Editing Thermopylae (section)

== Battles ==
[[File:THIRLWALL(1846) p2.342 THERMOPYLAE.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Map of the coast line in the time of [[Herodotus]], and at the time of the map (1876). Thermopylae is between Alpeni and [[Anthela (Thessaly)|Anthela]].]]
[[File:Ancient Regions Central Greece.png|thumb|right|Ancient regions of central Greece]]

=== Greco-Persian Wars ===
{{Main|Battle of Thermopylae}}
Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 BC, in which an outnumbered Greek force probably of 7,000<ref>Hdt. 7.202 lists the contingents for a total of 4,200; other ancient sources add additional forces: Ephorus ''apud'' Diodorus 11.4 adds 1,000 Lacedaemonians – that is ''Perioeci'', likewise Isocrates ''Paneg''. 90, ''Archid''. 99; Ctesias says 900. Ernie Bradford (2004). ''Thermopylae: The Battle for the West''. Da Capo Press, p. 106. {{ISBN|0-306-81360-2}}</ref> (including 300 [[Sparta]]ns, 500 warriors from [[Tegea]], 500 from [[Mantinea]], 120 from [[Arcadian Orchomenos]], 1,000 from the rest of [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]], 200 from [[Phlius]], 80 from [[Mycenae]], 400 [[Ancient Corinth|Corinthians]], 400 [[Thebans]], 1,000 [[Phocian]]s, 700 Thespians, and the [[Locris|Opuntian Locrians]]) held off a substantially larger force of Persians<ref>Hdt. 7.184-85 lists an army of 2.6 million, of whom he initially specifies 240,000 were soldiers, according to his reckoning, but later says all 2.6 million.  See a modern interpretation of Herodotus's estimate, ''Persian Fire. The First Great Empire and the Battle of the West''. New York. Doubleday. p. 394 {{ISBN|0-385-51311-9}}</ref> under [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]]. Over 1,000 Greeks remained in the pass when most of the army retreated: the survivors from previous fighting of 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians, along with 400 Thebans whom the other Greeks forcibly held as hostages.<ref>Hdt. 7.220, 222; Peter Green (1996). ''The Greco-Persian Wars''. University of California Press.  p. 140 {{ISBN|0-520-20313-5}}</ref>  Gaius Stern has argued that this force had already suffered casualties of over 100 in the previous fighting, so the true number might be closer to 1,250 than 1,400.<ref>UC Berk. Ext. class "The Persian Wars" 30 September 2009; "Legends of Marathon and Thermopylae" Lecture at San Jose State 13 September 2010; OSHER/OLLI class "Ten Great Battles of the Ancient World" 24 October 2016;</ref>

For three days they held a narrow route between hills and the sea against Xerxes' vast cavalry and infantry force, before being outflanked on the third day via an obscure goat path named the Anopaea Pass. According to the Greek legend, a traitor named [[Ephialtes of Trachis]] showed the path to the invaders. The following epitaph by [[Simonides]] was written on the monument: "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie." (Ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι.)

=== Third Sacred War ===
In 353 BC/352 BC during the [[Third Sacred War]], fought mainly between the forces of the Delphic Amphictyonic League, principally represented by Thebes, and latterly by [[Philip II of Macedon]], and the Phocians. The war was caused by a large fine imposed on the Phocians in 357 BC for cultivating sacred land. The Spartans, who were also fined in that war, actually never fought in it as they were later pardoned.

=== Gallic invasion of the Balkans ===
{{Main|Battle of Thermopylae (279 BC)}}
In 279 BC a [[Gauls|Gallic]] army led by [[Brennus (3rd century BC)|Brennus]] initially engaged the Aetolians who were forced to make a tactical retreat and who were finally routed by the Thessalians and Malians by the river [[Spercheios]].

=== Roman-Seleucid Wars ===
{{Main|Battle of Thermopylae (191 BC)}}
In 191 BC [[Antiochus III the Great]] of [[Syria]] attempted in vain to hold the pass against the Romans under [[Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 191 BC)|Manius Acilius Glabrio]].

=== Balkan invasion by the Heruli ===
{{Main|Battle of Thermopylae (254)}}
At an uncertain date in the mid 3rd century AD, the Germanic tribe of [[Heruli]] were defeated by a Roman force sent to stop them.

=== Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars ===
{{Main|Battle of Spercheios}}
In 997, the [[Bulgarian people|Bulgarian]] [[Tsar]] [[Samuel of Bulgaria|Samuel]] invaded Greece and advanced as far as the [[Peloponnese]]. On his return, he was met by a [[Byzantine]] army under [[Nikephoros Ouranos]] at Spercheios. As the river was flooded, both sides encamped on opposite sides without action. Confident that the Byzantines could not cross the river, the Bulgarians relaxed their guard and were taken by surprise when Byzantine scouts discovered a ford further upriver.

=== Greek War of Independence ===
{{Main|Battle of Alamana}}
In 1821, a force of Greek fighters led by [[Athanasios Diakos]] made a stand near the pass to stop a force of 8,000 [[Ottoman Empire|Turks]] from marching down from [[Thessaly]] to put down revolts in [[Rumelia|Roumeli]] and the [[Peloponnese]]. Diakos, after making a last stand at the bridge of [[Spercheios river|Alamana]] with 48 of his men, was captured and killed.

=== World War II ===
{{Main|Battle of Thermopylae (1941)}}
In 1941 during World War II the [[ANZAC]] forces delayed the invading Nazi forces in the area enough to allow the evacuation of the British expeditionary force to [[Crete]]. This conflict also became known as the Battle of Thermopylae. The [[Operation Harling|sabotage]] of the [[Gorgopotamos (river)|Gorgopotamos]] bridge in 1942 was referred in German documents of the era as "the recent sabotage near Thermopylae".