The legendary king used 300 people to beat

According to War History, King Leonidas I was the most famous general in the history of Sparta and the country of ancient Greece.

Today, there is not much information about the real person of Leonidas and whether he really is a talented leader as people often refer to or not.

King of Sparta

Leonidas is the second son of King Anaxandridas and his first wife. According to the laws of the Spartans, only the eldest son of the king was exempted from having to undergo harsh training.

Leonidas was not designated as a successor, so since he was a child, he was pushed to the outside world to practice survival, fighting, and if he survived, he would return to Sparta.

He became King Sparta in 490 BC, after the death of his brother Cleomenes. Today, nobody knows what really happens to Cleomenes. But the mysterious death is thought to be related to Leonidas.

Leonidas image in the movie 300.

But anyway, Leonidas became King Sparta. The small country at that time was with Greece fighting the mighty Persian Empire.

Also in 490 BC, Leonidas allied with Greece, beating the Persians at the Marathon.

What happened during Leonidas's reign of the country is still a mystery because there are not many documents left. But there is one event that Western scholars agree on is Xerxes Persian 's second invasion of Greece in 481 BC.

Initially, Xerxes sought to bribe many Greek cities, but Athens and Sparta maintained the strongest opposition. Greece was then divided into many different city states.

In 480 BC, 1 million Persian troops captured Thessaly, one of Greece's most important agricultural areas. As other cities quickly surrendered, Sparta and Athens fell into a passive position.

Facing the 'thousand pounds of hair' situation , Leonidas took on the responsibility of leading entrenched troops at Thermopylae, the road to Athens. The area is close to the coast, quite cramped, suitable for blocking the Persian army.

The Leonidas plan will hold off the Persian army as long as possible while the Athenian navy hits the Persian boats, blocking the enemy's retreat line.

An unequal battle

King Leonidas decided to bring only 300 of the best Spartans to Thermopylae while Greece contributed 6,000 troops.

According to Western scholars, Leonidas seems to want to preserve Sparta forces rather than put all his strength into the death battle. 6,000 Greek troops were also ordered to station from afar, supporting 300 elite Sparta soldiers.

Before leaving, Leonidas also told his wife that if he did not survive, the queen should marry a good boy and live well.

At Thermopylae, Leonidas built a solid line with solid walls. The elite Sparta soldiers will take advantage of the counter-attack, repelling the enemy.

The famous Sparta warriors with spears and shields.

Xerxes himself did not underestimate the enemy, when he decided to wait for a million troops to concentrate on the battle of Thermopylae. However, historians today think this is just an exaggeration. It is estimated that the Persian army participated in the Thermopylae battle was about 70,000-300,000 people.

As usual, Xerxes arrogantly demanded that all Sparta and Greek troops surrender. Leonidas responded with a statement: 'Xerxes wants to come and get it'.

For two days, Leonidas' army stood before the attack of the Persian army, destroying thousands of enemies. The enemy troops were so crowded that every time they launched their names, the arrows covered a corner of the sky.

But on the night of the second day, the Persians found a small path, hitting Sparta's flank. At this point, Leonidas asked the Greek soldiers to withdraw and he and 300 Sparta soldiers remained in the war.

This is considered a suicide decision, but it brings two great purposes. One is the elite Sparta soldiers that can weaken the enemy's fighting power. Secondly, they would hold off the Persian cavalry, leaving the survivors of the newspaper to Athens and Sparta.

In the end, Leonidas and his heroic sacrifices became heroes in history.

According to Western scholars, Leonidas' death represents the aura of a Sparta soldier, many times facing life and death. Although today's records are only sketchy, Leonidas' actions proved he was a brave and assertive person.

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