Ephialtes of Trachis

Ephialtes (Greek: Ἐφιάλτης ) was the son of Eurydemus of Mali. He betrayed the Greek troops to the Persian, pointing them in the Battle of Thermopylae a way to Thermopylae. This helped the Persians in 480 BC to victory in the battle by the Greek troops were able to take from two sides.

Large parts of the Greek forces withdrew from the news of the circumvention of their position, while the supreme commander King Leonidas in order to cover their retreat, fought with his Spartans and the Thespiern to the last man.

The tradition is that Ephialtes expected to be rewarded for his betrayal of the Persians, which, however, after the Greeks at the Battle of Salamis brought about a turning point of the war, failed to materialize. Herodotus reported that he was then fled the Spartans to Thessaly, where he was murdered by Athenades of Trachis for reasons that had nothing to do with his betrayal.

Ephialtes became for the Greeks to the classic traitor, although other Greeks also supported the Persian king Xerxes. The literal translation of his name is " nightmare ", but wore different this name ( see Ephialtes of Athens).

Swell

• Greek ( Ancient )
• Born in the 6th or 5th century BC
• Died in the 5th century BC
• Man