Gates of Fire is a novelization of the Battle of Thermopylae. There 300 hundred Spartans under King Leonidas held the pass against an overwhelming Persian force long enough for the Greek city states to rally their forces for a successful defense. Their heroism was an inspiration to their fellow Greeks and has continued to be an inspiration down through the ages.

Steven Pressfield brings to life both the harsh realities and the nobility of the ancient Greeks. Life was hard, but there was also beauty, gentless, and compassion. His dramatization of events leading up to the battle, the battle itself, and it's aftermath shows how ordinary people can come to do extra-ordinary things.