The Ancients Leonidas: King of Sparta, Hero of Thermopylae
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Mar 22, 2026 
Dr Andrew Bayliss, Associate Professor in Greek History and Sparta specialist. He unpicks sources on Leonidas, the Spartan system that shaped him, and the politics behind his rise. Listens to the run-up to Xerxes' invasion, why Thermopylae was chosen, and how the final stand and its aftermath were remembered through history.
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Cleomenes' Religious Atrocities Led To Collapse
- Cleomenes' rule became scandalous: bribing Delphi, flogging priests, burning sacred groves, leading to exile and a gruesome death.
- His fall created a power vacuum that enabled Leonidas' accession around Marathon era.
Leonidas' Early Reign Is AHistorical Void
- The transition to Leonidas' kingship is opaque in sources; Herodotus largely skips the political details between Cleomenes' death and Thermopylae.
- This creates a decade-long documentary gap about Leonidas' rule.
Thermopylae Was A Strategic Plan B
- Thermopylae was chosen after Tempe was judged indefensible; narrow pass and adjacent straits suited Greek defensive strategy.
- The Spartan explanation for only 300 present (games and Carnea) may be a later cover story.
