Spartan king, under whose command the Greeks defended Thermopylae from the Persians.

This king was Leonidas. At that time, Xerxes’ army was moving inland of Greece. In order to prevent its advance, Leonidas with his army, together with other troops of the Greeks, advanced to Thermopylae. There they blocked the path of a large army of Persians. For a long time they held her back, until one of the traitors led the Persians along a detour. Thus, the Greeks were forced to retreat so as not to be surrounded, and Leonidas stayed with his soldiers to cover their retreat. There he found his death.