“Xerxes turned to the unfinished business of punishing the Greeks” (Brown 106). As Xerxes closed in on the Greeks, during the Persian War, the Greeks needed to buy more time to strengthen their army. The Greeks decided to slow down Xerxes' army by intercepting it at Thermopylae, a small pass where Xerxes' massive army would not be a major factor. For all involved, it was a suicide mission, but one they had the honor of participating in. The only hope for the vastly outnumbered Greeks was to fight to the death and hope that they would buy enough time for their country. Although the three hundred Spartans receive glory for their sacrifice at the Battle of Thermopylae, they do not deserve all the credit because they did not fight alone. Alongside the three hundred Spartans, seven hundred Thespians and four hundred Phocians fought. The Battle of Thermopylae is one of the most legendary battles of all time. The sacrifice of fourteen hundred men for their country gives us a glimpse into the harsh but honorable world of ancient Greece and their love for their country. The Spartans, through Hollywood dramatization and historical accounts, have become known as the sole heroes of Thermopylae, but this battle contains the story not of three hundred Spartans but of one thousand four hundred men united under Greece who made the ultimate sacrifice for love of country. The Spartans are generally known for their militaristic society, but "the Spartans were nonetheless a highly religious people who, as Thermopylae would later confirm, let nothing—even war—interrupt their festivities and rituals" (DeVries 46). The Spartan people were polytheists, meaning they believed in many gods, and in their case, all of the ancient Gr...... middle of paper ......: Time-Life, 1995. 106. Printed. Cook, JM “Thermopylae”. The Persian Empire. New York: Schocken, 1983. 113-114, 119-20+. Print.DeVries, Kelly. “The Battle of Thermopylae”. Battles of the ancient world. London: Amber, 2011. 11.46,.51+. Print.Facho, Michael C. "Greco-Persian Wars: Battle of Thermopylae." History Net Where History Comes Alive US World History Online Greco-Persian Wars Battle of Thermopylae Reviews. Military History Magazine, April 14, 2007. Web. January 23, 2014. Grant, Michael. “Thermopylae.” The Classical Greeks. New York: Scribner's, 1989. 11.16+. Print.Grundy, Gregory B. “The Battle of Thermopylae.” The Battle of Thermopylae. Academic Reed, September 31, 1999. Web. January 23, 2014. MacKendrick, Paul Lachlan. “Battle of Thermopylae.” Greece and Rome: builders of our world. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society, 1968. 148-71. Print.