Laconia and the Legendary Spartan King Leonidas Leader of the 300....Part 2

It was summer of 480 BC, some say it was August when the fierce battle of Thermopylae took place.  Historians claim
that the number of Greek forces was seven thousand and one hundred strong men versus one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand Persians. Thermopylae or Hot Gates was a place of great strategic importance for the Spartans, as their Phalanx which was one of the best military formations, was best suited for narrow passages. This military formation was based on the Spartan shield which was named Hoplon and so the Spartan soldiers were named Hoplites after their shield's name. The formation was as follows: Hoplites covered each other with their shields. Each shield overlapped each other and so they formed an impenetrable wall of shields. This impenetrable shield wall was the basis of their Phalanx formation.

 Spartans were also equipped with a long spear (the Dory) which was about 2.1 to 2.7 metres long, a short one-handed sword called Xiphos of  about 0.60 metres long and the Kopis which was a an option between Xiphos and Kopis for a secondary weapon. The word Kopis means to cut, to strike. Kopis was a heavy one-handed curved sword with a blade of about 0.65 metres long primarily used for cutting meat and for animal sacrifices. Additionally they would wear a helmet and a red cape. We could say that they wore a heavy armor.

The Phalanx formation was vulnerable to the rear and flanks, so the Spartan tactic was to lure their enemies into narrow spaces with a tactical retreat, where they would ready their shields and spears and have the advantage of the battle. The purpose of the Spartan Phalanx was mainly defensive although it would turn into offensive in no time when the battle required it. When and if the spear broke, they would equip their Xiphos or Kopis which were mainly used for close combat, even though they wouldn't easily break their Phalanx formation.

 On the other hand, the Persian army consisted of men from several nationalities but its main more organized force were the Immortals. They would carry a Persian sword named Acinares or Acinaka which was a dagger about 0.35-0.45 metres long and a shield made of sticks and animal leather. Also, they would carry javelins which were short light spears and bows and arrows...