Leonidas: the sacrifice of a king
18.04.2018 in HistoryLeonidas: the sacrifice of a king Leonidas is a widely known hero king, an example of self-immolation and defiance of despotism. He and a force of 300 Spartan troops sacrificed themselves after a fierce battle against the Persians in 480 BCE. The narrow pass of Thermopylae is a sacred grave, a symbol of the highest of the human values: freedom. The Greek historian Herodotus describes the lineage of Leonidas going back to the mythical hero Hercules. His father, the Spartan king Anaxandrides, had four sons and therefore, it seemed unlikely for Leonidas to represent the Royal House of…