Leonidas was one of the sons of king Anaxandridas II of Sparta, thought to be the descendant of Hercules because of the strength and bravery he had. The birth of King Leonidas was around 540 BC. Leonidas could be born anywhere in those years. That means he fought the Persians when he was in his 50’s. Leonidas was one of three brothers Dorieus, and Cleombrotus, and was married to Gorgo. He became a hero in his country after he fought the Persian’s for his country’s freedom and he already knew he was going to die there.

Around August 480 BC, Leonidas went out to fight Xerxes’ army at Thermopylae with 300 of his personal body guards. He didn’t bring the whole army because in their Spartan religion they were only allowed to go to war when the oracle tells them to, kind of like fighting season. King Xerxes told Sparta to surrender and be the slaves of Xerxes, but King Leonidas and the Spartans didn’t want to so they fought Xerxes’ army. Leonidas had his guards have sons to carry on their names, Leonidas had 2,000 Greeks join his army in battle. And they fought 10,000 Persians. The Spartans killed about 2,500 Persians. When Sparta was allowed to go to war they sent a reinforcement of 11,000 Spartans and they fought for their freedom.

Months after, the nephew of Leonidas, Pausanius, was told to dismember the body of the Persian commander in the way done to his uncle. Pausanius said

“For Leonidas, whom you bid me avenge, I tell you he has been greatly avenged; he has found great honor in these countless souls here – both he himself and the others who died at Thermopylae.”