Leonidas and the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae

This is Thermopylae, Greece, 480 BC. That's the Persian army, and this is the only road into Greece.

It's 15 meters wide, mountain on one side, sea on the other.

So it doesn't matter how many they have, only the front row can fight.

Forward!

Quick fact: it's not 300. There are 7,000 Greeks here.

The 300 are the king's bodyguard, and every one of them was picked because he already had a son, so if he dies, his family line continues.

You're not Persian. You're not Spartan. Sit.

This is Leonidas, King of Sparta.

Eat well. Tonight, we eat in Hades. He actually said this. Here's why.

This morning, a local shepherd showed the Persians a secret path over the mountain.

They're already behind us. Leonidas knows it.

He just sent the other 7,000 home. He's staying.

Before the battle, Xerxes sent a message: "Hand over your weapons."

Leonidas sent back two words: "Molon labe."

Come and take them.

Go home. Tell them what you saw.

By tonight, all of them are dead. Today, there's a stone at this spot.

It says, "Go tell the Spartans we did our duty."