The story begins with Dilios (David Wenham), a Spartan soldier, recounting the life of King Leonidas I (Gerard Butler), from his rigorous upbringing in the Spartan warrior tradition to his rise as king. He details the training all Spartan boys endure, designed to harden them into formidable warriors. Leonidas’s journey culminates in his leadership during the Battle of Thermopylae, where he led a small force of Spartans against the vast Persian army.
A Persian herald arrives in Sparta, demanding “earth and water” as symbols of submission to King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), ruler of the Persian Empire. Leonidas rejects this demand, throwing the herald and his entourage into a deep pit. Determined to protect Greece, Leonidas consults the Ephors, high priests who serve as guardians of Spartan law and tradition, to seek their permission to march to war. He proposes using the narrow pass of Thermopylae to offset the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Persian forces. However, the Ephors warn him of the approaching Carneia, a sacred festival during which war is forbidden, and consult the Oracle, who decrees that Sparta must not go to war. As Leonidas departs, it is revealed that the Ephors have been bribed by Xerxes, facilitated by Theron, a treacherous Spartan politician.
Defying the Ephors’ decision, Leonidas selects 300 of his best warriors, all fathers with living sons to carry on their legacy. When confronted by Theron and the Council for his actions, Leonidas asserts that he is not formally going to war but merely taking a personal bodyguard on a march. He departs with his men, joined by an allied force of Arcadians and other Greeks led by Daxos. Along the way, they encounter a storm at sea, which destroys a portion of the Persian navy.
Upon reaching Thermopylae, the Spartans construct a defensive wall using stones and the bodies of slain Persian scouts. They encounter Ephialtes, a disfigured Spartan who was hidden by his parents to spare him from infanticide due to his deformities. Ephialtes pleads to join Leonidas’s army, revealing his knowledge of a secret goat path that the Persians could use to outflank them. Despite his sympathy, Leonidas refuses Ephialtes, explaining that his inability to properly hold a shield would compromise the strength of their phalanx formation.
The Persians soon arrive, demanding that the Spartans lay down their weapons and surrender. Leonidas defiantly responds, “Come and take them.” Using the narrow pass to their advantage, the Spartans repel wave after wave of Persian soldiers. Their disciplined formations and superior combat skills allow them to decimate the Persian forces. King Xerxes personally approaches Leonidas, offering him immense wealth and power in exchange for his submission. Leonidas rejects the offer and mocks the supposed divinity of Xerxes. Enraged, Xerxes sends his elite guard, the Immortals, accompanied by monstrous warriors. Despite their ferocity, the Spartans prevail once again.
On the second day of battle, Xerxes deploys new waves of soldiers, including war elephants and a massive armored rhinoceros. The Spartans remain undeterred, using their strategic positioning to defeat these additional threats. Meanwhile, Ephialtes, bitter over Leonidas’s rejection, defects to Xerxes and reveals the secret goat path. Xerxes rewards him with riches, women, and a Persian uniform. With this knowledge, the Persians plan to outflank the Spartans.
When the Arcadians learn of Ephialtes’s betrayal and the imminent encirclement by the Persians, they retreat, leaving the 300 Spartans to make their final stand. Leonidas orders Dilios, who has suffered an eye injury, to return to Sparta and tell their story, ensuring that their sacrifice will inspire their fellow Greeks.
Back in Sparta, Queen Gorgo seeks to rally the Council to send reinforcements to aid Leonidas. She turns to Theron for support, but he demands sexual favors in exchange for his help. After reluctantly agreeing, Gorgo is betrayed the following day when Theron publicly accuses her of adultery to discredit her. In a fit of rage, Gorgo kills Theron, revealing a bag of Xerxes’s gold in his robes. The discovery of his treachery sways the Council, who unanimously agree to mobilize the Spartan army.
On the third day of battle, the Persians, led by Ephialtes, surround the Spartans. Xerxes’s general demands their surrender, but Leonidas refuses. Instead, Stelios kills the general, further enraging Xerxes. In retaliation, Xerxes orders his troops to attack. Leonidas instructs his men to fight to the last breath. Amidst the chaos, Leonidas throws his spear at Xerxes, wounding him and proving that the self-proclaimed god-king is mortal. The Spartans fight valiantly but are ultimately overwhelmed by a barrage of Persian arrows.
Dilios concludes his tale before the Spartan Council, recounting the bravery and sacrifice of King Leonidas and his 300 warriors. Their stand at Thermopylae inspires the Greeks, uniting them against the Persian invasion. One year later, Dilios, now leading a massive Greek army, delivers a rousing speech honoring Leonidas and his men. The Greeks, with Sparta at the forefront, prepare for battle against the Persians at Plataea, determined to defend their homeland and honor the legacy of the fallen Spartans.
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