Leonidas' Last Stand

The road took us near enough to Thermopylae, another sight one has to see. 300 Spartans and all that, said by some to be the most inspiring battle of all history. Free peoples vs. slaves and conscripts; the happy few vs. the multitude; sacrifice and certain death. The Oracle at Delphi had told the Spartans: "O ye men who dwell in the streets of broad Lacedaemon! Either your glorious town shall be sacked by the children of Perseus, or, in exchange, must all through the whole Laconian country mourn for the loss of a king, descendant of great Heracles." It's a good story, indeed, but, militarily was without much consequence. Xerxes was delayed a few days, and annoyed, but went on to conquer much of Greece, sack and raze Athens, etc. But it's a good story.

The main monument, from the grassy knoll, Kolonnus Hill

Who is it that always puts huge powerlines in the background? 
This is the great monument to Sparta's King Leonidas



And this, the relatively recent monument to the Thespians 
(Thebans) also killed defending Thermopylae; why is the 
private part so shiny, we wondered...

The grassy knoll to which the last of the Spartans retreated, with the body of 
Leonidas, and on which they died



The famous plaque: "Go tell the Spartans, thou who passeth by, that here, 
obedient to their laws, we lie"



My attempt to re-compose the scene; the lines ascribed to 
Leonidas on the monument are his reply to Xerxes' 
emissaries, who demanded the Spartans lay down their arms:

"Come and get them!"