Decision and Repercussions
DecisionsIn a consulate of political leaders of each city-state, Themistocles initiated the concept of using a narrow pass to block the Persian Army in such a way its numbers would not allow an advantage over the Greeks.
When it was discovered that Ephialtes had betrayed the Greeks, the key key military strategists decided to order most of the Greek force to retreat. They left behind a rearguard of 1500 soldiers to slow down the Persians. |
RepercussionsClose to 7000 Greeks are deployed under the lead of the Spartans under Leonidas to block the Persian Army from travelling through the pass of Thermopylae in early September 480BCE.
The rearguard allowed the successful retreat of the rest of the Greek force involved for without the delay of the Hydarnes-led Immortals by Leonidas' rearguard they would have been unsuccessful. This is because if they had all remained they would all have died, but a full retreat would've allowed the Persian cavalry to chase them down over the open plains beyond the pass.
|