Xerxes, therefore, on the fifth day, after four days of delay, launched his initial attack against the Greeks. ON THE FIRST DAY the arrows of the Persian archers were ineffective against the Greek positions, whose large wooden shields, covered with bronze, shielded them from what arrows even made it over the distance. Thus, Xerxes sent forward his first wave of light infantry, Ctesias, an ancient historian of repute, recounts that the first wave of Persians was “cut to pieces” by the Spartans, only losing a handful of Spartiates in return for thousands of Persian dead. Enraged, Xerxes flung the pride of his armed forces, the Immortals, against the Greeks next. This proficient and skilled group of 10,000 warriors was tactfully defeated by the Spartans, feigning retreat and wheeling around to crush the Immortals, proving that in fact they were very “mortal”. DAY TWO began with another infantry attack, greatly overestimating the damage they had inflicted upon the Greeks. Xerxes was shocked when the attack had little to no impact, only costing him thousands of more lives, and permanently demoralising his force. It is said that either on the First or Second Day of battle, Xerxes rose from his throne three times, enraged at the losses inflicted upon his army.

A change of fate, that would go down in Greek history and culture as the epitome of betrayal and cowardice came when a native Trachinian named Ephialtes betrayed his countrymen and fatherland to the Persians for a handful of coins, giving away the location of the mountain trail, leaving the Greek force exposed to encirclement. Ephialtes’ name would be derided throughout history, coming to mean “nightmare” in modern Greek. Now ON THE THIRD DAY the Persians sent a division, most likely of the remaining immortals and other mountain tribesmen, to begin the march down the mountain trail, surprising the Greek rear guard. Here, the Phocian detachment stationed at the pass was alerted to the Persian encirclement by rustling of leaves and the movement of bushes, after being pushed back, the Persians were free to swoop down on the Greek rear. Leonidas, after being made aware of the Phocians’ defeat, called a council with the leaders of all the Greek contingents. Most leaders were in favour of retreat; however, Leonidas knew that his Spartans must stay. A total withdrawal would have left the Greeks open to cavalry attack, perhaps costing the lives of the whole force, and to retreat would have gone against Spartan law and Leonidas’ promise to free Greece and fulfil the Delphic prophecy.