Thermopylae

Thermopylae is a small Greek village famous for its thermal springs and a historical battle that took place here in 480 B.C. A legendary battle took place in this place, where the combined forces of the Greeks under the command of the Spartan king Leonidas held back the huge army of the Persian king Xerxes I. About 5200-7700 Greeks, including 300 Spartans, defended the passage for three days, successfully repelling the Persian onslaught. About 5200-7700 Greeks, including 300 Spartans defended the passage for three days, successfully repelling the Persian onslaught, the number of which modern historians estimate at 200-250 thousand people. Greeks held their positions until a traitor named Ephialtes showed the Persians a path to bypass the Thermopylae Gorge. Realizing the inevitability of defeat, King Leonidas sent the bulk of the army, and himself, along with the Spartans and a few hundred allies, stayed behind to delay the Persians as long as possible. All the remaining defenders died, but their heroism inspired the Greeks to continue their resistance, an important moment in the Greco-Persian War.