Thermopylae is a Greek town where a narrow coastal passage existed in ancient times. The name roughly means "hot doors" and derives from the presence of numerous natural hot springs.
The place is an almost obligatory passage along the main Greek north-south route between Locride and Thessaly and for this reason it has been the scene of numerous battles.
Thermopylae are best known for the battle that took place in 480 BC, in which a minority Greek force of about five thousand soldiers commanded by General Leonidas, stood up for three days against 70,000 Persians who were advancing under the leadership of Xerxes.