300 The Musical

Who can forget the tale of the 300 Spartans who held the pass of Thermopylae for three days against Persian hordes from the east? Movies such as 2006’s 300 continue to bring this landmark moment in ancient Greek history to life. They emphasize themes central to the fight, including freedom against oppression and courage in the face of insurmountable odds. But did 300 Spartans really make a final stand against King Xerxes’s massive army of millions?

Here’s what we now know about the Spartan and Greek sacrifice that occurred that day. The Persian Invasion of Greece In 480 B.C., King Xerxes I of Persia had an axe to grind with the Greek city-states. His father King Darius invaded what is modern-day Greece in 492 B.C. This invasion involved two campaigns, resulting in a decisive Athenian (Greek) victory during the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.

March 28, 2025 | 5:48 am