Thermopylae

Does the place name ring any bells? How about Leonidas, the Spartan king who died here after holding off the Persian army for a couple days? This is the place of that famous battle of the 300 vs. thousands in Xerxes' army.
The 1st picture is from the low ground looking up into the pass. Actually, the ground is as much as 20 meters higher than it was then. So the actual battle space is mostly buried.
The 2nd picture is the the monument to Leonidas next to the new interpretive center.
The 3rd picture is of Kolonos Hill where it thought the remainder of the Greeks retreated for their last stand after Leonidas was killed. Here they were surrounded and killed by Persian archers. The 5th picture is the monument atop Kolonos Hill attributed to Simonides that reads "O stranger, tell the Spartans that we lie here, obedient to their words."
During the Greek retreat, Xerxes tore down part of a protecting wall (Phocian Wall). I'm guessing that the modern wall is about where that wall was located. At least it serves as a reminder.Read more