Leonidas I (/liːˈɒn.ᵻ.dəs/ lee-ON-i-dəs or /liːˈɒn.ᵻ.dæs/; Doric Λεωνίδᾱς, Leōnídās; Ionic and Attic Greek: Λεωνίδης, Leōnídēs, [leɔːnídɛːs]; "son of the lion"; died 480 BC), was a warrior king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, the third son of Anaxandridas II of Sparta and the 17th of the Agiad line; a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles. Leonidas had a notable participation in the Second Persian War, where he led the allied Greek forces to a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae while attempting to defend the pass from the invading Persian army. == Life... ==