Leonidas I

Leonidas I was a king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, belonging to the Agiad dynasty. He became king around -490 BCE after the death of his half-brother Cleomenes I. His most famous achievement was leading the combined Greek forces in the Battle of Thermopylae against the Persian Empire under Xerxes I. According to Herodotus, Leonidas was chosen to lead the Greek forces because he had a full contingent of 300 bodyguards who had all fathered sons, ensuring their family lines would continue. The battle became legendary, as Leonidas and his 300 Spartans, along with other Greek allies, held off a massive Persian army for three days in a narrow coastal pass. When betrayed by a local resident who revealed a mountain path to the Persians, Leonidas dismissed most of the Greek army but remained with his 300 Spartans and some Thebans and Thespians, fighting to the death to allow the main Greek army to retreat. This last stand became a symbol of courage, self-sacrifice, and patriotic duty throughout history.