Leonidas & The 300 Spartans: The Last Stand at Thermopylae | Ancient Echoes

In 480 BC, 300 Spartan warriors led by King Leonidas stood against the largest army the ancient world had ever seen. For three days, they held the narrow pass at Thermopylae against over one million Persian soldiers. This is their true story.

From the brutal Spartan agoge training to the legendary "Molon Labe" moment, discover how 300 men changed the course of history and saved Western civilization.

🎬 CHAPTERS:
0:00 Introduction - The Impossible Stand
1:30 Sparta's Warrior Culture & The Agoge
4:00 The Persian Threat & Xerxes' Invasion
6:00 Leonidas Chooses the 300
7:30 "Molon Labe" - Come and Take Them
9:00 The Battle Begins - Days 1 & 2
11:30 The Betrayal & Final Stand
13:30 The Sacrifice That Saved Greece
14:30 Legacy - 2,500 Years Later

⚔️ KEY FACTS:
• 300 Spartans + 7,000 Greek allies held Thermopylae for 3 days
• Faced Persian forces of 100,000-1,000,000 soldiers
• King Leonidas selected only men with living sons
• The Immortals (Persia's elite) were destroyed by Spartans
• Greek traitor Ephialtes revealed secret mountain path
• All 300 Spartans died - not one surrendered
• Their sacrifice bought Greece time to prepare
• Greece defeated Persia at Salamis and Plataea
• Western democracy and philosophy were preserved

📚 HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
The Battle of Thermopylae is studied in military academies worldwide as the ultimate example of tactical defense, courage under impossible odds, and sacrifice for a greater cause. The Spartans' stand inspired Greece to unite and ultimately defeat the Persian invasion, preserving the birthplace of Western civilization.

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