Battles of macrohistorical importance involving invasions of Europe, are conflicts where the outcome is considered pivotal to the subsequent history of Europe. They range from the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC to the Battle of Vienna in 1683. In each of these battles, forces from outside the continent threatened the existence of European settlements by invasion, whether by land or by sea. Sheer numbers aside, the conduct of the victorious commanders with respect to tactics and timing helped to turn the tide in each instance despite who their opponent was.