Thermopylae: Great Battles

The story of Thermopylae, the battle that helped define the identity of the ancient Greeks: how it was fought, how it has been remembered, and what it means for us today.

During the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, a Greek force of approximately 7,000 faced the biggest army ever seen in the Greek peninsula. For three days, the Persians—the greatest military force in the world—were stopped in their tracks by a vastly inferior force, before the bulk of the Greek army was forced to retreat with...