When his army reached Thermopylae, Xerxes refused to believe that the pitifully small Greek force actually meant to resist his advance. He called a halt to give them a chance to withdraw. But after four days, seeing them still in position, he ordered his troops to attack.
On this narrow front, however, the Persians gained no advantage from their superiority in numbers. Attack followed attack for two days, but every one was thrown back. The heroic little band of Greeks, it seemed, would never be dislodged. Yet already, unknown to Leonidas and his men, something was happening which was to seal their fate. In a district behind the Persian lines, and not far from the battlefield, lived a Greek called Ephialtes. He was about to play an infamous and decisive part in events. Ephialtes had watched the mighty host of the Persians and their Asiatic allies marching through his country. To him, as to many of his compatriots, it appeared invincible. It seemed that the Persian power was there to stay. At some point it occurred to him that it might be as well to win the approval of the conquerors. Besides, if he could hasten their onward march he would help his people; for the Persians were living like locusts off their land. |
Ephialtes secretly approached the Persian commanders. Their frontal attacks would never succeed, he pointed out; but he knew of another way to capture the pass. He could show them a path that led up into the mountains from the Persians’ side of Thermopylae, and came down into the pass behind Leonidas’ position.
The fact that there was a “back door” to the position was known to Leonidas. He had taken the precaution of posting a detachment of troops in the hills. These were to protect his rear in the unlikely event of an outflanking movement. In the stillness just before sunrise on the third day, sentries posted by the commander of this detachment suddenly became aware of a faint but persistent sound. Soon they recognised it: it was the sound of many marching feet. They roused their comrades, who took up position, ready to sell their lives dearly. But Ephialtes knew these hills. He showed the Persians a route round this Greek position, leaving them powerless and isolated. As the sun came up, messengers managed to get through to Leonidas with the news that the Persians were poised to descend in his rear. But it was too late to take counter-measures. The Greeks saw that the position was hopeless. Most of them now abandoned the position at Thermopylae – though it is not known whether they did so on their own initiative, or on the orders of Leonidas. |