Xerxes' invasion of Greece

Xerxes I, the Persian king, launched a large invasion of Greece around 480 BCE to expand Persia's empire and punish Greek city-states that supported rebellions. He amassed a massive army and fleet, crossing the Hellespont with bridges and facing Greek city-states like Sparta and Athens. Key battles included Thermopylae, where a small Greek force resisted heavily, and Salamis, a vital naval battle where Greek ships defeated the Persians. Though Persia initially advanced, the Greeks ultimately repelled the invasion, preserving their independence and shaping Western history.