Last Stand of the 300
1.
Who was the Persian leader at the time of the battle of Thermopylae?
2.
How large was the Persian army that invaded Greece?
3.
Describe the world in the time before the battle. What empire dominated the known world? Describe the relations between
the Greek city-states before the Persian invasion.
4.
What Spartan leader became a legend during the battle?
5.
Describe Spartan society. What was the primary focus of Sparta? How did it treat
women and children?
6.
Describe the Spartan training program. What kinds of steps were taken to prepare Spartan boys and later men to make them
skilled warriors?
7.
What were the two reasons Sparta chose to join the war against the Persians?
8.
Describe the Persian Empire. What motivated the Persians to invade Greece?
9.
Describe a Greek hoplite warrior. What kind of weapons and armor did a Greek warrior bring into battle?
10. Why did Greek warriors have an advantage over their Persian counterparts at Thermopylae?
11. What was the role of the Athenian navy during the battle? Who was the leader?
12. What does the birth and status of Themistocles say about Athenian society?
13. How did Themistocles convince Athens to invest in a larger navy?
14. Describe a trireme.
15. How was a naval battle won in the ancient world?
16. Why did the Spartans have the advantage when fighting became close quartered or hand-to-hand?
17. Why did the Greeks begin to retreat before the third day of the battle?
18. The 300 Spartans were not alone on the final day. What other group of Greek warriors are mostly forgotten by history?
19. Did the Spartans know they faced certain death on the final day? Why?
20. Describe the last day of fighting between the Spartans and the Persians.
21. How many Persians died at the battle of Thermopylae?
22. What happened to Athens after the battle?
23. How did the Greeks avenge the destruction of Athens?
24. Why was Thermopylae the first step in the creation of a more unified Greek nation?
25. How does the battle of Thermopylae still influence today’s world? Explain.