The real story is even more remarkable than the movie (I have not yet seen the latest movie, but have seen the earlier 300 Spartans which was very close to historically correct). For more accurate descriptions of the battle, see here and here.
[Note: No, the Spartans were not so stupid as to fight without wearing armor. And they may have been strong, but even the strongest warrior could hold a heavy metal shield for only so long before his muscles tired; their shields were wooden.]
The Persians ultimately prevailed in the battle, but the Spartans had bought time with which the Athenians moved their fleet (commanded by the archon, Themistocles) back to the vicinity of Athens. The Athenians had to flee Athens as Xerxes' Persian army sacked and burned the city, shortly after they had won at Thermopylae.
But Themistocles enticed the Persian fleet into battle within the narrow confines of Salamis and utterly destroyed it while Xerxes, seated on his throne, watched his fleet's defeat from the shore.
Since he could no longer be supplied by sea and with the remainder of the Spartans and Athenians now rallied, Xerxes retreated.
R.i.K.
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Great movie, I went and saw it twice already! Theres a history channel show called 300, it explains every historical fact of the spartan cultural and the battles.
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