The movie '300: Rise of an Empire' was officially released in theaters, continuing the story of the Greco-Persian Wars as a follow-up to '300'.
Filming and production work began on the sequel to '300', aimed at depicting the naval battles between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire.
Xerxes commands a massive Persian naval fleet to invade Greece and subjugate the city-states after Marathon's defeat
Naval forces of Athens, led by Themistocles, engage the Persian fleet near the coast of Artemisium to stall Persian advancement
Persian King Darius I dies, leading Xerxes to ascend the throne and take command of the invasion forces
Leonidas and 300 Spartans make a heroic last stand against the Persian army at the mountain pass of Thermopylae
The Greek and Persian naval fleets fight a fierce battle, with heavy losses on both sides but no decisive victory
Artemisia, the Persian naval commander, loses her family during conflicts with the Greeks, fueling her hatred and resolve
Themistocles lures the Persian navy into narrow straits near Salamis to neutralize their numerical advantage
The Greek naval forces decisively defeat the Persian navy in a crucial battle that turns the tide of the invasion
After the defeat at Salamis, Xerxes retreats from the frontlines but vows to continue the campaign
