The Battle of Luectra
Battle of Leuctra, (371 BC), battle fought on the plain of
Leuctra (near modern Levitra) in southern Boeotia, in which a Boeotia army
under Epaminondas defeated a Spartan army under King Cleombrotus. This Spartan
defeat in the Boeotia–Athenian war against Sparta of 379–371 destroyed the
reputation of the Spartan hoplite phalanx and established Theban hegemony in
Greece (371–362). Epaminondas’ tactical innovations of oblique order and
concentration of forces against the enemy’s command brought about the
Theban–Boeotia victory. Cleombrotus was in phocics with an army 10,000 Spartans
and allied hoplites and a Calvary of 1000.He was ordered to invade Boeotia and
attack the Thebes. [1]
Encyclopaedia Brittanica: Battle Of Leuctra - http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/337705/Battle-of-LeuctraAccessed 4th August 2015
[1]
Encyclopaedia Brittanica: Battle Of Leuctra - http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/337705/Battle-of-LeuctraAccessed 4th August 2015
[1]
The Death of Cleombrotus
The army of Thebes was led by Epaminondas with over 6,000 hoplites they were heavily armed infantryman historians reported that at least 1,000 Spartan died inclthe king Cleombrotusuding
Aftermath of the battle of LuectraThe
Battle of Leuctra was a massive turning point in history of the Spartan
society. All throughout the 5th century the Sparta army was known as
the toughest nation in Greece and after the battle of Leuctra Sparta was no
longer a major power. After Epaminondas won the battle of Leuctra he ended up
invading Sparta and destroying the Spartan economy. [1]
[1] Antiquity 2 by Toni Hurly,Philippa,Christine Murray, Jan Rolph The Battle
Cleombrotus
positioned his troops in the traditional phalanx formation of heavily armoured
hoplites 12 men deep with two wings. Cleombrotus himself, surrounded by his elite
hippie’s (300-man bodyguard), took up position on the left side of the right
wing.
Epaminondas was much more innovative and put his cavalry and light-infantry in front of his own phalanx formation. Rejecting the convention of making one’s right wing the strongest, he made his left wing extraordinarily deep - 50 ranks of men - and made his lines narrower than the Spartans. The Sacred Band was also positioned on the left wing with the Boeotia allies being stationed on the right wing, 8-12 men deep. Cleombrotus responded to this surprising development by re-organising his own lines, moving his cavalry out front and extending his line in an effort to outflank Epaminondas’ left wing. This relatively complex series of battle manoeuvres exposed Cleombrotus’ immediate left side, and as the Spartan cavalry were no match for the Thebans who soon routed them, the Spartan horsemen were forced back onto their own lines and through the gap which had opened on Cleombrotus’ left. The Thebans followed them through this gap and proceeded to create chaos in the Spartan formation. Epaminondas, meanwhile, attacked at an angle towards the left so that, in effect, Cleombrotus was being pushed away from his own line. Epaminondas’ attack was also conducted with his own right wing slightly in arrears in an echelon formation to protect his own exposed flank as he attacked the Spartan hippie’s. At this point Pelopidas and the Sacred Band also attacked Cleombrotus’ position resulting in the fatal wounding of the Spartan king and the complete defeat of the Spartan right. In all, 1000 Lacedaemonians fell, including 400 Spartan hoplites. Thebes was now the most powerful polis in Greece and, after 200 years of victories on land, the myth of Sparta’s military invincibility was finally smashed. |
|