2007-03-15 04:32:18 · 6 answers · asked by narce_con 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
This has been a very difficult number for historians to pin down. They have better information on the casualties from the battle than the number of participants!
The number most often used by historians is 100,000 to 500,000. Many are leaning towards a number slightly under 300,000 as playing a role in some aspect of the battle.
The Spartans at Thermopylae were involved in history's first "last stand." The third link below is a "Spartan Hero Test" to see if you would make a good Spartan. Kind of fun to take!
Hope this helps. Good luck. --Andy
2007-03-15 04:55:49 · answer #1 · answered by Andy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The numbers at the beginning of the battle differ, to say the least. Each side has their own reason to inflate/deflate the numbers of soldiers involved. Approx 6000-7000 Greeks, led by 300 Spartans, fought for 3 days against a Persian army of approx 150,000-300,000. That the Persians could not display a broad front in the small pass at the Hot Gates certainly added to the Greeks stout defense. In the end, approx 1000-1500 Greeks died at the cost of upwards to 20,000 Persians.
2007-03-15 12:39:19 · answer #2 · answered by Bob Mc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one knows for sure but it is belived to be between 300,000 to 2 million! The main reason that the Spartans were able to hold was that they were in a narrow pass and number don't help in tight spaces. The Spartans were also better armored then the Persians. The last is their training and their were part of a 7,000 greek army allowing them time to rest.
2007-03-15 11:41:52 · answer #3 · answered by MG 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the spartans were 300 and were helped by about 700 thespians. the rest of the greek army decided to flee recognizing that they wouldn't have been able to defeat the persians. in total the greek were abot 5500 to 7000 while the persians were 2,641,61 - according to herodotus, though many historians say that they were probably above 400.000. who really knows?
2007-03-15 11:55:44 · answer #4 · answered by jravaen 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely there would have been between 250,000 - 300,000 Persians fighting at Thermopylae. I think 80,000 of them died during the three days of fighting.
2007-03-17 11:31:57 · answer #5 · answered by josh m 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know that there were around one thousand Thespians who fought along side the Spartans during that battle.
2007-03-15 11:43:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋