In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC an alliance of Greek city-states
fought the invading Persian army in the mountain pass of Thermopylae.
Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most
famous last stands of history. Persian King Xerxes lead a Army of well over
100,000 (Persian king Xerxes before war has about 170,000 army) men to
Greece and was confronted by 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians and other Slave
soldiers. Xerxes waited for 10 days for King Leonidas to surrender or
withdraw left with no options he moved. The battle lasted for about 3 days
and after which all 300 Spartans were killed. The Spartan defeat was not
the one expected, as a local shepherd, named Ephialtes, defected to the
Persians and informed Xerxes of a separate path through Thermopylae, which
the Persians could use to outflank the Greeks.
300 tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Persians under
the rule of King Xerxes have already taken over some of the Hellenic
city-states, and now threaten Sparta and Athens. King Leonidas of Sparta is
left with two options: he will either have to sacrifice himself for the
well-being of Sparta or watch it burn to the ground. Choosing the former,
Leonidas forms an army of 300 Spartan warriors to block the narrow passage
of Thermopylae where Xerxes intends to reach Hellas. The 300 are
accompanied by about 700 Thespians who protect the flanks of the passage,
and combined, the forces manage to slay tens of thousands of Persians and
prevent their entry into Hellas for several days. However, Ephialtes, a
reject of the Spartan Army gets his revenge by showing Xerxes a secret goat
passage up the flanks of the passage. The story depicts the epic last stand
of the finest Spartan soldiers who are aware of their fate, but motivated
by "honor and glory", see the battle as their duty to protect the rest of
Greece for as long as possible.
In 480 BC, the Persian king Xerxes sends his massive army to conquer
Greece. The Greek city of Sparta houses its finest warriors, and 300 of
these soldiers are chosen to meet the Persians at Thermopylae, engaging the
soldiers in a narrow canyon where they cannot take full advantage of their
numbers. The battle is a suicide mission, meant to buy time for the rest of
the Greek forces to prepare for the invasion. However, that doesn't stop
the Spartans from throwing their hearts into the fray, determined to take
as many Persians as possible with them.
When the ambitious King Xerxes of Persia invades Greece with his huge army
to extend his vast slave empire, the brave Ling Leonidas brings his
personal body guard army composed of three hundred warriors to defend the
passage of Thermopylae, the only way by land to reach Greece. Using courage
and the great battle skill of his men, he defends Thermopylae until a
treacherous Greek citizen tells King Xerxes a secret goat passage leading
to the back of Leonidas's army. Meanwhile, his wife Queen Gorgo of Sparta
tries to convince the council to send the Spartan army to fight against the
Persians.