They knew they were going to die. They stayed anyway.

In 480 BC, a massive army from the Achaemenid Empire marched into Greece.

Led by Xerxes I, it was said to be unstoppable.

City after city fell.

Until they reached a narrow mountain pass called Thermopylae.

There, a small Greek force made a stand.

Among them were 300 Spartans, led by Leonidas I.

They weren’t alone, but they became the legend.

For two days, they held the pass.

Outnumbered.

Surrounded.

Still unbroken.

The narrow terrain canceled the enemy’s advantage. Persian numbers meant nothing when they couldn’t all fight at once.

Wave after wave… pushed back.

Then came the betrayal.

A local man showed the Persians a hidden path around the pass.

The Greeks were about to be surrounded.

Leonidas made a choice.

He dismissed most of the army.

But he and his Spartans stayed.

Along with a few hundred allies.

They fought to the last man. To buy time. To send a message.

Thermopylae wasn’t a victory.

It was a sacrifice that became immortal.