It was one of the greatest battles of the ancient world, and one that was to be studied by military strategists for centuries to come.

The struggle between the Persian army and the Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C was a turning point in the Greco-Persian wars.

The ambitious Persian King Xerxes planned to conquer the Greek world by launching simultaneous attacks on Sparta and Athens. Xerxes had assembled one of the largest armies ever thrown into battle. Leonidas's troops were a small fraction of the Persian forces. And yet, despite the overwhelming odds against him, Leonidas and his men stood their ground for three days in a historic display of patriotism and courage.

Thermopylae: The Battle for the West is the gripping story of that decisive conflict. Ernle Bradford draws on the works of Herodotus, Plutarch and Aeschylus to create a vivid and detailed portrayal of the events.