The presence of carthaginian citizens fighting as infantry in these armies is unusual as carthaginian citizens usually only served as officers or cavalry in the carthaginian armed forces. I started this idea in july with naerossi, but i sure took my time to write it all down orz. Sacred band of thebes simple english wikipedia, the free. Their finest hour came at the battle of leuktra, under the theban general epaminondas. The lion, which is approximately 12 feet tall, is now on display once again.
It was a major rival of ancient athens, and sided with the persians during the 480 bc invasion under xerxes. Mar 19, 2017 in the battle of luectra fought on 6 july, 371 bce, the sacred band of thebes, led by pelopidas, accomplished another heroic victory over the spartans. It was believed these men would make better warriors. In the battle of luectra fought on 6 july, 371 bce, the sacred band of thebes, led by pelopidas, accomplished another heroic victory over the spartans. According to plutarch, the sacred band of thebes was a group of three hundred warriors composed entirely of couples. Sacred band of thebes quotethe sacred band of thebes was a troop of select soldiers, consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers which formed the elite force of the theban army in the 4th century bc.
It was an important mycenaean centre in the middle to late bronze age and was a powerful citystate in the classical period, participating in both the persian and peloponnesian wars, reaching its peak of influence in the early 4th century bce when it was the most powerful city in greece. The sacred band of thebes was an elite fighting unit within the ancient theban army of the 4th century bc. The sacred band of thebes is a tr short story, and thus belongs to him alone, but the tale is true, based on plutarch and other ancient sources. The story of this battle is almost entirely romanticised, we dont have a very good source on it. The upcoming graphic novel the sacred band of thebes, based on the true story of the greatest fighting force of ancient greece. While the story of the sacred band of thebes is well known and t. Til the elite fighting unit of ancient thebes was the sacred band of thebes, a force comprised of 150 gay male couples who crushed the spartans in multiple military engagements. Erotic experience and sexual ethics in ancient greece. The earliest surviving record of the sacred band by name was made in 324 bc. Jan 02, 2016 incredible stories podcast ep 1 the sacred band of thebes duration.
Sacred band of thebes, elite gay soldiers heritagedaily. May, 2014 the sacred band of thebes entirely made up of male lovers may, 2014 melissa 7 comments in the 4th century b. Though plutarch claims that all three hundred died that day, excavation of the burial site at the lion monument in 1890 produced only 254 skeletons, arranged in seven. I want to know if they had a answered by a verified expert we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Sacred band world war ii, a special forces unit composed entirely of officers. Mar 06, 2017 the sacred band of thebes is a much discussed military unit from ancient greece, which became famous for breaking the spartan hegemony in the 370s bc. In 375 bc the bands command was transferred to the younger boeotarch known as pelopidas, who was one of the original exiled with gorgidas.
The earliest surviving record of the sacred band by name was in 324 bc, in the oration against demosthenes by the athenian logographer dinarchus. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by the miniatures page. The legend of the sacred band, the sleep of reason. For forty years, they were considered the greatest fighting force on earth. Famed for both its fighting ability and its unusual makeup, the sacred band consisted of 300 soldiers who all had something in common. The rise and fall of the sacred band of thebes by g. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters.
The 300 men were the handpicked elite fighting force known as the sacred band of thebes. In 338 bce, during the battle of chaeronea that results in the massacre of the sacred band of thebes, the legendary tempus and his stepson cavalry rescue twentythree pairs of theban sacred banders, paired lovers and friends, to fight on other days. Sacred band of thebes laughs from the past s1s4 youtube. This was restored in the 20th century and is standing today. Customs fees and import duties are the responsibility of the customer. A modern statue depicting two soldiers of the band, by malcolm lidbury. His peltasts broke ranks and fled back to thespiae pursued by theban forces.
Its predominance began with its crucial role in the battle of leuctra in 371 bc, it was annihilated by philip ii of macedon in the battle of chaeronea in 338 bc. The couples themselves were selected from the other theban units to join this elite group. Dec 17, 2014 adds a new unit, theban sacred band, an elite hoplite unit for the boiotian league. The sacred band of thebes was a handpicked unit of 300 greek. However, a few decades later in 338 bce, the combined forces of athens and thebes fought the battle of chaeronea against the macedonians led by philip ii of macedon, alexander the greats father. Sacred band of thebes how is sacred band of thebes.
The fighting was very fierce and a display of personal bravado cost. When philip saw the lovers dead side by side, he wept and said, perish any man who suspects that these men either did or suffered any thing that was base. Epaminondas, one of the expats rumbling around in athens, and like many broke. The thebans formalized the male pairings and maybe triples and quadruples nobody knows for sure and made sure everyone in the sacred band had a. New elite unit theban sacred band for wrath of sparta campaign. We do know the sacred band of thebes was an elite fighting force, we do have mention of them being male lovers some sources mention this, some do not, though i see no reason to doubt this claim.
The sacred band of thebes an elite military unit famously fell at. Til of the sacred band of thebes who were 300 elite. The army won every battle until it was finally defeated by philip of macedonia and his son alexander the great. He mentions the sacred band as being led by the general pelopidas and, alongside epaminondas who commanded the army of thebes boeotia, were responsible for the defeat of the spartans at the decisive battle of leuctra 371 bc. The theory was that men would fight more bravely and more fiercely if they were fighting side by side with their lover. All members in good standing are free to post here. The rise and fall of the sacred band of thebes and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Nikanoras, born the only son of an aristocrat, is sent to train with a mentor and find a male lover in order to be selected to serve with the sacred band of thebes. Modern society has a fraught history of tension between the military and its lgbtq members, but in ancient greece, an army of 300 male lovers. It looks like we dont have a synopsis for this title yet.
Ancient greek superpower the spartan army, confronts the three hundred warriors of the sacred band of thebes. Ancient assassins sacred band of thebes tv episode 2016. Lgbt history month began with missouri high school teacher rodney wilson in 1994, and its overarching goal is to provide role models, help build connections, and highlight the contributions of the lgbt community worldwide. Mar 05, 2007 the sacred band of thebes are athenian greeks, the men in 300 are spartans. The sacred band of thebes were gay people who fought together. To the elite sacred band of thebes, the idea of gays in the military was. In 300 the movie, leonidas sneeringly refers to the athenians as boy lovers. The earliest surviving record of the sacred band by name was in 324 bc. An 1842 painting depicting the ancient city of thebes. A statue of the boeotarch epaminondas, who was widely hailed for his brilliant and revolutionary tactics in the battle of leuctra. Feb 07, 2017 back in the fourth century, there was an elite group made up of 150 pairs of men. It is more likely that the thebans just broke through the spartan formation.
The sacred band of thebes an elite military unit famously fell at the battle of chaeronea in 338 bc against philip ii and alexander the great. At the battle of tegyra in 375 bce, the sacred band of thebes accomplished their first major victory against spartan forces. Unknown to nikanoras, his mentor holds a treacherous secret over his father and is in love with his mother. In about 300 bc, the town of thebes erected a giant stone lion on a pedestal at the burial site of the sacred band. If you mean to ask if the men of the sacred band engaged in malemale sex, then yes, it seems almost certain that they did. Sacred band of thebes how is sacred band of thebes abbreviated. Raw moments in myth and history 150 military couples end.
Jun 03, 2017 the sacred band of thebes was celebrated throughout greece for their courage, and in fact they are credited as being a key part of the rise of thebes to prominence within the 4 th century b. This is sacred band of thebes by ryan mcnamara on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. The sacred band of thebes was an elite force of the theban. The sacred band of thebes kugure haikyuu archive of. This is though to be hypocritical since there was homosexuality in their ranks as well but, theyre two separate groups of men. Jul 18, 2012 the sacred band, used for the first time as an independent unit by pelopidas, defeated the spartans at the battle of tegyra in 375 bce. These ancient greek warriors would have laughed at dont ask. Like many subjects in ancient greece, the sacred band of thebes is one that exists. Was hercules a member of the sacred band of thebes. Regarded as invincible throughout all of ancient greece, the theban sacred band or the sacred band of thebes were specially selected and trained elite soldiers of the theban army in the 4th century bc.
The sacred band of thebes was an elite force of the theban army in lateclassical greece. Thebes was the largest city of the ancient region of boeotia and was the leader of the boeotian confederacy. It is the only time in history that homosexual soldiers have been deliberately assembled, let alone paired and allowed to fight alongside their lovers. A year later philip divorced olympias, and, after a quarrel at a feast held to celebrate his fathers new marriage, alexander and his mother fled to epirus, and alexander later went. It is likely, therefore, that this band was called sacred on this account. The sacred band of thebes, or theban band, was a battalion composed. An army comprised of 150 pairs of homosexual lovers. Dec 31, 2016 if you mean to ask if the men of the sacred band engaged in malemale sex, then yes, it seems almost certain that they did. Adds a new unit, theban sacred band, an elite hoplite unit for the boiotian league. It is said to have been organised by the theban commander gorgidas in 378 bc and to have played a crucial role in the battle of leuctra. At least as early as plutarch 46120 ad, it was believed that the band had become sacred because of each pairs ceremonial vows. Til the elite fighting unit of ancient thebes was the.
The sacred band of thebes entirely made up of male lovers. Aside from polyaenus, none of these accounts mention the sacred band by name. The sacred band of thebes was celebrated throughout greece for their courage, and in fact they are credited as being a key part of the rise of thebes to prominence within the 4 th century b. Thebes is a town in central greece which has been continuously inhabited for five millennia. The sacred band were soldiers coupled together and consisted of men around. The sacred band of thebes are athenian greeks, the men in 300 are spartans. Campaigns of thebes, 379362 bc sprawski major reference. It is said to have been organised by the theban commander gorgidas in 378 bc and to have. The sacred band was modeled on the spartans, who also encouraged youngmanolderman pairings in the phalanx, but did not insist upon it. The sacred band of thebes lives on, a world away, in this mythic novel of love in war in ancient times. Steam workshop new elite unit theban sacred band for. Darwinwho preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case till. Today theres a monument dedicated to the sacred band at chaeronea, and there lies the bodies of the unit arranged in seven rows.
The band was composed of pairs of lovers, normally made up of an older soldier who had taken on the job of mentoring a some. Just click the edit page button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the synopsis submission guide. Its predominance began with its crucial role in the battle of leuctra in 371 bc, it was annihilated by philip ii of macedon in the battle of chaeronea. The sacred band were first formed to garrison the cadmea, a fortification at the centre of the city of thebes, following a revolt by the thebans against the spartans that had captured the city four years previously. Til the elite fighting unit of ancient thebes was the sacred. Theban sacred band, the sacred band of thebes hail caesar.
Theban forces under the command of epaminondas ended the power of sparta at the battle of leuctra in 371 bc. While it can be argued that gorgidas idea of having lovers side by side helped in pitched battle. These men not only altered traditional tactics, but would train an elite set of shock troops, the sacred band of thebes, which were utilized to devastating effect. Its predominance began with its crucial role in the battle of leuctra in 371 bc. The sacred band of thebes is a much discussed military unit from ancient greece, which became famous for breaking the spartan hegemony in the 370s bc. Sacred band of thebes show notes in this episode of the podcast, we investigate whether a mysterious army of lovers known as the sacred band of thebes really dominated greece in the 4th century bce.
The sacred band became thebes greatest military asset. Incredible stories podcast ep 1 the sacred band of thebes duration. The sacred band of carthage is the name used by greek historians to refer to an infantry unit of carthaginian citizens that served in carthaginian armies during the fourth century bc. Even more decisive was the battle of leuktra in 371 bce, where the spartans were roundly defeated and where the victory monument set up by the thebans is still visible today. Prior to its destruction by alexander in 335 bc, thebes was a major force in greek history, and was the most dominant citystate at the time of the macedonian conquest of greece. Pelopidas was sent on the mission with only the sacred band and a handful of. It is said to have been organized by the theban commander gorgidas in 378 bc and to have played a crucial role in the. Historically, the sacred band of thebes was a picked force of 150 male couples 300 soldiers, forming the elite of the theban army in the 4th century bce. These wonderfully sculptured men form the basis of your sacred band of thebes with the full band consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers. The band was destroyed by philip ii of macedon in 338 bc during the battle of chaeronea. Thus was the motivation for the sacred band of thebes, an elite greek fighting force of 150 pairs of lovers. It is said to have been organised by the theban commander gorgidas in 378 bc and to have played a crucial role in the. The sacred band of thebes was a troop of select soldiers, consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers which formed the elite force of the theban army in the 4th century bc, ending spartan domination.