In 480 BC, King Xerxes I (Rodrigo Santoro) of Persia led an army of five hundred thousand troops (claimed to be five million) and over a thousand warships, launching a large-scale attack on Greece. They advanced southward and approached the Demobilia Pass. The arrogant Xerxes I also sent letters of surrender to various Greek city-states, hoping for their unconditional surrender. This naturally included the city of Sparta. As a result, Xerxes' messengers suffered greatly amid the widespread resistance from many Greeks.