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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi tell the Athenians?

2. According to Leonidas, how many men could the Persians mass behind the battle wall?

3. Why does Leonidas include inexperienced soldiers in the three hundred?

4. Why does Arete give Xeones coins?

5. What does Xerxes believe about Xeones' story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Leonidas frees the helots on the last day of battle?

2. What disturbs Xerxes, the Persian king?

3. Why does Arete claim the child of Rooster is really the child of her husband Dienekes? What unforeseen effect does this have?

4. Why do the Persian soldiers not hinder the Greeks in their escape?

5. Describe the plan to assault Xerxes in his own tent.

6. What kinds of items do the Spartan soldiers carry with them?

7. What causes Xerxes to decide to stay in Greece and complete his campaign?

8. What kind of force arrives at Thermopylae to meet the Persians?

9. Describe the first day of battle.

10. Explain what the author means when he calls the 300 an all-sire unit.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Xeones denounces Xerxes as a poor king. Why does Xoenes feel that Xerxes is a poor king? How does Xeones describe a good king? In your own words, describe Xerxes as a king, and tell whether you think he is a good king or not, and why.

Essay Topic 2

For the first day of the battle, the Greeks are able to fend off several attacks that, simply by the number of soldiers, should have crushed them. All the way to the bitter end, the Greeks are able to inflict great damage on the army of Persia. Describe the strategies used by the Greeks, from the first crossing of arms to the last.

Essay Topic 3

During the battle at Thermopylae, several soldiers are caught trying to desert. Answer the following questions:

1. What reasons do the men give for desertion?

2. What reasons does Leonidas give for allowing the men to flee?

3. Why do some of the men beg to be allowed to return to duty after the speech that Leonidas gives?

4. How do the other men feel about those who desert? What do the other men want to do about it?

(see the answer keys)

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