battle of Thermopylae

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Definition

Proper noun A significant historical military engagement that occurred in 480 BC during the Greco-Persian Wars. In this battle, a small Greek force led by King Leonidas I of Sparta made a legendary last stand against the vastly larger invading Persian army of Xerxes I at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae.

Usage

The term "Battle of Thermopylae" is used to refer specifically to this historical event. It is often cited as a classic example of heroic resistance against overwhelming odds. * The Battle of Thermopylae is a defining moment in the history of Western military tradition. * Historians continue to analyze the strategy and outcome of the Battle of Thermopylae.

Advanced Usage
  • "a Thermopylae": Used metaphorically to describe any situation involving a desperate, last-ditch defense against a much stronger opponent.
    • The small research team's effort to defend their theory felt like a modern scientific Thermopylae.
Variants and Related Words
  • Thermopylae: The geographical location (a narrow pass in eastern Greece) that gives the battle its name.
  • Last stand: A general term for a final defensive effort, often associated with the Battle of Thermopylae.
Synonyms
  • The stand at Thermopylae
  • The last stand of the 300 Spartans (a common, though numerically simplified, reference)
Related Phrases and Cultural References
  • "Molon labe": A classical Greek phrase meaning "come and take [them]," famously attributed to King Leonidas as a defiant response to the Persian demand to surrender their weapons. This phrase is strongly associated with the battle.
  • The 300: A common cultural shorthand for the Spartan contingent at the battle, popularized by the 1962 film and the 2006 graphic novel/film .
Noun
  1. a famous battle in 480 BC; a Greek army under Leonidas was annihilated by the Persians who were trying to conquer Greece

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