Gates of Fire : Paperback : Random House USA Inc : 9780553383683 : 055338368X : 27 Sep 2005 : In 480 B.C., two million Persian invaders come to the mountain pass of Thermopylae in eastern Greece, where they are met by 300 of Sparta\'s finest warriors. The Greek loyalists battle for six days in a prelude to their ultimate victory. \"Pressfield brings the battle of Thermopylae to brilliant life, and he does for that war what Charles Frazier did for the Civil War in \"Cold Mountain.\"\"--Pat Conroy.