Xerxes was a King of the Persians who lived from 520 – 465 BC. When he came to the throne, he quelled a revolt in Egypt, and then he decided to attack Greece. He moved his massive army and a fleet of ships by land and sea, with the fleet following the army, along the coast. The army had to go through a steep mountain pass called Thermopylae, where they were held back by a much smaller Greek force. However, the Persians found another route over the mountains, and defeated the Greeks in this battle.
It was a costly victory, which ended with 300 Spartan warriors defying the entire Persian army in a last battle to the death. The Persians finally reached Athens, and sacked the deserted city. But the invasion ended in disaster, when the Persian navy was routed by the Greek fleet at Salamis. Xerxes retreated to his palace in Persepolis, leaving behind an occupying army which was defeated by the Greeks.
