Thermopylae
placeThermopylae was the narrow coastal pass where 300 Spartans and their allies made their legendary stand against the Persian invasion of 480 BC.
The Myth
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:
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