Aristodemus was a Spartan warrior, one of the famous Three Hundred sent to the Battle of Thermopylae. Along with a comrade, Eurytus, Aristodemus was stricken with an eye infection, causing King Leonidas to order the two to return home before the battle, but Eurytus turned back, though blind, and met his end charging into the fray. Sparta (Doric: Spártā, Attic: SpártÄ“) is a city in southern Greece. ... Combatants Greek city-states Achaemenid Persia Commanders Leonidas I † Xerxes the Great Strength 300 Spartans 900 Helots[1] 700 Thespians 400 Thebans[1] 5,000 other Greek allies1 Estimates vary (See below) Casualties 300 Spartans 900 Helots[1] 700 Thespians 400 Thebans[1] 1,400 Greek allies 20,000 (Modern... In Greek mythology, King Eurytus, or Eurýtos of Oschalia (Oikhalia), Thessaly, was the father of Dryope and Iole. ... Leonidas can refer to: Leonidas I, king of Sparta, ruled c. ...

Herodotus believed (7.229-231) that had both Aristodemus and Eurytus returned alive, or had Aristodemus alone been ill and excused from combat, the Spartans would have ascribed no blame to Aristodemus. Because, however, Eurytus had turned back and died, Aristodemus was regarded as a coward and subjected to humiliation and disgrace at the hands of his compatriots. No Spartan would speak to him or give him a light to kindle his fire. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Plataea

At the Battle of Plataea, Aristodemus fought with such fury that the Spartans regarded him as having redeemed himself. However, they would not award him any special prize for valor because he had fought with suicidal recklessness, and the Spartans regarded as more valorous those who fought while still wishing to live. Combatants Greek city-states Persia Commanders Pausanias Mardonius† Strength 100,000 (Pompeius) 110,000 (Herodotus) 120,000 (Ctesias) 300,000 (Herodotus and Plutarch) Casualties 10,000+ (Ephorus and Diodorus) 1,360 (Plutarch) 159 (Herodotus) 43,000 survived (Herodotus) 100,000 killed (Diodorus) The Battle of Plataea was the last battle... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life. ...

Another of the Three Hundred also survived Thermopylae. A man named Pantites, who had been sent by Leonidas on an embassy to Thessaly, failed to return to Thermopylae in time for the battle. Finding himself in disgrace in Sparta, he hanged himself. A Spartan warrior, one of the Three Hundred sent to the Battle of Thermopylae. ... Map showing Thessaly periphery in Greece Thessaly (Θεσσαλια; modern Greek Thessalía; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is one of the 13 peripheries of Greece, and is further sub-divided into 4 prefectures. ...

Trivia

• The Spartan warrior Aristodemus was portrayed by David Wenham as the character 300 Dilios malcheirosos in the 2007 movie 300. The film was based on the comic book 300 by Frank Miller. He is the narrator of the film.