07-21-2006, 09:46 PM
Greatings friends...
OBVIOUSLY you're right! Indeed. Thermopylae's Battle, from military tactical point of view, was a disaster!
It could be a HUGE, SUPERB by all means battle, but it didn't!
2.000 Lacedaimonians - BEST infantry in these Times (300 Spartan SPECIAL FORCES' - the Royal bodyguard "Heppeis" + one of the two Kings + 700 auxiliary personel + 500 Mantinean Hoplites + 500 Tegean Hoplites) and 700 ELITE Thespian Hoplites... DIED to the last!!!
What MORE to add, to understand the HUGE of that disaster!
The only good of this battle, was the parallel naval Greek draw in the naval Battle of Artemisium, by Themistocles...
But!... It was a "Pyrrhic victory" for the Persians, because their HUGE casualties! The Greeks fought, like "poets", like Gods! And they EARNED their Myth!
OF COURSE, if we like to talk about THE MOST IMPORTANT battle (in ANY case), the battle that MARK history, that was... MARATHON's Battle!
The battle that STOPPED East to invade West!
If we like to talk about the MOST IMPORTANT NAVAL battle, it was SALAMINA's Battle!
A SECOND crash of Persian Empire, in different type of "battlefield"!
And, if we like to talk about the MOST VITAL & CRITICAL battle, it was the Battle of Platea!
The END of Persians' ambition!
That's my opinion - and I thing, many others...
Thermopylae's Battle was THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, which ALL sacrifices FASCINATING the people!
Also, specially the Americans, LOVING that incident, because it reminding them THEIR "Thermopylae", Alamo's battle...
Regards...
OBVIOUSLY you're right! Indeed. Thermopylae's Battle, from military tactical point of view, was a disaster!
It could be a HUGE, SUPERB by all means battle, but it didn't!
2.000 Lacedaimonians - BEST infantry in these Times (300 Spartan SPECIAL FORCES' - the Royal bodyguard "Heppeis" + one of the two Kings + 700 auxiliary personel + 500 Mantinean Hoplites + 500 Tegean Hoplites) and 700 ELITE Thespian Hoplites... DIED to the last!!!
What MORE to add, to understand the HUGE of that disaster!
The only good of this battle, was the parallel naval Greek draw in the naval Battle of Artemisium, by Themistocles...
But!... It was a "Pyrrhic victory" for the Persians, because their HUGE casualties! The Greeks fought, like "poets", like Gods! And they EARNED their Myth!
OF COURSE, if we like to talk about THE MOST IMPORTANT battle (in ANY case), the battle that MARK history, that was... MARATHON's Battle!
The battle that STOPPED East to invade West!
If we like to talk about the MOST IMPORTANT NAVAL battle, it was SALAMINA's Battle!
A SECOND crash of Persian Empire, in different type of "battlefield"!
And, if we like to talk about the MOST VITAL & CRITICAL battle, it was the Battle of Platea!
The END of Persians' ambition!
That's my opinion - and I thing, many others...
Thermopylae's Battle was THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, which ALL sacrifices FASCINATING the people!
Also, specially the Americans, LOVING that incident, because it reminding them THEIR "Thermopylae", Alamo's battle...
Regards...
aka Romilos
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
"Ayet`, oh Spartan euandro... koroi pateron poliatan... laia men itin provalesthe,
...dori d`eutolmos anhesthe, ...mi phidomenoi tas zoas. Ouh gar patrion ta Sparta!"
- The Lacedaimonian War Tune -
