Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

Essentially, there are two different source traditions. One says 300, the other says a thousand. The best way to reconcile them is to assume that there were 300 full Spartan citizens, and then 700 other Spartans who are not citizens, but who are freeborn and fight as hoplites. That's very common in later Spartan armies, that they rely quite heavily on these

Essentially, there are two different source traditions. One says 300, the other says a thousand. The best way to reconcile them is to assume that there were 300 full Spartan citizens, and then 700 other Spartans who are not citizens, but who are freeborn and fight as hoplites. That's very common in later Spartan armies, that they rely quite heavily on these

other sort of Lacedaemonians who are not Spartan citizens. And that seems to be an easy way to reconcile the numbers. But that means there's a thousand because everywhere else, if you count the number of Spartans, quote unquote Spartans in battle, you're always counting both Spartan citizens and perioikoi and other classes within Spartan society that fight in a similar way.

other sort of Lacedaemonians who are not Spartan citizens. And that seems to be an easy way to reconcile the numbers. But that means there's a thousand because everywhere else, if you count the number of Spartans, quote unquote Spartans in battle, you're always counting both Spartan citizens and perioikoi and other classes within Spartan society that fight in a similar way.

other sort of Lacedaemonians who are not Spartan citizens. And that seems to be an easy way to reconcile the numbers. But that means there's a thousand because everywhere else, if you count the number of Spartans, quote unquote Spartans in battle, you're always counting both Spartan citizens and perioikoi and other classes within Spartan society that fight in a similar way.

I mean, the story is essentially that Xerxes tries to find a way to break through this position, which is very difficult. Geographically, it's very strong, right? So any army could hold this against any other army indefinitely, unless there is some way to get around the position, essentially to outflank it.

I mean, the story is essentially that Xerxes tries to find a way to break through this position, which is very difficult. Geographically, it's very strong, right? So any army could hold this against any other army indefinitely, unless there is some way to get around the position, essentially to outflank it.

I mean, the story is essentially that Xerxes tries to find a way to break through this position, which is very difficult. Geographically, it's very strong, right? So any army could hold this against any other army indefinitely, unless there is some way to get around the position, essentially to outflank it.

And so I'm very tempted by Geoffrey Robb's theory that essentially Xerxes understood this very early on. He has Thessalians in his army by this point who have recently fought the Phocians on the other side of the pass. So they have had to cross this position, which had been fortified by the Phocians, and so they had found the ways around it.

And so I'm very tempted by Geoffrey Robb's theory that essentially Xerxes understood this very early on. He has Thessalians in his army by this point who have recently fought the Phocians on the other side of the pass. So they have had to cross this position, which had been fortified by the Phocians, and so they had found the ways around it.

And so I'm very tempted by Geoffrey Robb's theory that essentially Xerxes understood this very early on. He has Thessalians in his army by this point who have recently fought the Phocians on the other side of the pass. So they have had to cross this position, which had been fortified by the Phocians, and so they had found the ways around it.

So they knew this, and they were in his army, so there's no reason why he wouldn't have talked to them and said, like, look, how do you solve this issue?

So they knew this, and they were in his army, so there's no reason why he wouldn't have talked to them and said, like, look, how do you solve this issue?

So they knew this, and they were in his army, so there's no reason why he wouldn't have talked to them and said, like, look, how do you solve this issue?

That's right. So the Phocians are the people who actually have Thermopylae the Pass in their territory, essentially. So that is part of their territory. It is the boundary of their territory, which they have defended against the Thessalians in the recent conflict. And so the Thessalians got around it, and they would be in a position to inform Xerxes about this.

That's right. So the Phocians are the people who actually have Thermopylae the Pass in their territory, essentially. So that is part of their territory. It is the boundary of their territory, which they have defended against the Thessalians in the recent conflict. And so the Thessalians got around it, and they would be in a position to inform Xerxes about this.

That's right. So the Phocians are the people who actually have Thermopylae the Pass in their territory, essentially. So that is part of their territory. It is the boundary of their territory, which they have defended against the Thessalians in the recent conflict. And so the Thessalians got around it, and they would be in a position to inform Xerxes about this.

At the same time, he's doing the same thing with his fleet. He's sending a chunk of his fleet, 200 ships, around Euboea to try and outflank the allied fleet, which is in the Straits. So that's quite a long journey. It takes several days. And so the land army isn't attacking while they're waiting for that chunk of the fleet to get into position. So for four days, they do nothing.

At the same time, he's doing the same thing with his fleet. He's sending a chunk of his fleet, 200 ships, around Euboea to try and outflank the allied fleet, which is in the Straits. So that's quite a long journey. It takes several days. And so the land army isn't attacking while they're waiting for that chunk of the fleet to get into position. So for four days, they do nothing.

At the same time, he's doing the same thing with his fleet. He's sending a chunk of his fleet, 200 ships, around Euboea to try and outflank the allied fleet, which is in the Straits. So that's quite a long journey. It takes several days. And so the land army isn't attacking while they're waiting for that chunk of the fleet to get into position. So for four days, they do nothing.