Holding the Line: Thermopylae, Brallos Pass, and the Making of Memory

In April 1941, Australian and New Zealand troops fought a series of desperate delaying actions during the Allied withdrawal through Greece. At Thermopylae and nearby Brallos Pass, they defended ground already indelibly associated with one of the most famous last stands of the ancient world.

But what happens to a battle after the fighting ends? Who remembers it, how is its story passed on, and why do some places and events acquire meanings that endure across generations?

Join us at the Shrine for a special afternoon exploring the history and legacy of the 1941 Greek campaign through the intertwined themes of battle, memory and commemoration.

Chaired by Spartans & ANZACs curator Neil Sharkey, the conversation brings together Associate Professor Bart Ziino, historian of Australians at war and the ways war has been remembered; Associate Professor Sarah Midford, whose research explores classical antiquity, Australian war commemoration and national identity; and representatives of the 2/2nd Field Regiment Association, whose work has helped recover and preserve the story of the Regiment and its service in Greece.

Together, they will explore the fighting at Thermopylae and Brallos Pass, the powerful legacy of the ancient Spartan story, and the ways veterans, descendants, historians and communities have carried the memory of these events forward.

The program includes the Spartans & ANZACs exhibition audiovisual presentation, audience Q&A and refreshments, followed by a curator-led visit to the exhibition with Neil Sharkey.

For tickets and more information, visit https://www.shrine.org.au/holding-line