Thermopylae, Battle of (480 BC)

Battle between the Greeks under the Spartan king Leonidas and the invading Persians under Xerxes I. They clashed at the narrow mountain pass of Thermopylae, leading from Thessaly to Locrish in central Greece. Although the Greeks were defeated, the heroism of those who fought to the last against the Persians boosted Greek morale.

After being held in the pass for two days by their opponents, the Persians were guided through the mountains by a local Greek and brushed aside a force set to guard it. Warned in time, most of the Greeks in the pass withdrew but the Spartans and some of the others remained, including those from Thespiae, to fight to the death. The last stand was made on the hillock opposite the modern monument.