The Persian War in Herodotus and Other Ancient Voices by William Shepherd

Author:William Shepherd
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

There were some 400 Thebans from the opposition66 party, for the people of Thebes were divided against each other over the question of forming an alliance with the Persians. (Library of History 11.4.7)

Like the 300 Spartans, these Thebans represented a small fraction of their city’s hoplite pool. On the other hand, it seems that the 700 from Thespiae were that small city’s entire strength. Both Thespiae and Thebes were cities of Boeotia, much closer to the action and under more immediate threat than the Peloponnese, and that may have influenced their contingents’ decision to remain with Leonidas. Whatever their motivation, Leonidas could buy more time with nearly 1,400 hoplites at his disposal according to Herodotus’ count, or 2,000 adding on the 700 Lacedaemonian perioikoi from the alternative tradition.

In an anecdote preserved by Plutarch, Leonidas ‘encouraged his men to eat up their breakfast because they would be dining in Hades’ (Laconic Sayings 225d). If this was said, there were no Spartan survivors to pass it on and it is unlikely that a Theban overheard it, but the dark humour would have been appreciated because there would be nothing for their shades to eat in Hades and only blood to drink.

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