Dienekes - The Spartan Polemark, Dienekes, is the only other Spartan combatant mentioned by name in “Les Histories” (the other being King Leonidas himself). Dienekes displayed the greatest fighting skill of all the warriors who participated at Thermopylae and the number of Persians slain by his hand count into the dozens, according to Herodotus.
In the composition, Dienekes throws himself between the Persians and the King’s body, planting his broken spear into the ground to buttress his shield in an attempt to establish a bulk-work behind which the corpse can be recovered. Author’s Note: I partially covered Dienekes' face, in order to preserve an element of mystery surrounding this legendary figure. If you look closely, you can barely read the look of astonishment and shock on his face, as he observes the bravery of the scrawny, starved Helot pulling the King away from the Persian noble.