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30-461: Opuntian Locris consisted of a narrow slip upon the eastern coast of central Greece, from the pass of Thermopylae to the mouth of the river Cephissus . The northern frontier town was Alpeni , which bordered upon the Malians , and the southern frontier town was Larymna , which at a later time belonged to Boeotia . The Locrians, however, did not inhabit this coast continuously, but were separated by

60-608: A narrow slip of Phocis , which extended to the North Euboean Gulf , and contained the Phocian seaport town of Daphnus . The Locrians north of Daphnus were called Epicnemidii , from Mount Cnemis ; and those south of this town were named Opuntii , from Opus , their principal city. On the west, the Locrians were separated from Phocis and Boeotia by a range of mountains, extending from Mount Oeta and running parallel to

90-421: A reference to the gates of Hades. Thermopylae is primarily known for the battle that took place there in 480 BC, in which an outnumbered Greek force probably of 7,000 (including 300 Spartans , 500 warriors from Tegea , 500 from Mantinea , 120 from Arcadian Orchomenos , 1,000 from the rest of Arcadia , 200 from Phlius , 80 from Mycenae , 400 Corinthians , 400 Thebans , 1,000 Phocians , 700 Thespians, and

120-628: Is a narrow pass and modern town in Lamia , Phthiotis , Greece . It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs . In Greek mythology the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades . Thermopylae is the site of the Battle of Thermopylae between the Greek forces (including Spartans , Thebans and Thespians) and the invading Persian forces, commemorated by Simonides of Ceos in the epitaph , "Go tell

150-533: Is described by Aeschines as one of the places which commanded the pass. It was the first Locrian town after Alpenos , the latter being at the very entrance of the pass. The surrender of Nicaea by Phalaecus to Philip II , in 346 BCE, made the Macedonian king master of Thermopylae, and brought the Third Sacred War to an end. Philip kept possession of it for some time, but subsequently gave it to

180-696: Is the Boagrius ( Βοάγριος ), called also Manes ( Μάνης ) by Strabo, rising in Mount Cnemis, and flowing into the sea between Scarpheia and Thronium . The only other river mentioned by name is the Platanius , a small stream, which flows into the Opuntian gulf near the Boeotian frontier: it is the river which flows from the modern village of Proskyná . The Opuntian Gulf, at the head of which stood

210-710: The Battle of Thermopylae , and also sent seven ships to the Greek fleet. The Locrians fought on the side of Sparta in the Peloponnesian War . The Locri Opuntii also minted coins in antiquity, some of which survive. A number of authors refer to earthquakes which occurred in the area in 426 BC, causing significant damage. The cities and towns of the Locri Epicnemidii, along the coast from north to south, were: Alpenus , Nicaea , Scarphe (Scarpheia), Thronium , Cnemis (Cnemides), more inland, Tarphe later Pharygae , and Augeiae . The cities and towns of

240-488: The Opuntian Locrians ) held off a substantially larger force of Persians under Xerxes . Over 1,000 Greeks remained in the pass when most of the army retreated: the survivors from previous fighting of 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians, along with 400 Thebans whom the other Greeks forcibly held as hostages. Gaius Stern has argued that this force had already suffered casualties of over 100 in the previous fighting, so

270-688: The Peloponnese . Diakos, after making a last stand at the bridge of Alamana with 48 of his men, was captured and killed. In 1941 during World War II the ANZAC forces delayed the invading Nazi forces in the area enough to allow the evacuation of the British expeditionary force to Crete . This conflict also became known as the Battle of Thermopylae. The sabotage of the Gorgopotamos bridge in 1942

300-678: The Thessalians along with Magnesia . But in 340 BC we again find Nicaea in the possession of Philip. According to Memnon of Heraclea , Nicaea was destroyed by the Phocians , and its inhabitants founded Bithynian Nicaea . But even if this is true, the town must have been rebuilt soon afterwards, since we find it in the hands of the Aetolians during the Roman wars in Greece . Subsequently

330-467: The 21st century, the shoreline advanced by as much as 9 km (5.6 mi) in places, eliminating the narrowest points of the pass and considerably increasing the size of the plain around the outlet of the Spercheios. The A1 motorway linking Athens and Thessaloniki now follows the ancient shoreline and thus splits the pass; a modern-day monument to King Leonidas I of Sparta is situated on

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360-663: The Great of Syria attempted in vain to hold the pass against the Romans under Manius Acilius Glabrio . At an uncertain date in the mid 3rd century AD, the Germanic tribe of Heruli were defeated by a Roman force sent to stop them. In 997, the Bulgarian Tsar Samuel invaded Greece and advanced as far as the Peloponnese . On his return, he was met by a Byzantine army under Nikephoros Ouranos at Spercheios. As

390-856: The Locri Opuntii, along the coast from north to south, were: Alope , Kynos , Opus , Halae , Larymna which later belonged to Boeotia, more inland, Calliarus , Naryx , and Corseia . [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Smith, William , ed. (1854–1857). "Locris". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography . London: John Murray. Thermopylae Thermopylae ( / θ ər ˈ m ɒ p ɪ l iː / ; Ancient Greek and Katharevousa : Θερμοπύλαι , romanized :  Thermopylai ; Ancient: [tʰermopýlai] , Katharevousa: [θermoˈpile̞] ; Demotic Greek ( Greek ): Θερμοπύλες , romanized :  Thermopyles [θermoˈpiles] ; "hot gates")

420-730: The Opuntii and Epicnemidii; and, during the flourishing period of Greek history, Opus was regarded as the chief town of the Eastern Locrians. Even Strabo, from whom the distinction is chiefly derived, in one place describes Opus as the metropolis of the Epicnemidii (ix. p. 416); and the same is confirmed by Pliny (iv. 7. s. 12) and Stephanus . In the Persian War the Opuntian Locrians fought with Leonidas at

450-549: The Spartans, stranger passing by, That here we lie, having answered our common oaths." Thermopylae is the only land route large enough to bear any significant traffic between Lokris and Thessaly . To go from north to south along the east coast of the Balkans requires use of the pass. In ancient times it was called Malis, named after the Malians ( Ancient Greek : Μαλιεῖς ), a Greek tribe that lived near present-day Lamia at

480-441: The Spercheios river and is surrounded by sloping forested limestone mountains. There is continuous deposition of sediment from the river and travertine deposits from the hot springs which has substantially altered the landscape during the past few thousand years. The land surface on which the famous Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC is now buried under 20 metres (66 ft) of soil. The shoreline has also advanced over

510-614: The centuries because of the sedimentary deposition. The level of the Malian Gulf was also significantly higher during prehistoric times, and the Spercheios River was significantly shorter. Its shoreline advanced by up to 2 kilometers between 2500 BC and 480 BC but has still left several narrow passages between the sea and the mountains. The narrowest point on the plain, where the battle was probably fought, would have been less than 100 metres (330 ft) wide. Between 480 BC and

540-467: The coast, of which one terminated in the promontory Cnemides , opposite the islands called Lichades ; but there were several fruitful valleys, and the fertility of the whole of the Locrian coast is praised both by ancient and modern observers. In consequence of the proximity of the mountains to the coast there was no room for any considerable rivers. The largest, which, however, is only a mountain torrent,

570-595: The coast. The northern part of this range, called Mount Cnemis, now Talanda , rises to a considerable height, and separated the Epicnemidii Locri from the Phocians of the upper valley of the Cephissus; the southern portion, which bore no specific name, is not so lofty as Mount Cnemis, and separated the Opuntian Locrians from the north-eastern parts of Boeotia. Lateral branches extended from these mountains to

600-582: The delta of the river Spercheios in Greece . The Malian Gulf is also named after them. In the western valley of the Spercheios their land was adjacent to the Aenianes . Their main town was named Trachis . In the town of Anthela , the Malians had an important Temple of Demeter Amphictyonis , an early center of the Anthelan Amphictyony . The land is dominated by the coastal floodplain of

630-546: The divine hero Heracles tried to cleanse himself of the Hydra's poison there. The first known Amphictyony , a group of religiously associated ancient Greek tribes, was centered on the cult of Demeter at the city of Anthela , near Thermopylae. The delegates to this first Amphictyony were dubbed the Pylagorai ("gate-assemblers"); since Demeter had chthonic or underworld associations in many of her older cults, this may be

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660-419: The east side of the highway, directly across the road from the hill where Simonides' epitaph to the fallen is engraved in stone at the top. Thermopylae is part of the "horseshoe of Maliakos ", also known as the "horseshoe of death": it is the narrowest part of the highway connecting the north and the south of Greece. It has many turns and has been the site of many vehicular accidents. The hot springs from which

690-520: The pass derives its name still exist close to the foot of the hill. Thermopylae means "hot gates", referring to the area’s hot sulfur springs . The location was also associated with the cavernous entrance to Hades , the underworld in Greek mythology , which was said to be at Thermopylae. According to one version of the Labours of Heracles , it was said that the waters at Thermopylae became hot because

720-620: The river was flooded, both sides encamped on opposite sides without action. Confident that the Byzantines could not cross the river, the Bulgarians relaxed their guard and were taken by surprise when Byzantine scouts discovered a ford further upriver. In 1821, a force of Greek fighters led by Athanasios Diakos made a stand near the pass to stop a force of 8,000 Turks from marching down from Thessaly to put down revolts in Roumeli and

750-524: The town is only mentioned by Strabo (ix. p. 426). William Martin Leake identifies Nicaea with the castle of Mendenitsa , where there are Hellenic remains. Modern scholars place its site at Ag. Triada / Palaiokastro. 10. Livy, "The Dawn of the Roman Empire", (Oxford World's Classics, 2000, Books 31-40) Book 32, chapt 32, p 86, "They [Phillip II of Macedonia and Roman Consul, Quinctius] chose

780-545: The town of Opus, is a considerable bay, shallow at its inner extremity. In this bay, close to the coast, is the small island of Atalanta . The Eastern Locrians, are mentioned by Homer , who describes them as following Ajax , the son of Oïleus , to the Trojan War in forty ships, and as inhabiting the towns of Kynos , Opus, Calliarus , Besa , Scarphe , Augeiae , Tarphe , and Thronium . Neither Homer, Herodotus , Thucydides, nor Polybius , make any distinction between

810-460: The true number might be closer to 1,250 than 1,400. For three days they held a narrow route between hills and the sea against Xerxes' vast cavalry and infantry force, before being outflanked on the third day via an obscure goat path named the Anopaea Pass. According to the Greek legend, a traitor named Ephialtes of Trachis showed the path to the invaders. The following epitaph by Simonides

840-543: Was caused by a large fine imposed on the Phocians in 357 BC for cultivating sacred land. The Spartans, who were also fined in that war, actually never fought in it as they were later pardoned. In 279 BC a Gallic army led by Brennus initially engaged the Aetolians who were forced to make a tactical retreat and who were finally routed by the Thessalians and Malians by the river Spercheios . In 191 BC Antiochus III

870-530: Was referred in German documents of the era as "the recent sabotage near Thermopylae". 38°48′19″N 22°33′46″E  /  38.80528°N 22.56278°E  / 38.80528; 22.56278 Nicaea (Locris) Nicaea or Nikaia ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Νίκαια ), was an ancient fortress of the Epicnemidian Locrians , situated upon the sea, and close to the pass of Thermopylae . It

900-500: Was written on the monument: "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie." (Ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι.) In 353 BC/352 BC during the Third Sacred War , fought mainly between the forces of the Delphic Amphictyonic League, principally represented by Thebes, and latterly by Philip II of Macedon , and the Phocians. The war

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