News reached the allies at the
Isthmus of the Persians being in Pieria, straightway they broke
up, and proceeded, some on foot to Thermopylae, others by sea to Artemisium.[1]
About this time, the Delphians, alarmed both
for themselves and for their country, consulted the god, and received
for an answer {O12}
a command to 'pray for the winds; for the winds would do Greece good
service', this message was immediatly passed on to the allies who
cheered on amid the fears which they entertained with respect to the
barbarian, earned their everlasting gratitude.
(At this time of year the winds were usually
wild, summer was nearing so as the air got warmer it would rise, allowing
a cold north wind to fill in the void. So harsh north winds were common
on the seas especially this time of year, the oracle was hopeing the
Greeks could use this to their advantage).
The
force with Leonidas was sent forward in advance of the main body,
that the sight of them might encourage the allies to fight, and hinder
them going over to the Medes. Currently, the Spartans were celebrating
the Carneian festival, once that had finished the main army would
advance, the rest of the allies also intended to act similarly, for
it also happened that the Olympics were also on at this time.
Leonidas was now one of the kings of Sparta,
Kleomenes the oldest brother having died while in prison and Dorieus,
dieing in Sicily now made way clear for Leonidas to take the throne.
Scholars have always pondered why Leonidas was chosen, with such a small force to head out towards Themopylae, when they could have sent their full army of about 10,000 strong. We believe the Spartan Ephors made their decision because of the following:
-The Spartans believed that as the former Spartan king Demaratus who at this time was aiding the Persians, had been wrongly accused by the other Spartan King Kleomedes. A scarifice had to be made to him to right that wrong. Kleomedes as a Agiad king had by now perished and he was replaced by Leonidas. Leonidas had to be sacrified to satisfy the gods.
-The Oracle of Delphi made a phrophesy that 'a Spartan King must die'. {O11}.
-Thermopylae was the place where Hercules had died, thowing himself into the water as he burnt with fire, the site became know as "the hot gates", due to the thermal springs. Leonidas and the Spartans believed they were direct decendants of Hercules and would defend this place to the death, it would be inconsevable that they would ever surrender or retreat from there.
King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans (a King was allowed 300 bodyguards)
now made his way through Greece to Thermopylae, picking up allies
along the way. From Arcadia 1,000, from Tegea 500, from Mantinea 500,
Orchonmenia 120, Corinth 400, Phlius 200, Mycenae 80, plus 1000 others
such was from the Peloponnese. From Boeotia came 700 Thespians and
400 Thebans the Locrians or Opus and Phocians had also sent their
entire force.
The various nations each had a captain of their
own under whom they served; but the one to whom all especially looked
up, and who had the command of the entire force, was the Lacedaemonian,
Leonidas.
Once at Thermopylae, Leonidas immideatley organised
for the wall that was once built but now worn away over time to be
rebuilt that closed the pass. The allied army by now had seized with
fear, the Peloponnesians generally said that their army should fall
back upon the Peloponnese, and there guard the Isthmus.
But Leonidas, who saw the indignation that the Phocians and Locrians
heard of that plan, wouldn't sway, and said that the Spartans and
allies would stay. He organised envoys to several cites to ask for
help, since they were merely an advance force, and that the main body
would soon be joining them and as they were too few to make a stand
against an army like one the of the Medes.
The allied navy now engaged in full was made
up of the following vessels:
Athenians 120, Corinth 40, Megarians 20, Chalcidean
20, Aeginetans 80, Sicyonians 12, Lacedaemonians 10, Epidaurains 8,
Eretrians 7, Opus 7, Troezenians 5, Ceans 5 and the Styreans 2. Such
were the number of the allied fleet at Artemisium. In command of the
fleet, as agreed to, was the Spartan commander Eurybiades.
Eurybiades,
had rounded Cape Sunium and was on its way up the Euboea Channel.
While the horsehair-crested helmets and the scarlet cloaks restored what they could of the old wall, the Themistocles gambit was being played out at Artemisium.
