Thermopylae, Greece - September 2025

1955 bronze statue of King Leonidas

Brief History/Information

Thermopylae is one of the most famous locations in ancient Greek history, best known for the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE. The Greeks were commanded by King Leonidas I of Sparta and about 7,000 Greek soldiers. The Persians were led by King Xerxes I and about 100,000–150,000 soldiers. Though a tactical defeat, Thermopylae became a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and resistance against overwhelming odds. The story of the 300 Spartans became legendary, inspiring art, literature, and film — most notably the movie “300.”

What we did

We went to the museum and walked around, but didn’t see much. There was a fee to watch an informative movie that we did not do. We went outside where the monuments were and there was a tour bus full of people.

We walked across the street where the actual battle took place, and didn’t see much there either. It looks like they will be making it more of an attraction and in a few years, this could be one of the coolest places to visit in Greece once it’s all complete.