AH13: Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC)
Xerxes' invasion, the sacrifice at Thermopylae, the naval victory at Salamis, and their significance for Greek survival.
Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC)
Xerxes' invasion, the sacrifice at Thermopylae, the naval victory at Salamis, and their significance for Greek survival.
Key Fact: Xerxes invaded Greece in 480 BC with a massive army and fleet, aiming to conquer all of Greece
Key Fact: At Thermopylae, 300 Spartans under King Leonidas held the narrow pass for three days against the Persian army
Key Fact: The Greek position was betrayed when Ephialtes showed the Persians a mountain path to outflank the Greeks
Key Fact: Leonidas dismissed most troops but the 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians fought to the death — a symbol of heroic sacrifice
Key Fact: At Salamis, Themistocles lured the Persian fleet into narrow waters where the Greeks' superior tactics won a decisive naval victory
Key Fact: The Delphic oracle's 'wooden wall' prophecy was interpreted by Themistocles as meaning the Athenian navy, not the Acropolis walls
📋 Key Vocabulary and Concepts
For Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC), you must know:
- Xerxes: King of Persia (486-465 BC) who led the massive invasion of Greece in 480 BC to avenge his father Darius' defeat at Marathon
- Leonidas: One of the two Spartan kings who commanded the Greek force at Thermopylae and died there with his 300 Spartans
- Themistocles: Athenian statesman who persuaded Athens to build a navy with silver from Laurium and devised the strategy of luring the Persian fleet to Salamis
- Ephialtes: The Greek traitor who showed the Persians a mountain path (the Anopaea path) to outflank the Greeks at Thermopylae
- Pyrrophori: Fire-carrying Persian Immortals who advanced through the Anopaea path to attack the Greeks from behind at Thermopylae
❓ Practice Questions
Q: Why did the Greeks choose to fight at Thermopylae?
Q: How were the Greeks defeated at Thermopylae?
Q: How did Themistocles win the Battle of Salamis?
Q: What was the significance of the 'wooden walls' oracle?
Q: Why was Salamis more important than Thermopylae?
✅ Answers
- Thermopylae (the Hot Gates) was a narrow coastal pass where the massive Persian army's numbers were less important. A small force could block the pass, preventing the Persians from advancing into central Greece. The Greeks simultaneously defended the strait of Artemisium with their fleet.
- A local Greek named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by showing the Persians a mountain path (the Anopaea path) that outflanked the pass. When Leonidas learned the Persians were approaching from behind, he dismissed most of the allied troops but the 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians remained to fight to the death, covering the retreat.
- Themistocles sent a secret message to Xerxes claiming the Greeks were planning to flee. Xerxes sent his fleet into the narrow strait of Salamis to block their escape. In the confined waters, the Persians' numerical advantage was negated and the more manoeuvrable Greek triremes rammed and destroyed much of the Persian fleet.
- Before the invasion, Athens consulted the Delphic oracle which gave a terrifying prophecy about Persian destruction, but mentioned 'a wooden wall' would save Athens. Themistocles interpreted this as the Athenian navy (wooden ships), not the Acropolis walls, and persuaded Athens to evacuate the city and rely on the fleet.
- Thermopylae was a heroic but costly Greek defeat. Salamis was a decisive Greek victory that destroyed much of the Persian fleet, prevented Xerxes from supplying his army by sea, and forced him to retreat to Asia with most of his forces. It was the turning point of the war.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Thermopylae = heroic sacrifice but a defeat; Salamis = strategic victory
- Themistocles: interpreted oracle, built navy, tricked Xerxes at Salamis
- Ephialtes = traitor; Leonidas = hero who fought to the death
- Narrow terrain was key at both battles: pass at Thermopylae, strait at Salamis
📝 Exam Technique
GCSE Ancient History Exam Tips — Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC):
1. For Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC), include specific factual detail: dates, names, events and statistics where relevant
2. For source questions, analyse provenance (who, when, why, audience) before using the content
3. In evaluation questions, discuss multiple factors and weigh their relative significance
4. Always link back to the question focus — don't just narrate what happened with Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC)
5. Use phrases like 'the most significant factor was... because...' to show analytical judgement
1. For Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC), include specific factual detail: dates, names, events and statistics where relevant
2. For source questions, analyse provenance (who, when, why, audience) before using the content
3. In evaluation questions, discuss multiple factors and weigh their relative significance
4. Always link back to the question focus — don't just narrate what happened with Thermopylae & Salamis (480 BC)
5. Use phrases like 'the most significant factor was... because...' to show analytical judgement
⚠️ Common Errors
✗ Only 300 Spartans fought at Thermopylae ✓ There were 300 Spartans but also approximately 700 Thespians who chose to stay and fight to the death, plus helots and other allies. The total Greek force at the start was about 7,000
✗ Xerxes won the war after Thermopylae ✓ Although Thermopylae was a Persian victory, Salamis (480 BC) was the decisive battle that turned the war in Greece's favour. Plataea (479 BC) completed the Greek victory
✗ The Spartans were the only brave Greeks ✓ The 700 Thespians who chose to stay and die with the Spartans showed equal courage. Herodotus also notes that other Greeks fought bravely throughout the wars; the Spartan-focused narrative reflects later propaganda
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
Describe the battles of Thermopylae and Salamis and explain their significance for the outcome of the Persian Wars. [6 marks]
In 480 BC, Xerxes invaded Greece with a massive army and fleet. The Greeks chose to defend the narrow pass of Thermopylae, where the Persians' numerical advantage was reduced. King Leonidas of Sparta commanded a force of about 7,000 Greeks, including 300 Spartan hoplites. They held the pass for three days, inflicting heavy losses. However, the traitor Ephialtes revealed a mountain path allowing the Persians to outflank the Greeks. Leonidas dismissed most allied troops but the 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians stayed to fight to the death, covering the retreat. Thermopylae fell but the sacrifice inspired Greek resistance. At Salamis, Themistocles devised a brilliant strategy. He had previously persuaded Athens to use silver from Laurium to build a fleet of triremes, interpreting the oracle's 'wooden walls' as referring to ships. When Xerxes advanced, Athens evacuated. Themistocles sent a secret message tricking Xerxes into sending his fleet into the narrow strait of Salamis, where the more manoeuvrable Greek triremes destroyed much of the Persian fleet. Salamis was decisive: it prevented Persian naval supply, forced Xerxes to retreat to Asia, and turned the war in Greece's favour. Plataea (479 BC) completed the victory on land. Thermopylae demonstrated Greek courage; Salamis demonstrated Greek strategy. Together they saved Greece from Persian conquest.
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Analysis
AO1 (Knowledge & Understanding): Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of thermopylae & salamis (480 bc), including key events, individuals, and developments in the ancient world relevant to OCR J198.
AO2 (Explanation & Analysis): Explain and analyse historical events and periods related to thermopylae & salamis (480 bc), using historical concepts such as causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity and difference.
AO3 (Source Analysis & Interpretations): Analyse, evaluate and use sources and interpretations related to thermopylae & salamis (480 bc), considering provenance, utility and the construction of historical arguments.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
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