Thermopylae is a fascinating in-depth description of the three–day battle for the strategic pass at the so-called “Hot Gates” of Thermopylae. In the famous battle for the West between the Persian king Xerxes and the land he invaded, Greece, Leonidas made a brave yet bloody stand there with his small yet brave Spartan army in 480 B.C. The conflict has gone down in history as one of the most inspiring examples courage, sacrifice and bravery ever exhibited on the field of battle.

What Xerxes wanted to accomplish seemed impossible. Not content with having gotten together the largest gathering of men and ships ever seen, he planned to conquer Greece while simultaneously having an army of Carthaginians overtake Sicily. The two forces were going to force their way into the great wealth of the Mediterranean.

This book goes into the interesting details without becoming bogged down in all of the boring minutiae. The descriptions are vivid, and the use of civilian attitudes are quite moving. While it may be a bit dry reading for some, for history and military buffs it is a joyous experience.