300!

Heroism explored
Statue of Spartan king
Leonidas at the site of Battle
of Thermopylae.
1814 by French painter
Jacques Louis David.
19th-century painting by John
Steeple Davis, depicting combat
during the battle
David
by Michael Angelo
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek 
city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of 
Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the 
second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with
the naval battle at Artemisium, in August or September 480 BC, at the
narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates"). The Persian
invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the 
first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian
 victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. By 480 BC Xerxes had
amassed a huge army and navy, and set out to conquer all of Greece.
The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the
allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of
Thermopylae, and simultaneously block the Persian navy at the Straits
of Artemisium.
Spartan life was simple. The focus was on obedience and war.
Slavery made this possible by freeing the young men from
household and industrial duties and allowing them to focus on
their military duties. Young boys were trained to be warriors;
young girls were trained to be mothers of warriors.

Athenian life was a creative wonderland. As an Athenian, you

could get a good education and could pursue any of several
kinds of arts or sciences. You could serve in the army or navy,
but you didn't have to. (This applied only to boys, however:
Girls were restricted to other pursuits, not war or business or
education.)
 Frank Miller’s 300 in 1999
NATO Begins Bombing Yugoslavia
In March a 78 day offensive by NATO forces in response to Serb
attacks on Croatians.

Columbine Tragedy
April 20, 1999, two students go on a shooting rampage in
Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. They kill 12
students, 1 teacher and themselves.

Earthquake in Turkey Kills 13,000

In August, one of the most powerful and deadly earthquakes of the
century strikes Turkey.

Pokemon fever grips the US

The hottest toy for children in 1999? Pokemon cards, toys, etc.
Woodstock 99
Woodstock 99 took place in New York. It was a 3 day concert featuring Limp
Bizkit, Kid Rock, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, KoRn and many other superstar status
bands and singers! There were assaults, mud wars, and fires during the concert.

Creation of the Euro

Creation of the european single currency (the Euro) by the European Union. In
2002, notes and coins will circulate throught the union EMU member states (Spain,
France, Germany,Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Finland,
Greece, Ireland and Austria). The UK, among other EU states like Denmark, and
Sweeden may join the euro later.

Mbeki's elected South African President

South African Thabo Mbeki is elected as the second black President of the Republic
of South Africa.

Extremist bombings in England

In England, a neo-Nazi group called the White Wolves declares that "Notice is
hereby given that all non-whites (defined by blood, not religion) must permanently
leave the British Isles before the year is out. Jews and non-whites who remain after
1999 has ended will be exterminated." The group has claimed responsibility for the
bombings in minority areas that has killed 2 and injured 115 British citizens to date.