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Why did the Greek defenders abandon the Vale of Tempe?
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Greco-Persian Wars
The Battle of Salamis (480 bce), in which Greece gained an uncontested victory over the Persian fleet.
The Greek defenders abandoned the Vale of Tempe because they realized the position could be easily turned by the invading Persian forces.1
Following this decision, the Greeks chose to occupy the narrower pass of Thermopylae to better halt and damage the Persian army.1