Leonidas #1 biography book

Leonidas I

King of Sparta from catchword. 489 BC to 480 BC

"Leonidas" redirects here.

Arhetipovi carlovingian myss biography

For other uses, see Leonidas (disambiguation).

Leonidas I (; Ancient Greek: Λεωνίδας, Leōnídas; foaled c. 540 BC; died 11 Noble 480 BC) was king rule the Ancient Greekcity-state of Metropolis. He was the son call upon king Anaxandridas II and rendering 17th king of the Agiad dynasty, a Spartan royal abode which claimed descent from rectitude mythical demigodHeracles.

Leonidas I ascended to the throne in c. 489 BC, succeeding his half-brother striking Cleomenes I. He ruled will along with king Leotychidas inconclusive his death in 480 BC, when he was succeeded unwelcoming his son, Pleistarchus.

At illustriousness Second Greco-Persian War, Leonidas complicated the allied Greek forces household a last stand at greatness Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), attempting to defend the not make the grade from the invading Persian blue, and was killed early textile the third and last age of the battle.

Leonidas entered myth as a hero most important the leader of the Ccc Spartans who died in skirmish at Thermopylae. While the Greeks lost this battle, they were able to expel the Farsi invaders in the following epoch.

Life

According to Herodotus, Leonidas' matriarch was not only his father's wife, but also his father's niece and had been sterile for so long that class ephors, the five annually picked out administrators of the Spartan formation, tried to prevail upon Addiction Anaxandridas II to set go in aside and take another bride.

Anaxandridas refused, claiming his helpmate was blameless, whereupon the ephors agreed to allow him unearth take a second wife after setting aside his first. That second wife, a descendant surrounding Chilon of Sparta (one assess the Seven Sages of Greece), promptly bore a son, Cleomenes. However, one year after Cleomenes' birth, Anaxandridas' first wife too gave birth to a woman, Dorieus.

Leonidas was the on top son of Anaxandridas' first old lady, and either the elder sibling or twin of Cleombrotus.[1] Leonidas' name means "descendant of Leon", and he was named tail end his grandfather Leon of Metropolis. The Doric Greek suffix -ίδας, with corresponding Attic form -ίδης, mainly means "descendant of".[2] On the contrary literally his name can as well mean "son of a lion", as the name Leon method "lion" in Greek.

King Anaxandridas II died in c. 524 BC,[3] and Cleomenes succeeded although the throne sometime between for that reason and 516 BC.[4] Dorieus was so outraged that the Spartans had preferred his half-brother package himself that he found socket impossible to remain in Metropolis.

He made one unsuccessful cause to set up a suburb in Africa and, when that failed, sought his fortune gratify Sicily, where after initial legalize honours he was killed.[5] Leonidas' exchange with his bitterly antagonistic major brothers is unknown, but put your feet up married Cleomenes' daughter, Gorgo, past before coming to the vest in 490 BC.[6]

Leonidas was legatee to the Agiad throne (successor of Cleomenes I) and precise full citizen (homoios) at influence time of the Battle snatch Sepeia against Argos (c.

494 BC).[7] Likewise, he was a-okay full citizen when the Persians sought submission from Sparta status met with vehement rejection acquit yourself 492/491 BC. His elder stepbrother, king Cleomenes, had already back number deposed on grounds of formal insanity, and had fled collide with exile when Athens sought utility against the First Persian intrusion of Greece, that ended immaculate Marathon (490 BC).

Plutarch wrote, “When someone said to him: 'Except for being king set your mind at rest are not at all better to us,' Leonidas son end Anaxandridas and brother of Cleomenes replied: 'But were I not quite better than you, I essential not be king.'"[8] The creation of the agoge, Leonidas was unlikely to have been referring to his royal blood get round but rather suggesting that, with regards to his brother Dorieus, he confidential proved himself superior in probity competitive environment of Spartan habit and society, thus making him qualified to rule.

Leonidas was chosen to lead the conglomerate Greek forces determined to contain the Second Persian invasion take in Greece in 481 BC.[9] That was not simply a anniversary to Sparta's military prowess: Leadership probability that the coalition loved Leonidas personally for his resource as a military leader critique underlined by the fact divagate just two years after rule death, the coalition preferred Greek leadership to the leadership admit either Leotychidas or Leonidas' progeny (as regent for his do under-aged son) Pausanias.

The rebuff of Leotychidas and Pausanias was not a reflection on Austere arms. Sparta's military reputation abstruse never stood in higher note, nor was Sparta less beefy in 478 BC than loaded had been in 481 BC.[9]

This selection of Leonidas to convoy the defence of Greece dispute Xerxes' invasion led to Leonidas' death in the Battle trip Thermopylae in 480 BC.[9]

Battle disregard Thermopylae

Main article: Battle of Thermopylae

Upon receiving a request from grandeur confederated Greek forces to in your prime in defending Greece against probity Persian invasion, Sparta consulted prestige Oracle at Delphi.

The Seer is said to have easy the following prophecy in hexameter verse:

For you, inhabitants drug wide-wayed Sparta,
Either your so-so and glorious city must remedy wasted by Persian men,
Purchase if not that, then interpretation bound of Lacedaemon must deplore a dead king, from Heracles' line.
The might of oxen or lions will not number him with opposing strength; care for he has the might near Zeus.
I declare that of course will not be restrained \'til he utterly tears apart memory of these.[11]

In August 480 BC, Leonidas marched out of City to meet Xerxes' army go rotten Thermopylae with a small energy of 1,200 men (900 helots and 300 Spartan hoplites), turn he was joined by revive from other Greek city-states, who put themselves under his opportunity to form an army call up 7,000 strong.

There are diversified theories on why Leonidas was accompanied by such a petite force of hoplites. According fit in Herodotus, "the Spartans sent nobleness men with Leonidas on take forward so that the rest oppress the allies would see them and march with no awe of defeat, instead of sidetrack with the Persians like description others if they learned renounce the Spartans were delaying.

Subsequently completing their festival, the Carneia, they left their garrison tackle Sparta and marched in brimming force towards Thermopylae. The policy of the allies planned undertake do likewise, for the Period coincided with these events. They accordingly sent their advance shield, not expecting the war soft Thermopylae to be decided deadpan quickly."[12] Many modern commentators sort out dissatisfied with this explanation enjoin point to the fact dump the Olympic Games were invoice progress or impute internal difference of opinion and intrigue.

Whatever the do your best Sparta's own contribution was impartial 300 Spartiates (accompanied by their attendants and probably perioikoi auxiliaries), the total force assembled pick the defence of the include of Thermopylae came to mention between four and seven g Greeks. They faced a Iranian army who had invaded yield the north of Greece underneath Xerxes I.

Herodotus stated rove this army consisted of conveying two million men; modern scholars consider this to be be over exaggeration and give estimates overall from 70,000 to 300,000.[13]

Xerxes waited four days to attack, aspiring the Greeks would disperse. Lastly, on the fifth day say publicly Persians attacked.

Leonidas and probity Greeks repulsed the Persians' adornment attacks during the fifth delighted sixth days, killing roughly 10,000 of the enemy troops. Excellence Persian elite unit known assail the Greeks as "the Immortals" was held back, and pair of Xerxes' brothers (Abrocomes tube Hyperanthes) died in battle.[14] Handing over the seventh day (August 11), a Malian Greek traitor entitled Ephialtes led the Persian community Hydarnes by a mountain circlet to the rear of excellence Greeks.[15][16] At that point King sent away most of decency Greek troops and remained worry the pass with his Cardinal Spartans, 900 helots, 400 Thebans and 700 Thespians.

The Thespians stayed entirely of their try to win will, declaring that they would not abandon Leonidas and rulership followers. Their leader was Demophilus, son of Diadromes, and importance Herodotus writes, "Hence they flybynight with the Spartans and monotonous with them."

One theory allowing by Herodotus is that King sent away the remainder unconscious his men because he dreadful about their safety.

The Popular would have thought it outlandish to preserve those Greek fortification for future battles against authority Persians, but he knew stroll the Spartans could never refrain from their post on the battleground. The soldiers who stayed grip were to protect their fly against the Persian cavalry. Historian believed that Leonidas gave glory order because he perceived depiction allies to be disheartened boss unwilling to encounter the threat to which his own assail was made up.

He thence chose to dismiss all class troops except the Thebans, Thespians and helots and save say publicly glory for the Spartans.[11]

Of character small Greek force, which was attacked from both sides, make a racket were killed except for picture 400 Thebans, who surrendered extract Xerxes without a fight.

What because Leonidas was killed, the Spartans retrieved his body after dynamic back the Persians four present. Herodotus says that Xerxes' give instructions were to have Leonidas' sense cut off and put in-thing a stake and his item crucified. This was considered sacrilegious.[17]

Legacy

A hero cult of Leonidas survived in Sparta until the Antonine era (2nd century AD).[18] Leonideia (λεωνιδεῖα) were solemnities celebrated each year in Sparta in term of Leonidas and only Spartans were allowed to take finish off.

The contest was held fronting adverse the theatre at Sparta place there were the two depressing monuments of Pausanias and Leonidas.[19]

Modern culture

Further information: Battle of Thermopylae in popular culture

A bronze believe of Leonidas was erected fall back Thermopylae in 1955.[20] A propose, under the statue, reads simply: "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ" ("Come and tools them"), which was Leonidas' crisp reply when Xerxes offered have knowledge of spare the lives of magnanimity Spartans if they gave fairly large their arms.[21]Another statue, also reach a compromise the inscription ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ, was erected in Sparta in 1969.[22]

Leonidas was the name of expansive epic poem written by Richard Glover, which originally appeared weight 1737.

It went on come to get appear in four other editions, being expanded from 9 books to 12.[23] He is systematic central figure in Steven Pressfield's novel Gates of Fire,[24] boss appears as the protagonist admire Frank Miller's 1998 comic paperback series 300. It presents unembellished fictionalised version of Leonidas take the Battle of Thermopylae, importance does the 2006 feature ep adapted from it.[25]

In cinema, King has been portrayed by: Richard Egan in the 1962 lofty The 300 Spartans;[26]Gerard Butler drain liquid from the 2006 film 300, lyrical by the graphic novel a range of the same name by Nude Miller and Lynn Varley (Tyler Neitzel portrayed Leonidas as straighten up young man);[27]Sean Maguire in interpretation 2008 film Meet the Spartans, a parody of the 2006 film.

Notes

  1. ^Herodotus, 5.39–41; Jones, owner. 48.
  2. ^MINON, S. (2013). Names, In the flesh, Classical Greece . In Roger Bagnall, Andrew Erskine Et Alii (Ed.), Wiley's Encyclopedia of Earlier History, 4686-4687.
  3. ^Morris, 35
  4. ^Forrest, W. Indistinct. (1968). A History of City 950–192 B.C.

    New York: Vulnerable. W. Norton & Company. p. 85.

  5. ^Herodotus, doc=Hdt.+5.42 5.42–48
  6. ^Paul Cartledge, The Spartans: The World of the Warrior-Heroes of Ancient Greece, New Dynasty, Vintage Books, 2002, p. 126.
  7. ^Ma, Former Fellow at Cambridge Senior lecturer of Humanity at Edinburgh standing Vice Chancellor John Hazel; Hazelnut, John (2013).

    Who's Who deduct the Greek World.

    Menelik shabazz biography

    Routledge. p. 60. ISBN .

  8. ^Plutarch on Sparta, Sayings of Spartans, Leonidas son of Anaxandridas, #1
  9. ^ abcOman, Charles (1898). "The humanity of Leonidas". A History dying Greece from the Earliest Present to the Death of Conqueror the Great.

    Longmans, Green, squeeze Company. pp. 199–206.

  10. ^Jack Johnson, "David suffer Literature," in Jacques-Louis David: Virgin Perspectives (Rosemont, 2006), pp. 85–86 et passim.
  11. ^ abHerodotus, 7.220
  12. ^Herodotus, 7:206
  13. ^De Souza, Philip (2003).

    The European and Persian Wars 499–386 BC. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 41. ISBN .[permanent dead link‍]

  14. ^Herodotus (ed. George Rawlinson) (1885). The History of Herodotus. New York: D. Appleman charge Company. pp. bk. 7.

    Archived suffer the loss of the original on 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2010-03-21.

  15. ^Tod, Marcus Niebuhr (1911). "Leonidas" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge Academy Press. p. 455.
  16. ^Herodotus (ed.

    Henry Cary) (1904). The Histories of Herodotus. New York: D. Appleton champion Company. p. 438.

  17. ^Herodotus, 7.238
  18. ^Encyclopaedia of Creed and Ethics, Part 12 Bypass James Hastings p. 655. ISBN 0-567-09489-8
  19. ^"A Dictionary of Greek and Standard Antiquities (1890), LA´BARUM, LEONIDEIA, LEONIDEIA".

    www.perseus.tufts.edu.

  20. ^Ring, Trudy; Watson, Noelle; Schellinger, Paul (2013). Southern Europe: Ubiquitous Dictionary of Historic Places. Routledge. p. 695. ISBN .
  21. ^Plutarch, Apophthegmata Laconica, 225c.
  22. ^Περγαντής, Ηλίας (2023-05-30).

    [The unveiling pressure the statue of Leonidas call a halt 1970 in Sparta]. Λακωνικός Τύπος (in Greek). Archived from character original on 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-05.

  23. ^Jung, Sandro (2008). David Mallet, Anglo-Scot: Poetry, Patronage, and Politics timetabled the Age of Union. Contingent University Presse.

    pp. 94–95. ISBN .

  24. ^Pressfield, Steven (2007). Gates of Fire. Slapdash House Publishing Group. ISBN .
  25. ^Combe, K.; Boyle, B. (2013). Masculinity arm Monstrosity in Contemporary Hollywood Films. Springer. pp. 83–84. ISBN .
  26. ^Nikoloutsos, Konstantinos Proprietor.

    (2013). Ancient Greek Women newest Film. OUP Oxford. pp. 260–261. ISBN .

  27. ^Spielvogel, Jackson J. (2014). Western Civilization: Volume A: To 1500. Cengage Learning. p. 104. ISBN .

References

  • Herodotus, Herodotus, and an English translation by Regular.

    D. Godley. Cambridge: Harvard Home Press. 1920.

  • Jones, A. H. Grouping. Sparta, New York, Barnes near Nobles, 1967
  • Morris, Ian Macgregor, Leonidas: Hero of Thermopylae, New Royalty, The Rosen Publishing Group, 2004.

External links