Thespians: The Forgotten Heroes Who Fought to the Death Beside the Spartans

 

At Thermopylae, alongside King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans, another 700 warriors from Thespiae fought to the bitter end.

Leonidas and the 300 Spartans who fell heroically at Thermopylae—betrayed by Ephialtes and resisting to the last breath against the vastly superior Persian forces—are an inseparable part of Greek history. Their deeds have transcended borders, inspiring works of art and even a Hollywood film. They embody bravery, pride, and ultimate self-sacrifice.

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This story is well known, taught in schools and celebrated in popular culture. Yet, there is an overlooked chapter. History tends to leave in the shadows a crucial factor in this famous battle. While the Spartans, true to their code of honor, fought until the end, they were not alone. At their side stood 700 Thespians who also chose to remain and die on the battlefield.

The men of Thespiae fought to the death, playing a decisive role in the battle, but their sacrifice is often forgotten—or deliberately bypassed—in favor of the legendary “300.” They were, in fact, the only allies who refused to retreat when Leonidas ordered the rest of the Greek forces to withdraw.

Who Were the Thespians?

Thespiae was a small city in Boeotia, facing the looming threat of Xerxes’ invasion. Their decision to join the Spartans and other Greeks at Thermopylae was not merely about defending their own city, but a conscious act of solidarity in the wider struggle for Greek freedom.

By the time of the battle, much of northern Greece had already fallen to the Persians, and the invaders were pressing south. Cities that failed to resist risked losing their independence, as many in Asia Minor already had. For the Thespians, the fight against Persia was a fight for survival and liberty.

Their location made their choice even more pressing: Thespiae lay close to the Thermopylae pass, the critical choke point barring the Persian advance into central Greece. If the Persians broke through without resistance, Thespiae would be among the first cities to fall. Joining the stand at Thermopylae was therefore not only symbolic but a direct attempt to protect their homeland.

Recognizing Sparta’s leadership in the defense, the Thespians aligned themselves with Leonidas. Like the Spartans, they valued freedom above submission, and their decision to stay until the end was as ideological as it was military: they chose death over slavery.

Their Strength and Final Stand

Under the leadership of Demophilus, son of Diadromes, Thespiae sent 700 hoplites—heavily armed infantrymen equipped with shields, spears, swords, and full armor—into battle. Following their commander, they knowingly remained at Thermopylae even after it became clear the position was doomed.

When Leonidas realized the Persians had outflanked the Greek line via the mountain path betrayed by Ephialtes, he ordered most of the allies to withdraw. The Spartans, bound by their honor, stayed. The Thespians were the only other Greeks who voluntarily chose the same fate, standing side by side with the Spartans to meet certain death.

Their decision was rooted in loyalty to freedom and to their allies. To abandon the battlefield, for them, meant submission and dishonor. Their presence until the very end was an act of devotion to the Greek cause and a testament to their courage.

Demophilus and his men fell beside Leonidas, embodying the same values: freedom, sacrifice, and resistance to the conqueror. Though their city was small, their contribution to the common struggle was immense—they offered everything they had, their very lives, so that they might die free rather than live enslaved.

Modern Recognition

The hill of Kolonos at Thermopylae remains a site of great historical significance, marking where the last Spartans and Thespians fell in 480 BC. Leonidas and Demophilus had already been killed, and it was on this hill that the final resistance collapsed under a hail of Persian arrows.

Since 1997, beside the monument to Leonidas, there also stands a statue honoring the voluntary sacrifice of the Thespians. Created by sculptor Dimitris Kaligeropoulos, it depicts a winged youth, accompanied by the inscription:

“In memory of the 700 Thespians who, led by Demophilus, fell in 480 BC alongside the 300 of Leonidas at the Battle of Thermopylae.”

The monument itself is rich in symbolism:

Headless figure – The anonymous sacrifice of the 700 Thespians.

Exposed chest – Courage, strength, and defiance.

Broken wing – Voluntary sacrifice and death.

Raised wing – Victory, glory, spirit, and freedom.

Naked body – Eros, the god of Thespiae, symbolizing creation, beauty, and life.

In recent years, their memory has also been honored with the “In the Footsteps of Heroes” run, a race tracing the path from Thespiae to Thermopylae.