THE SURVIVORS OF THE 300

Battle of the 300 Spartans???…….. Or should we be saying “battle of the 298” I know, I know it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it but there were a few Spartans who did not stand with the 300 on that fateful day at the battle of Thermopylae.

Before the final stand at Thermopylae King Leonidas sent the unfortunate Aristodemos and his comrade Eurytus home. They had both developed a disease of the eye before the battle began, because of this aliment they were unable to fight the Persians.
Not long into the journey to Sparta Eurytus turned back, either he got wind that the Persians had found the mountain pass and couldn’t bare the thought of leaving his comrades behind or he felt he had recovered enough from his eye ailment. None the less he had his helot lead the way back to Thermopylae and charged into the fray losing his life along with his Spartan comrades.

Aristodemos continued on until he reached Sparta. When he arrived there he told the story of how he had been sent home along with Eurytus and that King Leonidas had fallen along with the others. When the Spartans heard that Eurytus although half blind had bravely returned to the battle but Aristodemos had chosen not to they branded him a coward and cast shameful reproaches upon him. They named him “Aristodemos the Coward” people refused to speak to him, share a table to eat with him at the mess or even give him a Kindle to light his fire.

But Aristodemos was not the only one of the 300 to dodge death at Thermopylae. A Spartan warrior named Pantites also returned to Sparta alive. Before the final battle King Leonidas had sent Pantites on an embassy to the Thessalonians. By the time Pantites returned to Thermopylae the battle was over, on his return to Sparta he faced the same shame and ridicule as Aristodemos. So much was the shame of return that he hung himself in dispair.

However Aristodemos lived long enough to redeem his reputation and clear his name of cowardice. During the battle of Platea Aristodemos broke ranks from the Spartan phalanx, recklessly charging alone headlong into the Persian lines slaying many in a suicidal fury. Although Aristodemos fought with more bravery than all the Spartans at Platea before he perished, they did not award him any special honors for his valour because he broke ranks and had fought with suicidal recklessness.

Such was the ill fate of those who did not die along with the 298 Spartans at Thermopylae.