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Battle of Thermopylae
battle of 480 BCE during Persian invasion of Greece / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of Thermopylae, 480 BC,[5] was a battle in the second Persian invasion of Greece.[6] It was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I. It took place at the pass of Thermopylae.[7] The battle was fought for over three days, at the same time as the naval Battle of Artemisium.[8]
Quick Facts Date, Location ...
Battle of Thermopylae | |||||||||
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Part of the Greco-Persian Wars | |||||||||
![]() The site of the battle today: the road to the right is built on reclaimed land and approximates the 480 BC shoreline. | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Greek city-states | Persian Empire | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Leonidas I †, Demophilus † |
Xerxes I of Persia, Mardonius, Hydarnes | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
Total 5,200+ (Herodotus) 7,400+ (Diodorus) 11,200 (Pausanias) |
Total 2,600,000 (Herodotus)[3] ~800,000 (Ctesias) 70,000–300,000 (modern estimates)b[›] | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
1,000 to 4,000 (Herodotus)[3] | ~20,000 (Herodotus)[4] |
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