300 tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Persians under the rule of King Xerxes have already taken over some of the Hellenic city-states, and now threaten Sparta and Athens. King Leonidas of Sparta is left with two options: he will either have to sacrifice himself for the well-being of Sparta or watch it burn to the ground. Choosing the former, Leonidas forms an army of 300 Spartan warriors to block the narrow passage of Thermopylae where Xerxes intends to reach Hellas. The 300 are accompanied by about 700 Thespians who protect the flanks of the passage, and combined, the forces manage to slay tens of thousands of Persians and prevent their entry into Hellas for several days. However, Ephialtes, a reject of the Spartan Army gets his revenge by showing Xerxes a secret goat passage up the flanks of the passage. The story depicts the epic last stand of the finest Spartan soldiers who are aware of their fate, but motivated by "honor and glory", see the battle as their duty to protect the rest of Greece for as long as possible.

The film was shot in 60 days.

Xerxes:
There will be no glory in your sacrifice. I will erase even the memory of Sparta from the histories! Every piece of Greek parchment shall be burned. Every Greek historian, and every scribe shall have their eyes pulled out, and their tongues cut from their mouths. Why, uttering the very name of Sparta, or Leonidas, will be punishable by death! The world will never know you existed at all!


King Leonidas:
The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this battle was over, even a god-king can bleed.

Continuity: When the oracle is asked the future of Sparta, the clip that holds her gown switches from her right shoulder to her left shoulder, then back to the right.