Battle+of+Thermopylae

The battle of Thermopylae was fought in the course of three days between the Persian Empire and Sparta. It started at the same time as the naval battle of Artemisium. A force of almost 7,000 men marched north to block the pass in 480 BC. The Persian army arrived at the pass in late August or early September. Really outnumbered, the Greeks held off the Persians for seven days in total, before the rear-guard was killed in one of history's most famous last stands. During two full days of battle, the small force led by King Leonidas blocked the only road that the Persian army could pass. After the second day of battle, a local resident betrayed the Greeks by revealing a small path that led behind the Greek lines. That resulted in the loss of many Greeks.The Persians won this battle because there were only 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, and 400 Thebans to defend against an army.