The famous battle fought between the Greeks and Persians at Thermopylae is known as the Battle of Thermopylae, which took place in 480 BCE. This pivotal confrontation involved a small force of Greek city-states led by King Leonidas I of Sparta against the vastly superior Persian army commanded by Xerxes I. Despite their eventual defeat, the Greeks' valor and strategic defense in the narrow pass became a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds, inspiring later generations and contributing to the eventual Greek victories in the Greco-Persian Wars.