “192” • Persian dead “6,400!”

  9. 2nd Persian Invasion • Xerxes, son of Darius • 481 B.C. Greek League against Persia • Sparta commands but Athens the true naval power • 480 B.C. Battle at Thermopylae

  10. Xerxes Reliefs at Persepolis

  11. Leonidas at Thermopylae (David)

  12. Battle of Thermopylae

  13. Battle of Salamis • 480/479 B.C. Battle at Salamis • Greeks lose c.40 ships • Persians lose c.200 ships, and Persians couldn’t swim! • Immortals slaughtered on Psyttaleia

  14. Triremes

  15. Battle of Plataea • 479 B.C. Battle at Plataea Death of Mardonius, End of Persian Invasion) • Herodotus: only 43,000 of 250,000 Persians survived the battle, while the Greeks lost only 159 men!

  16. The Hoplite Panoply • Helmet • Shield • Breastplate/Cuirass • Greaves • Sword • Spear • Total Weight 50-70 lbs

  17. Full Panoply • (1) Helmet • (2) Cuirass • (3) Armguard • (4) Shield • (5) Belt • (6) Thigh Piece • (7) Greave • (8) Ankleguard • (9) Footguard • (10) Forearm Guard.

  18. The Shield • Convex wooden disc • Bronze overlay • Individual Decoration for non-Spartan hoplites

  19. The Cuirass • Front and back pieces • Linothorax

  20. The Helmet • Corinthian helmet late 6th - early 5th century • Beards to prevent chafing?

  21. The Chigi Vase 640-630 B.C.

  22. Spartan Superiority • Uniformity of Panoply • Distinctive Spartan Shield • Scarlet Cloak • Regular training together & bonding in syssitia

  23. The Phalanx

  24. Spartans as Defenders of Freedom? • “Dorian Invasion” • Northern Greek People displace or conquer Achaean Greeks in Laconia & then Messenia • Spartiates rule local residents, perioeci (merchants) & helots (agricultural serfs through fear and brutality inspired by the Krypteia (secret police)

  25. Ephialtes From Trachis Spartan Eugenics Greek Collusion Not deformed Spartan Bounty on his Head

  26. Tactics: Phalanx or Monomachia?

  27. Spartan Sexuality • “Spartan hotties vs. Persian trannies”? • Athenian Boy-lovers? • No home life until 30! • The Mess-hall is cold at night… • Institutionalized (chaste?) pederasty • Husband-doubling & Adultery

  28. Spartan…Ummm…Errr… • This slide IS important but I have forgotten why… • Karneia • 9 day festival of Apollo

  29. Spartan Society • Agoge: 7-17 • Krypteia: 18-20 • Syssitia: 21-30 • Homoioi • Reserves: 31-60 • Women’s Rights? • Property • Sex • Education • Sports

  30. Spartan Government • 5 Ephors elected from the Spartiate class for 1 year • 2 hereditary kings with equal authority (cp.2 Roman consuls) • Gerousia (council of 28 elders over 65, elected for life, usually from royal households + the 2 kings) • Damos – citizen assembly

  31. Archaeology of Persian Wars • Schliemann excavations! • Excavation of Burial Mound of Plataeans • Tomb of Spartans found near Thermopylae? • Persian Chariot Wheels as Votives in Temple of Apollo and Artemis at Kalapodi

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