Leonidas, king of Sparta, was made famous in the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. In a suicide mission designed to slow down the Persian advance towards the heart of Greece, Leonidas led a small contingent of 300 Spartans, along with thousands of allies, to guard the Pass of Thermopylae (Pillars of Fire, or Hot Gates). When the situation became hopeless, Leonidas dismissed all the allies and only the 300 Spartans remained. They held the Persians for days. Their tight phalanx wall and discipline were no match for Persian skill, but they were outnumbered a thousand to one. They fought to the last man and died at the pass, with their king.
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