Great Battles in History

Thermopylae, Part 8-The Thermopylae Legend

June 30, 2020 Darryl Dee Season 1 Episode 1
Great Battles in History
Thermopylae, Part 8-The Thermopylae Legend
Show Notes

After the Persian wars, the Spartans transformed the Battle of Thermopylae from a defeat into a heroic last stand that paved the way for final victory. The legend of Thermopylae then became part of the cultural heritage of the western world. It has proven astonishingly useful and malleable, being taken up for strikingly different ends by people as varied as French revolutionaries, Texan rebels, British imperialists, and Nazis. Today, popular culture entertainments such as Frank Miller’s award-winning comic 300 and the movie version of it by Zak Snyder ensure that the Thermopylae legend remains vividly alive.