Why Xerxes didn't find Opening Passage in Thermopylae until end?

[Pisces Axxxxx]

One thing that I'm incredibly curious about.

 

Years ago when i first read about the battle of Thermopylae, I was like "Why didn't Xerxes send Scouts to explore the area and find the mountain openings?!!!"

 

In fact in another "Historical Army X VS Historical Army X" that frequent the internet, and in this case it was "Spartans VS Romans", one pro-Roman guy stated "Ha if the Romans were fighting the Spartans at Thermopylae, they would have sent scouts before the battle's start and found the opening passage early on!!!".

 

I too thought the same thing and that Xerxes was a fool.

 

Until I saw a History Channel about the Spartans and Thermopylae. In the prelude of events prior to the battle, they showed Xerxes planning a way to send logistics into mainland Greece for his invasion. I was TRULY awed. Xerxes planned a brilliant infrastructure of using a series of wooden boats to create a temporary bridge that went for miles from the Persian Empire and into Europe. Practically the Historians in the documentary praised Xerxes ability to be able to manage such an ambitious project and it ultimately succeeded. Practically in less than 3 months they were able to send large numbers of troops into Europe.

 

It was at that point I began to respect Xerxes' ability as a leader.

 

The documentary brought me even more respect for Xerxes when they portrayed his childhood. Rather than being a pampered prince indulging in luxuries, he was trained under Spartan conditions from childhood until his adult years just before he took over the throne. He literally spent much of his life mastering the art of Warfare and using weaponry and they even showed the documentary of one of his final tests which was to take on some dangerous beast in an enclosed melee (I think it was a lion) all by himself just using a spear and wicker shield.

 

So it wasn't like Xerxes was an ignorant pampered prince. He was trained in the art of war and as a soldier from childhood until adulthood and indeed if you read of his ability as a ruler before Thermopylae you'd realize he was a VERY COMPETANT ruler.

 

So I'm really wondering. Why didn't Xerxes find the opening passage that would lead him to flank the Greeks early during the battle?I sincerely doubt a leader as competent and well-drilled as a warrior from childhood as Xerxes would be either too STUPID or too ARROGANT to avoid taking such a precaution as scouting the area (and indeed the novel "Gates of Thermopylae mentions his armies had scout patrolling the mountains of Thermopylae while the battle was occurring).

 

What was so specific at Thermopylae that Xerxes scouts couldn't find the secret opening passage and that it was only information from a traitor that finally allowed Xerxes Immortal to find the opening and flank the Spartans?

Edited January 16, 2013 by Pisces Adonis

[Onasander]

No, stupid and arrogant is right. He was warned not to send the navy in, as Greece lacked the ports. He allowed his whole army to get bottlenecked over one pass, and lost a big chunk of his navy.

 

Being a good fighter doesnt make you a smart one. He tried to rush the greeks and reduce his supply strain/train by quickly getting in and overwhelming them. Xerxes didnt use spies in advance who would of explained the pass issue.

 

Hence why he lost the war. The persian empire had smart ministers, but they alienated Xerxes in the beginning when they explained how stupid his plan was. Its like trying to explain something to Obama, he'll just say 'Yes, We Can' or 'Change we can believe in', ignoring you with spite and superiority, will get entangled in a mess, and drag everyone down with him in a blackhole of despair and destruction.

 

Xerxes had overwhelming force, and still lost. That makes him a bona fide tard.