By blocking the pass at Thermopylae the Persians were forced into a sea battle at Artemesion nearby in order to try to outflank the pass. The Greek fleet was waiting to pounce to defeat the Persian navy in order to eliminate the threat it posed to the Greek cities. Unfortunately for the Greeks, they lost the sea battle and had to withdraw. The blocking force at Thermopylae, no longer required. withdrew back to their cities, the Spartan and Thespian contingents staying behind to cover the withdrawal and being eliminated.
At Thermopylai (Hot Springs), a pass on the east coast of Greece opposite the strait between the maniland and the island of Euboia, just south of the Malian Gulf. The Battle of Thermopylae, 480 BC , was fought at Thermopylai , Greece . ~ See related link below .
The Greek city-states which did not go over to the Persian side had tried to win a sea battle against the Persian fleet to remove the naval threat to their cities. Blocking the pass at Thermopylae was a ploy to force the sea battle at nearby Artemesium. The sea battle was lost so they had to try again at Salamis. Until this sea threat was removed, the city-states had to keep their main armies at home protecting their cities against amphibious attack. So Thermopylae failed in its purpose. Salamis succeeded, and the following year the cities sent out their armies to join up at Plataea where they defeated the Persian army and its Greek allies, and the invasion was over.
Thermopylae, as part of a force of 7,000 Greeks blocking the pass.
Seven. The last three were to hold the pass to provoke a sea battle in the nearby strait, which was the purpose of holding the pass. The Greek fleet faled to defeat the Persian fleet, so holding the pass uned out to be of no avail.
It was a blocking action to bring on a navel action in the nearby strait in which the Greeks hopd to destroy the Persian naval threat. The naval battle failed so the Thermopylai pass was abandoned. The Spartan force of 2,400 (300 armoired infantry and 2,1oo light infantry) selflessly continued to hold the pass to let their 4,000 Greek allies escape, and died.
At the pass between northern and southern mainland Greece, opposite the strait between Euboia island and the mainland.
The narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae . August or September 480 BC
At the pass between northern and southern mainland Greece, opposite the strait between Euboia island and the mainland.
The Athenian navy was part of the southern Greek fleet which fought the sea battle at Artemesion in the strait next to the pass of Thermopylae. The Athenian component was commanded by Themistocles.
The Greek blocking force held the pass while the naval engagement in the adjacent strait at Artemesion began.
At Thermopylai there was a pass to defend, at Salamis there was a narrow strait. Both negated the superiority of the Persian forces.
It succeded in its purpose to provoke a sea battle in the nearby Artemesion strait, though the sea battle failed. The Spartan decision to stay and die holding the pass to allow their allies to retreat safely stands as a symbol of self-sacrifice for others.
He tries to outflank the bottleneck of the pass at Thermopylai with a land force through a track inland and by a sea attack in the adjacent strait of Artemesion.
The pass at Thermopylae was held to precipitate a sea battle to destroy the Persian fleet in the nearby strait of Artemesia - the sea battle was lost so the blocking force was withdrawn. The Spartan contingent continued to hold the pass to cover the blocking force's withdrawal. It was annihilated, but won lasting fame for its selfless sacrifice.
The Phoenicians were not anywhere near the Thermopylae Pass, so they could not betray the Greek force there.
the pass is called "The Pass of Thermopylae"
The pass at Thermopylai is still there.