What are Hot Gates?

Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs. In Greek mythology the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades.

What is a hot gate?

Hot Gates or Hot Gate may refer to: Thermopylae, a location in Greece famous for the Battle of Thermopylae. The Hot Gates, a collection of writing by William Golding. The Hot Gate, third book in the Troy Rising series by John Ringo. Hot Gates, a song written by Christopher Torr, and sung by Laurika Rauch.

Where are the hot gates in real life?

The Thermopylae, the "hot gates" or also "gates of fire," is a mountain pass at the foot of Mount Kallidromo in modern Greece where legend tells that King Leonidas and 300 of his Spartan warriors fought millions of Persians during Xerxes' invasion of Greece in 480 B.C. They were able to hold the mountain pass for ...

Why is it called hot gates?

In antiquity its cliffs were by the sea, but silting has widened the distance to more than a mile. Its name, meaning “hot gates,” is derived from its hot sulfur springs. Thermopýles (Thermopylae), central Greece.

Are the Hot Gates still there?

Today the shoreline has advanced by as much as 9 kilometers or 5.6 miles. Thus the narrow passageway no longer exists and one will need to picture it in one's mind eye. Its name "the Hot Gates" comes from the hot sulfur springs found there, in Greek mythology was the entrance to the underworld of Hades.

Episode 21: The Hot Gates

Is the story about the 300 Spartans true?

In short, not as much as suggested. It is true there were only 300 Spartan soldiers at the battle of Thermopylae but they were not alone, as the Spartans had formed an alliance with other Greek states. It is thought that the number of ancient Greeks was closer to 7,000. The size of the Persian army is disputed.

How long did the Spartans hold the Hot Gates?

He is the author of the History in an Afternoon textbook series. One of the all-time great stories of ancient history involved the defense of Thermopylae, when a narrow pass was held for three days against a vast Persian army by just 300 Spartans, 299 of whom perished.

How tall was King Xerxes?

Xerxes, the king of Persia, is portrayed as seven feet tall. Actor Rodrigo Santoro is only 6'2". Not too shabby, but the other 10 inches are special effects.

How did the Spartans fall?

Despite their military prowess, the Spartans' dominance was short-lived: In 371 B.C., they were defeated by Thebes at the Battle of Leuctra, and their empire went into a long period of decline.

Who betrayed the Spartans?

In the 1962 film The 300 Spartans, Ephialtes was portrayed by Kieron Moore and is depicted as a loner who worked on a goat farm near Thermopylae. He betrays the Spartans to the Persians out of greed for riches, and, it is implied, unrequited love for a Spartan girl named Ellas.

Does the lion of Leonidas still exist?

The Quarry - The Loop

The rock lion was built on the site of Leonidas' death to commemorate the Spartan king, whose name means "Son of the Lion", but neither the lion nor the epigram survive in the present day.

What is modern day Sparta?

Modern day Sparta, the capital of the prefecture of Lakonia, lies on the eastern foothills of Mount Taygetos in the Evrotas River valley. The city has been built upon the site of ancient Sparta, whose Acropolis lies north of the modern city.

Who are the descendants of the Spartans?

Apart from its picturesque setting overlooking the Ionic sea, the Peninsula was also home to the Spartans, the legendary Greek warriors. The Maniots (inhabitants of the Mani Peninsula) therefore are considered direct descendants of Spartans.

Is Thermopylae a city?

Thermopylae (/θərˈmɒpɪliː/; Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Θερμοπύλαι (Thermopylai) [tʰermopýlai], Demotic Greek (Greek): Θερμοπύλες, (Thermopyles) [θermoˈpiles]; "hot gates") is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulphur springs.

Were Spartans Roman or Greek?

The History of Sparta describes the history of the ancient Doric Greek city-state known as Sparta from its beginning in the legendary period to its incorporation into the Achaean League under the late Roman Republic, as Allied State, in 146 BC, a period of roughly 1000 years.

What did Spartan eat?

The Spartans, noted among ancient writers for their austerity, prepared a black broth of blood and boiled pig's leg, seasoned with vinegar, which they combined with servings of barley, fruit, raw greens, wine and, at larger dinners, sausages or roasted meat. Spartan boys were sparingly issued barley cakes.

Why is Athens better than Sparta?

Athens was better than Sparta because, it had a better government, education system, and had more cultural achievements. One element of Athens that made it the better city-state was the government.

Did the immortals from 300 exist?

Frank Miller's 1998 comic book 300 and the 2006 feature film adapted from it present a heavily fictionalized version of the Immortals at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE.

How did Xerxes look like?

Based on ancient carved stone reliefs remaining from the Achaemenid Dynasty, Xerxes is actually depicted as having long curly hair and beard, adorned with a crown and royal robe.

What bad things did Xerxes do?

Xerxes I Was Infamous For Harsh Punishments And Womanizing

To build his army for the Greek invasion, King Xerxes enforced conscription throughout his empire. Among those conscripted were the five sons of Pythias, a Lydian governor. Pythias requested that his eldest son be allowed to remain as his heir.

How much of the movie 300 is true?

The film 300 is an adaptation of a comic book based on historical events, but it makes no pretense of being historically accurate. However, the battle of Thermopylae was a real event, with 300 Spartans at the center of the story.

How long did the 300 Spartans hold off?

The Persian army had arrived at Thermopylae by late August or early September; the vastly outnumbered Greeks held them off for seven days (including three of direct battle) before their rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands.

What country is Persia now called?

Persia, historic region of southwestern Asia associated with the area that is now modern Iran. The term Persia was used for centuries and originated from a region of southern Iran formerly known as Persis, alternatively as Pārs or Parsa, modern Fārs.

How tall is the average Spartan?

Depending on the type of Spartan the height of a Spartan II (fully armored) is 7'2 feet tall, a Spartan III (Fully armored) is 6'10 feet tall, and a Spartan IV (Fully armored) stands on average a little shorter at 6'9, all while boasting a reinforced endoskeleton.

What was the biggest shame that a Spartan soldier could experience in battle?

What was the biggest shame that a Spartan soldier could experience in battle? To lose his shield.