300

In the year 480 B.C., during the second Persian invasion of Greece, one of the most iconic battles of ancient history took place: the Battle of Thermopylae. This clash, though vastly unequal in numbers, became a lasting symbol of courage, sacrifice, and the defense of freedom against tyranny.

The protagonist of this epic was King Leonidas I of Sparta, who led a contingent of 300 Spartan warriors, chosen not only for their military skill but also because they were fathers of male heirs who could carry on their bloodline. This small force was part of a larger Greek coalition that sought to halt the advance of the army of Persian King Xerxes I—a colossal force that, according to ancient sources, vastly outnumbered the Greek defenders.

The pass of Thermopylae, a narrow corridor between the mountains and the sea, was strategically chosen by the Greeks to counter the numerical superiority of the Persians. For three days, Leonidas and his men bravely withstood relentless enemy attacks, inflicting heavy losses on the invading army. The narrow terrain allowed the Spartans to maximize the effectiveness of their phalanx formation, a military tactic that gave them a critical advantage in such confined space.