How To Retrace Steps of Spartan 300
- 1). Find Sparta on the map. Since the city was situated in the Peloponnese region of Greece (basically the middle of the peninsula), the Spartans had a long trek ahead of them to intercept Persian forces at Thermopylae.
- 2). Look at Thermopylae in the northeastern section of the Greek peninsula. Leonidas and his hoplites had only a few days time to march across the entire country to make it to their destination. As they marched, other city-states such as Thebes and Corinth added to the troop count.
- 3). Locate the Aegean Sea off of Greece's eastern coast; Xerxes's Persian army, estimated by some historians to be around a few hundred thousand, sailed into the gulf in an effort to land at Thermopylae. The narrow, rocky pass would give the invaders entryway into the country, where Thebes, Delphi and Athens were the closest targets.
- 4). Note the northern area of the beach at Thermopylae, the Persian landing spot and subsequent base camp. Use your finger to trace southward, around the base of the gulf, to note the Phocian Wall, the first defense point for the Spartans.
- 5). Trace your finger to the southeast again, about half the distance between the Persians and the wall, to locate the Spartan base camp. Half the distance between the Greek camp and the wall is the site of Leonidas' final stand.
- 6). Look at the Aspos River just below the Persian camp; trace about an inch inland (to scale, this would be about four miles) to locate the Anopaia mountain pass where the Greek traitor Ephialtes led the Persians to outflank the Greek line, ultimately leading to the Spartans' destruction.
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