a
reference to
Xerxes I (ca. 519-465 B.C.),
king of the
Persian Empire from 486 B.C.. until his
death. Known as
Xerxes the Great, after
amassing a huge
force, he invaded Greece.
Xerxes led his army through Greece,
balked only at the mountain
pass at
Thermopylae, northwest of
Athens, where a
force of 300 Spartans held off the
Persian forces for 10 days. Finally,
Xerxes, aided by a traitor, found another way through the mountains and attacked the Greeks from the
rear, opening the way to
Athens. The Athenians abandoned the city and
Xerxes burned a great number of buildings and temples. Despite his early successes,
Xerxes'
campaign failed, however, and he was forced to
retreat to
Asia Minor.