The Battle of Thermopylae

The Battle of Thermopylae was a famous battle during the Greco-Persian Wars. It is known for the fact that 300 Spartan soldiers and 7000 other Greek soldiers (most notably the Thespians) held off an army of several hundred thousand Persian soldiers (led by Xerxes) for three days.

Greek/Persian

The most recognized battle of Thermopylae was that of the Greeks and Persians around 480 BC. The Persian "God" king Xerxes was waging war on Greece for control of its lands and people. The battle is most known for the impressive show of strength by the Persians, whose forces numbered between 2 million and 200,000. The battle is also known for the determination and bravery of the roughly 7000 Greeks. The estimated 6700 Athenians (and soldiers from other city-states) were led by the Spartan king Leonidas. A traitorous Greek farmer named Ephialtes told the Persians of a secret path that let the Persians get around and attack the Spartans from behind. 300 Spartans stayed, while the Athenians left to gather more forces, and the impressive last stand by the Spartans allowed Sparta and Athens to regroup and eventually defeat the Persian forces in a later battle. It is also estimated that 20000 Persians were killed by the allied force.

A movie was made about this battle in 2007 named "300". However, the movie was based upon the highly-stylized graphic novel by Frank Miller and not upon historical fact.

Source

Cartledge, Paul, Thermopylae; the Battle that Changed the World, Overlook Press, New York, 2006