7.The Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC)

                  You all know the story of King Leonidas and the brave 300 Spartans. It was made famous by the movie 300 of course. Although it was a great movie (one of my favorite movies), it was not at all accurate. King Xerxes of the Persian Empire, was merely continuing what his father had planned a year earlier. His father King Darius the first had planned to punish Athens, for supporting the 'Ionian Revolt' but as he was preparing his army for the invasion that would widen his empire, the Egyptians had started their own revolt that was after he had already made an attempt at Greece and Athens but was beaten in Marathon and Salamis (the sports event 'marathon' received it's name from the battle of Marathon based on what the Athenians did too long to tell you now). He then thought it was better to deal with Egypt before his next conquest for Greece, but he died on the way there, then his son Xerxes the first crushed the Egyptians. He the muster a large army of a million soldiers of men and slaves to invade Greece. A million men (1,000,000) to avoid defeat like in Marathon and Salamis (but only 700,000 made it to Thermopylae)

                  Xerxes thought since we are going for Athens, why not the whole of Greece. So Sparta was drawn to this battle which is not to their liking. The problem being that the timing Xerxes chooses to invade was the during the Carnia (during August or September), and it was during this time that the Olympic games were held (Xerxes didn't know this, like the movie showed when he bribed the ephores). During this time the Greek people are not to fight a war. It was instilled in all the laws of all Greek States. So Leonidas as King of Sparta had a dilemma, either to honor his gods let the people die, or to save his people and dishonor the gods. He went with the latter. He took not 300 Spartans with him (300 is the maximum number for a King's guard), but 1,000 men from Sparta (700 from the village surrounding Sparta, 300 was the real Spartans)

                 He then lead the Spartans to Thermopylae (meaning 'Hot Gates' Thermo helooo!), but in the movie 300 showed that he was joined by 700 Arcadian, in fact he was joined by so many others. There were the Thebans, Corithians, Arcadians (of course), Mycenaeans, Phocians, and even the Thespians (who are thought by Greek community as a city of actors and homosexuals) join in. They were even joined by the locals around the 'Hot Gates' called the 'Opuntian Locris', who sent every single man they've got. The total army under King Leonidas was actually around 8,000 men. Still 8,000 was very insignificant against 1,000,000. 

                 Like in the movies, the battle was as intended at they had shown from Hollywood, but it was not all Sparta, everyone had their equal share of the battle. Only the Phocians was dispatched to guard the old goat route that could allow the Persians to outflanked them. King Xerxes sends his army by the 10,000s.  but against the number of shields at from wall to wall of the hot gates, "where their numbers count for nothing," all Persian attempts had failed. Then the traitor Ephialtes (don't know if he looks like in the movies) exposed to King Xerxes, of the whereabouts of the goat's path so Xerxes immediately sent men to outflanked the Greek. Upon hearing the news, many Greek fled on the 3rd day, becas they know it was only a matter of time when they will be overrun. Only 300 remained and those are of true Spartan, because in the laws of Sparta, "No retreat, and never surrender". It was not only a movie quote, but a constitution if you will in the city of Sparta. 

the battle was carved in history

memorial to the Spartans

                

 So it remains a history, when the 300 Spartans fought till the death, against the remaining Persian army. That was a great moment, when the 300 brave souls gave their life, not only to defend Greece, but to uphold the law of Sparta. In a memorial plate placed in Thermopylae (still there now), in honor of Leonidas and the brave 300, it reads "Go tell a Sparta passerby, for by Spartan law, we die." Imagine the sights of the 300 at their last hour, seeing the numbers of the Persian who are against them, but I believe that they died without an ounce of fear in their hearts.