Thermopylae

Great Battles

Chris Carey author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Oxford University Press

Published:29th Aug '19

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Thermopylae cover

During the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, a Greek force of approximately 7,000 faced the biggest army ever seen in the Greek peninsula. For three days, the Persians--the greatest military force in the world--were stopped in their tracks by a vastly inferior force, before the bulk of the Greek army was forced to retreat with their rear guard wiped out in one of history's most famous last stands. In strict military terms it was a defeat for the Greeks. But like the British retreat from Dunkirk or the massacre at the Alamo, this David and Goliath story has taken on the aura of success. Thermopylae has acquired a glamour exceeding the other battles of the Persian Wars, passing from history into myth, and lost none of that appeal in the modern era. In Thermopylae, Chris Carey analyses the origins and course of this pivotal battle, as well as the challenges facing the historians who attempt to separate fact from myth and make sense of an event with an absence of hard evidence. Carey also considers Thermopylae's cultural legacy, from its absorbtion into Greek and Roman oratorical traditions, to its influence over modern literature, poetry, public monuments, and mainstream Hollywood movies. This new volume in the Great Battles series offers an innovative view of a battle whose legacy has overtaken its real life practical outcomes, but which showed that a seemingly unstoppable force could be resisted.

The book's best contribution: showing the impact Thermopylae had even in its own time-how its meaning resonated with ancient observers and how it helped both self perpetuate, and shaped the development of ancient culture. Carey then seamlessly connects this with the meaning the battle has to modern people and connects it firmly to the present day, tracing its lineage carefully through modern history. Carey shows Thermopylae's legend came to dominate our understanding of it nearly as soon as Xerxes fixed Leonidas's head to a pole and had it paraded before his cheering troops, a fact that greatly complicates efforts to interpret this critically important battle. Fortunately for readers, it's a complication Carey is well equipped to tackle. * Myke Cole, United States Commission of Military History, International Journal of Military History and Historiography *
Carey is one of Britain's foremost students of ancient history. In this meticulous examination of the story he admits that most of the "facts" we have are speculative ... The value of Carey's book lies in its reflections upon a legend that continues to influence our culture and ideals. * Max Hastings, The Sunday Times *
A splendid little book * Kostas Vlassopoulos, Greece & Rome *
Excellent ... a considerable addition to the history and cultural legacy of one of the world's most significant battles. * Paul Cartledge, Literary Review *
Highly readable and informative ... Carey's account of [the battle of Thermopylae] provides an absorbing exposition of both the facts and the fictions that underlie and surround it. * Diana Bentley, Minerva *
Very readable, well researched and thought-provoking ... an excellent book and thoroughly recommended. * Chris May, Battlefield magazine *
Thermopylae is a discerning examination of a still resonant battle and the problems it poses for ancient historians. Its author writes intelligently for non-specialist students of military history, without footnoting controversies. He has walked Xerxes's route. * Donald Lateiner, Michigan War Studies Review *

ISBN: 9780198754107

Dimensions: 223mm x 143mm x 19mm

Weight: 434g

260 pages