Leonidas Statue

This Leonidas statue depicts the King of Sparta, Spartan military ruler of the 5th century.

This Homoioi is invoked in Western history as the very example of bravery.

• Historical origin: Greek Sculpture

• Leonidas: Spartan King

• Dimensions: 15 cm tall

• Material: Resin

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The Story of Leonidas I (540 BC - 480 BC)

Leonidas I (born around 540 BC) was a king of Sparta, remembered for his notable participation in the second Persian war. He ascended to the Spartan throne sometime between 490 and 489 BC, and became the designated leader of the Greek contingent when the Persian king Xerxes invaded Greece in 480 BC.

Leonidas was the husband of Gorgo, the daughter of Cleomenes I of Sparta and the 17th in the Agiad line; a dynasty that claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles.

During the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas's small forces halted the advance of the Persian army (reportedly at least 80,000 men) for two days. After that, he ordered most of his troops to retreat. In the end, Leonidas and the 300 members of his Spartan honor guard all died fighting the Persians. The popular film 300 is based on this story.

History tells of a force of soldiers and animals so massive it shook the earth as they marched. An army beyond anything Man had yet conceived or even imagined in his dreams, marching to devour Greece. Led by Xerxes himself, to snuff out the world's only hope for reason and justice.

Only three hundred brave souls stood in his way. As Xerxes would painfully discover, they are more than men... they are Spartans. Although Leonidas lost the battle, his death at Thermopylae was seen as a heroic sacrifice because he sent most of his army home when he realized the Persians had outnumbered him. Three hundred of his Homoioi companions stayed with him to fight and die.