In the year 480 BC, one of the most famous battles in history took place on the shore of the Malian Gulf in the Aegean Sea.

Thousands of Greeks held back several hundred thousand Persians in a battle which is still remembered 2,500 years later.

While the Greeks ultimately lost the battle, they did ultimately win the war.

Learn more about the Battle of Thermopyli and the 300 Spartans on the 300th episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Audible.

My audio book recommendation today is Thermopyli by Paul Cartledge. In

480 BC a huge Persian army led by the inimitable King Xerxes entered the

mountain pass of Thermopyli to march on Greece, intending to conquer the land with little difficulty.

But the Greeks, led by King Leonidas and a small army of Spartans, took the battle to the Persians at Thermopyli and halted their advance.

Almost.

It's one of history's most acclaimed battles

and one of civilization's greatest last stands.

Rennown classical historian Paul Cartledge

looks anew at this history altering moment

and shows how its repercussions affect us even today.

You can get a three one month trial to Audible and two free audio books

by going to Audible Trial.com slash everything everywhere or by clicking on the

link in the show notes.

Most battles in wars throughout human history have involved neighboring kingdoms or tribes

who despite their differences were probably more alike than different in the big global scheme of things.

Occasionally, however, different civilizations will clash.

These conflicts can alter the course of world history

in a way that regular battles cannot.

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