Xerxes had obviously not anticipated such resistance, or he would have arrived earlier in the campaigning season (and not waited 4 days at Thermopylae for the Greeks to disperse).
Xerxes havde tydeligvis ikke ventet en sådan modstand, ellers ville han have indledt felttoget tidligere på året (og ikke ventet i 4 dage ved Thermopylæ på at grækerne forsvandt).