Thermopylae
Thermopylae was the narrow coastal pass where 300 Spartans and their allies made their legendary stand against the Persian invasion of 480 BC.
The Story of Thermopylae
The name means "Hot Gates" for the hot springs there. King Leonidas of Sparta held the narrow pass with 300 Spartans and several thousand allies against Xerxes' army of hundreds of thousands. A traitor showed the Persians a mountain path to flank the position. Learning of the betrayal, Leonidas dismissed most allies and fought to the death with his 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians. Their epitaph: "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie."
Symbols
Fun Fact
The epitaph at Thermopylae — written by Simonides — is considered the most famous memorial inscription in history.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Mycenae
🏛 placeCitadel of Agamemnon
Mycenae was the great Bronze Age citadel in the Argolid, seat of King Agamemnon who led the Greek expedition against Troy — its Lion Gate still stands after 3,200 years.
Sestos
🏛 placeGeography
A city on the European shore of the Hellespont, home of Hero in the tale of Hero and Leander
Marathon
🏛 placePlain where Athens defeated Persia
Marathon was the coastal plain northeast of Athens where the Athenians defeated a much larger Persian force in 490 BC — the battle that saved Greek civilisation and inspired the modern marathon race.
Laconia
🏛 placeregion, Peloponnese
The territory of Sparta in the southeastern Peloponnese, whose inhabitants were renowned for their brevity of speech and military discipline.
Lerna
🏛 placeSwamp of the Hydra
Lerna was a marshy region near Argos, famed as the lair of the Lernaean Hydra and believed to contain one of the entrances to the underworld.
Rhoeteum
🏛 placegeography
A promontory on the Trojan shore where the tomb of Ajax was located and pilgrims came to honour the hero.
Ilium
🏛 placeGeography
The citadel of Troy, site of the legendary ten-year siege by the Greek forces
Eleusis
🏛 placeSite of the Mysteries
Eleusis was a sacred city near Athens, home to the Eleusinian Mysteries — the most important secret religious rites in the ancient Greek world.
Corinth
🏛 placeCity of Sisyphus and Medea
Corinth was a wealthy trading city on the narrow isthmus connecting mainland Greece to the Peloponnese, associated with Sisyphus, Medea, Bellerophon, and Pegasus.
Abydos
🏛 placeGeography
An ancient city on the Hellespont famous as the launching point of Xerxes' bridge and the home of Leander
Chersonese
🏛 placegeography
The narrow Thracian peninsula (modern Gallipoli), site of Protesilaus' sanctuary and Hecuba's transformation.
Colchis
🏛 placeLand of the Golden Fleece
Colchis was a kingdom at the eastern edge of the Greek world, on the shore of the Black Sea in modern Georgia, famous as the destination of Jason and the Argonauts.