Demophilus of Thespiae

Demophilus
Native name	Δημόφιλος
Born	Thespiae
Died	480 BC Thermopylae
Allegiance	Thespiae
Rank	Commander
Battles/wars	Battle of Thermopylae
Memorials	At Thermopylae and Thespiae
Relations	Diadromes (father)

Demophilus (Greek: Δημόφιλος Demophilos), according to Herodotus, was the commander of a contingent of 700 Thespians at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC). His father was the Diadromes (Διαδρόμης).

Demophilus and his men fought at the battle and at the end they stood along with the 300 Spartans at the last stand: all were killed. The ancient Greek traveler and geographer Pausanias also wrote about the stay of the Thespians at Thermopylae together with the Spartans.

After the Battle of Thermopylae, the Persian army burned down the city of Thespiae. The citizens had fled to the Peloponnese.

Demophilos is immortalised in many books and movies. In the 1962 movie The 300 Spartans, Demophilus was portrayed by the Greek actor Yorgos (George) Moutsios.

In Thermopylae there is a monument, next to the monument of Leonidas, in memory of him and his men. There is also a monument to Demophilus in the modern Thespiae.

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Wikipedia