The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between alliances of Greek city states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, against the Persian Empire led by Xerxes over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. The battle took place at the same time as the naval battle of Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates"). The event was later recorded by Herodotus, who interviewed the surviving soldiers. When it comes to history it is important to be able to distinguish between historical fact, fiction and excessive glorification. You have to be careful when looking at an event like the Battle of Thermopylae, because of all the myths surrounding it. Do the Spartans really deserve all the credit they were given for what they did at The Hot Gates, or has the narrative become a glorification of their accomplishments? A recent film bearing the name “300” may be responsible for reigniting the myth that seems to be woven into the threads of Spartan history. Many attributes made the Spartans stand out from other Greek civilizations; their military, their society and the battles they have undertaken. The Spartans were a militaristic state in Greece, their motto was "Aether with it, or upon it" (meaning you won the battle or died trying). Sparta was also Athens' rival at the time and often competed in sports or fought in skirmishes just like two rival high schools. Of all that Sparta was the one thing most people think of when they hear the word Sparta is the Battle of Thermopylae. No other Spartan conflict has been exploited as much as the Battle of Thermopylae. Contrary to what you may or may not believe, the Spartans were not the... center of paper... Miller, Frank and Lynn, Varley. “300”. Milwaukie, OR. Dark Horse, 2006. Print.Last Stand of the 300. Dir. David Padrusch and Alexander Emmert. By David Padrusch and Matt Koed. Perf. Jeffery A. Baker, Orion Barnes, and Erin Bennett. History Channel, 2007.Topdocumentaryfilms.com. The best documentary films. Network. November 11, 2011.300. Dir. Zack Snyder. By Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon. prod. Gianni Nunnari, Mark Canton, Bernie Goldmann and Jeffrey Silver. Perf. Gerard Butler and Lena Headey. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2007. DVD.Loan, Jona. "Themistocles." Livy. Articles on ancient history. Ancient war magazine. Network. 13 November 2011. .Herodotus. "The Stories of Herodotus" Google Books. Trans. Henry Cary.Google Books. Network. 13 November 2011. "Herodotus". Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikipedia. Network. November 13. 2011