Sparta

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In 480 B.C.E. at the Battle of Thermopylae, the Spartan king, King Leonidas led 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians to fight to the death against the massive Persian army, the result of this final stand was a large amount of Persian soldier deaths, and many fewer Greek casualties. The Spartans were able to kill so many Persians and survive because of skillful military training and the capability to not fear death. Leonidas kept the Spartans at Thermopylae because of Spartan laws and ethics created by Lykurgos. Lykurgos’ laws affected the Lacedaemonians at Thermopylae greatly because of many rules and restrictions that Lykurgos placed upon the them. Another factor that greatly impacted the outcome of the Battle of Thermopylae and the Spartans willingness to stay and fight to the death against the Medes was not only their laws, requiring them to do so, but also their ethics, encouraging them to do so.
There were many cultural ethics represented by the Spartans at Thermopylae, but two of these elements were proven the most; these two elements were how Spartans never surrender, and equality. The main Spartan ethic of equality was represented at Thermopylae because Lykurgos changed the way in Sparta that all people, including the King and members of the senate, were always treated as equals and were always equivalent in the minds of the people and government officials. This rule of equality also forced every Spartan present at the Battle of Thermopylae to die for not only Sparta but also for all of Hellas. Lykurgos installed a law, “that they [Spartans] should all live on equal footing.” (Plutarch, 8) Plutarch stated that Lykurgos reformed the way that the Spartan government treated individuals. He changed this ethic so that no man was trea...

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...he Spartans at the battle of Thermopylae. In Sparta, other than no man being above one another, no man was above the laws of Sparta. At the Battle of Thermopylae, the Spartans killed so many Persians that the Persians were unable to conquer Sparta, forcing them to return to Persia; saving Sparta from being conquered. During the Battle of Thermopylae, there was also criticism surrounding the Spartans capability to not fear death, because the Spartans would have been much more cautious if they were intimidated by death. After the Spartans memorable final stand at Thermopylae, there was a monument built in their honor, depicting a Spartan raising his shield, about to charge back into battle for a last, final stand. At this monument there were two gods on either side of the Spartan, showing that for a soldier to die for their country, this action was godlike.

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