Episode 1: Ephialtes

In 480 BCE, during the Greco-Persian Wars, Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a secret path to the Persians at Thermopylae. His act led to the encirclement and death of King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans. Motivated by personal grievances and reward, Ephialtes’ treachery remains one of history’s most infamous. Though the Greeks later repelled Persia, Thermopylae became a symbol of courage, while Ephialtes’ name is forever linked to betrayal.