The Sacred Band of Thebes (Ancient Greek: Ἱερός Λόχος, Hierós Lókhos) was a troop of select soldiers, consisting of 150 pairs of male couples which formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC, ending Spartan domination.

Excavation of the tomb brought to light 254 skeletons, laid out in seven rows. The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite fighting unit within the ancient Theban army of the 4th century BC.

May 25, 2022 · Of those thirty-five thousand men, in the middle of the battlefield with clashing shields and charging spears, was a small, specialist group of three-hundred warriors: the so-called Sacred Band of Thebes.

Jun 30, 2020 · According to Pausanias, the lion was erected by the Thebans to commemorate their fallen. Under the monument, archaelogists unearthed a mass grave of 254 people, now identified as members of the...

The Sacred Band of Thebes (Ancient Greek: Ἱερὸς Λόχος, Hieròs Lókhos) was a troop of picked soldiers, consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers which formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC.

Nov 20, 2024 · The Sacred Band of Thebes, known in Greek as Ἱερός Λόχος (Hierós Lókhos), was an elite military unit of the Theban army that existed during the 4th century BC. This unique unit, composed of 150 pairs of male lovers, was both a symbol of military innovation and a reflection of the social and cultural fabric of ancient Greece.

Nov 26, 2024 · Comprising a hundred and fifty male couples, Thebes’ Sacred Band, known as ancient Greece’s army of lovers, went undefeated in war for years until it was completely wiped out in a battle in 338 B.C., marking the end of the Classical Greek era.

The Thebans buried the men of the Sacred Band in a group tomb at the site where they died. Part of their bones were found after excavations and are now exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Thiva.

Oct 17, 2024 · The Sacred Band of Thebes emerged in the 4th century BCE as an elite military unit of the ancient Greek city-state of Thebes. To understand its origins, you must consider the historical context of Greek warfare and the social dynamics of Theban society.

Jun 17, 2021 · The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite unit of the Theban army comprised of 150 gay male couples totaling 300 men. They were formed under the leadership of Gorgidas but first achieved fame under the general Pelopidas.