“If, in that strife, ‘t were given to see / The glory of Thermopylae”: Connections to the Classics in the Alamo and the Texas Revolution

Authors

Austin M. Pritchett, Belmont UniversityFollow

Publication Date

Spring 4-16-2025

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

Department

History, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

SPARK Category

Scholarship

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Brenda Jackson-Abernathy

WELL Core Type

Intellectual Wellness

Metadata/Fulltext

Fulltext

SPARK Session

History Talk/Performance Session 1 8:00-9:00

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

This historical research paper argues that connections to classical tradition were made in the rhetoric and symbolism of the Texas Revolution as a means of creating a national identity as Texans and as a way of garnering support from the Unites States for their cause.

Having established the background of the Texas Revolution of 1835-1836, the famous Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, and the Battle of Thermopylae in ancient Greece, I bring forth examples from primary sources of important figures using comparisons to classical history. The classical connections made in those writings were used to justify their goals to themselves, contextualize the tragedy of the Alamo, and seat themselves within the western world. The primary sources utilized in the paper include letters, meeting transcripts, speeches, and other communiques from key players in the Revolution such as Sam Houston and William Travis, as well as other generals and officials. While the most frequent connection made in these writings is to the Battle of Thermopylae, comparisons are also drawn with Roman history.

I then move on to the second goal of this phenomenon, i.e., garnering support from the United States. Citing calls to action, newspapers, and meeting transcripts, I establish the state of U.S. support for Texas, the classical connections that were being used by Texans to excite the sympathies of Americans, and the classical language picked up by Americans when discussing Texas, especially after the Alamo. I finish by proving the effective staying-power of this language by citing newspapers published well after the Texas Revolution that utilize the Thermopylaean rhetoric and make brief mention of its ripples into the 20^th century.

Recommended Citation

Pritchett, Austin Michael. “'If, in that strife, ‘t were given to see / The glory of Thermopylae': Connections to the Classics in the Alamo and the Texas Revolution." [Archive] Belmont University SPARK (2025).