Actual Archaeology: PERSIANS IN ANOTOLIA

We all know “the 300 Spartans”, a 1962 Cinemascope film, and “300”, another American film made in 2006 which depicted the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred between a force of Greek warriors led by the Spartans, and the Persians. This fight occurred dur­ing the second Persian invasion of Greece, part of Greco-Persian wars in 480 BC, when the Persians crossed the Hellespont under the com­mand of the Persian Empire of Xerxes I and were blocked at the pass of Thermopylae by a small force led by King Leonidas I of Sparta. This fight became a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds because the army of the Spartans consisted of just of 300 warriors and the Per­sian force was enormous. According to the story told by the films, the Spartans bravely fought against the Persians instead of surrendering.