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Leonidas
Leonidas , d. 480 BC, king of Sparta. He succeeded (c.491 BC) his half brother, Cleomenes I. When the Persians invaded Greece under Xerxes (480 BC), Leonidas with 300 Spartans and 5,000 auxiliaries was given the pass at Thermopylae to hold. There was treachery. Most of the Greeks got away, but the Spartans and 700 Thespians refused to flee and were killed. Herodotus immortalized the incident. See Persian Wars . |
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"Leonidas." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Leonidas." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Leonidas.html "Leonidas." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Leonidas.html |
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Leonidas
Leonidas (died 480 BC) King of Sparta. He won immortal fame when he commanded a Greek force against the invading Persian army at the pass of THERMOPYLAE. He held the pass long enough to make possible the naval operation at Artemisium (GREEK-PERSIAN WARS). When counter-attacked he remained behind with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians, and died fighting – an action which allowed his allies to escape.
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Cite this article
"Leonidas." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Leonidas." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Leonidas.html "Leonidas." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Leonidas.html |
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Leonidas
Leonidas king of Sparta, commander of the Greeks at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 bc, where he and all his men were killed.
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Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Leonidas." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Leonidas." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Leonidas.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Leonidas." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Leonidas.html |
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