What might have motivated Leonidas to fight to the death for his country?

If leonidas and the 300 didn't fight and die for his country. he couldnt of have bought enough time for the entire spartan millitary to go to war. The persians would have made slaves of the spartan people if he did not hold them.

on the succession of solomon's son, rehoboam, around 930 bce, the biblical account reports that the country split into two kingdoms: the kingdom of israel (including the cities of shechem and samaria) in the north and the kingdom of judah (containing jerusalem) in the south.