| Shield from the Battle of Thermopylae | |
|---|---|
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Origin |
Battle of Thermopylae |
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Type |
Spartan Shield |
|
Effects |
Multiplies effectiveness of ally and enemy attacks |
|
Downsides |
Fuses person into armaments upon insurmountable loss |
|
Activation |
Active combat |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 13 |
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Section |
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| [Source] | |
Origin[]
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC between the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Xerxes I and an alliance of Greek city-states led by Sparta under Leonidas I. Lasting over the course of three days, it was one of the most prominent battles of both the second Persian invasion of Greece and the wider Greco-Persian Wars.
The engagement at Thermopylae occurred simultaneously with the naval Battle of Artemisium: between July and September 480 BC. The second Persian invasion under Xerxes I was a delayed response to the failure of the first Persian invasion, which had been initiated by Darius I and ended in 490 BC by an Athenian-led Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon. By 480 BC, a decade after the Persian defeat at Marathon, Xerxes had amassed a massive land and naval force, and subsequently set out to conquer all of Greece. In response, the Athenian politician and general Themistocles proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae while simultaneously blocking the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium.
Around the start of the invasion, a Greek force of approximately 7,000 men led by Leonidas marched north to block the pass of Thermopylae. Ancient authors vastly inflated the size of the Persian army, with estimates in the millions, but modern scholars estimate it at between 120,000 and 300,000 soldiers. They arrived at Thermopylae by late August or early September; the outnumbered Greeks held them off for seven days (including three of direct battle) before their rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands.
During two full days of battle, the Greeks blocked the only road by which the massive Persian army could traverse the narrow pass. After the second day, a local resident named Ephialtes revealed to the Persians the existence of a path leading behind the Greek lines. Subsequently, Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked by the Persians, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard their retreat along with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians. It has been reported that others also remained, including up to 900 helots and 400 Thebans. With the exception of the Thebans, most of whom reportedly surrendered, the Greeks fought the Persians to the death.
Both ancient and modern writers have used the Battle of Thermopylae as a flagship example of the power of an army defending its native soil. The performance of the Greek defenders is also used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment, and use of terrain as force multipliers.
Effects[]
Makes attacks more effective by a multiplicative factor, based upon the relative amount of people involved per side. The greater the ratio the more overpowering the larger force will be, whether the scale is a handful of individuals or legions of troops. This does apply to strategic movements or deceit, only the physical prowess such as artillery provisions and base level training.
A secondary boon occurs only when a side is facing overwhelming likelihood of defeat, regardless of the enhancements. The weaker contingent will gain a second boost of physically melding into composite beings to multiply the attack potential into one being. Some people will combine together to form a giant version with extremely high physical attributes when nearby. Those further apart will fuse with their weaponry or gear to move in unpredictable manners or increase their applied power. After a clear ending to the battle all effects will dissipate.
Collection[]
Obtained independently by Mikolaj Tomaszewki during his search for weaponry artifacts to curtail agent collections. During a raid upon the Warehouse, he absconded with agent Nikki Nola and Dante's Death Mask. The HARP team followed Mikolaj to his home base and discovered his goals to locate an even more powerful grouping of artifacts. Multiple artifact and live-fire traps were narrowly avoided during the breach including Nikki being fused to the shield to attack ferociously upon her colleagues. The shield remains something Nikki occasionally brings for situations requiring a sledgehammer approach.