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Leonidas King of Sparta
Leonidas King of Sparta
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"Leonidas - King Leonidas of Sparta"

From N.S. Gill,
Your Guide to Ancient / Classical History.
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Definition: Leonidas was a 5th century B.C. Spartan military king who bravely led a small force of Greeks -- mostly Spartan (the famous 300), but also Thespians and Thebans -- against the much larger Persian army of Xerxes, at the pass of Thermopylae, in 480 B.C. during the Persian Wars. According to Herodotus, Leonidas had been warned by the Delphic oracle that either Sparta would be destroyed or their king would lose his life. Leonidas chose the second alternative.
All the Spartans and Thespians died, including Leonidas, although Herodotus says the Thebans had never wanted to be there and surrendered when Leonidas was killed. The Persians mangled the corpse of Leonidas.

Leonidas was the half-brother of King Cleomenes I of Sparta. After Cleomenes' suicide, Leonidas was made king because Cleomenes had died without a son or other closer male relative. Leonidas was also married to Cleomenes' only child and heir, Gorgo. Herodotus says this was part of the reason he became king. Since they were kings from the Agiad line, both Cleomenes and Leonidas claimed Heracles (Hercules) as ancestor.

Elsewhere on the Web:
Leonidas of Sparta
Picture of a statue of Leonidas.

Monument of Leonidas
Photo of a monument to Leonidas.

Greek Historical Notes
Alphabetical list. Scroll down for Leonidas entry.

Examples: In his Greco-Persian Wars, Peter Green suggests the Thebans and Thespians were with Leonidas because they were the only ones who volunteered.
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