The Battle of Leuctra
Near the Boiotian city Leuctra on the 5th of Ekatomvaionos of the Attic calendar (around the 6th of July) in 371 B.C, the army of the 'Boiotian Common' ('Boiotikon Koinon') faced the Spartans and their allies who were mainly Peloponnesians. In this battle, Theban general Epameinondas, for the first time in written military history applied the 'loxe phalanx' (oblique order) and defeated the Spartans who until then were invincible in close combat.
Opponents and their strength
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Thebans - Epameinondas: 1.000 cavalry, 5.000 infantry |
|
Troops |
Quantity |
DBM type |
1 |
Theban cavalry |
1.000 |
Reg Cv(O) |
2 |
Theban hoplites |
3.200 |
Reg Sp(O) |
3 |
Sacred Band |
300 |
Reg Sp(S) |
4 |
Other Boiotian hoplites |
1.000 |
Irr Sp(O) |
5 |
Boiotian peltasts |
1.000 |
Reg Ax(O) |
6 |
Camp |
|
|
|
Spartans - Kleombrotos: 1.000 cavalry, 10.800 infantry |
|
Troops |
Quantity |
DBM type |
1 |
Spartan & Lakedaimonian cavalry |
800 |
Reg Cv(I) |
2 |
Allied cavalry |
200 |
Reg LH(O) |
3 |
Spartans |
700 |
Reg Sp(S) |
4 |
Lakedaimonians |
1.600 |
Reg Sp(O) |
5 |
Corinthian, Fokian, Acarnanian, Arcadian, Achaian, Elian, Sikyonian allies |
(apr.) 6.700 |
Irr Sp(O) |
6 |
Thracian peltasts, Phokian psiloi |
(apr.) 800 |
Irr Ax(S), Reg Ps(S) |
7 |
Camp |
|
|
Opponents at the beginning:
Battle
Diagram
Before the battle, Epameinondas proclaimed that whoever wanted to avoid the fight, could leave the field at that moment. The Thespians tried to leave their post (the right back lines) but the Spartans thought that they were trying to manoeuvre so they attacked with their left flank cavalry with the support of some
psiloi.
The 1st phase of the battle:
Battle
Diagram
At the beginning, King Kleombrotos ordered the right command of his army (the four Lakedaimonian 'Morai'), to make a manoeuvre to their right in order to overlap the Theban left 'keras'. However, Epameinondas attacked first with his cavalry and defeated the Spartan cavalry which retreated through the Lakedaimonian infantry causing disorder in their lines.
The 2nd phase of the battle:
Battle
Diagram
Before the Spartans recovered from the first stroke, the Theban cavalry withdrew to their left and right leaving the field free for the advancing Theban phalanx which, with 50 men deep attacked against the 12 men deep Spartan phalanx.
The 3rd phase of the battle:
Battle
Diagram
The Spartans tried to complete their manoeuvre, but General Pelopidas with the Theban Sacred Band moved to their left and then forward to cover the Theban left flank.
The 4th phase of the battle:
Battle
Diagram
The Theban phalanx directed the attack to the center and right where the elite Spartan 'Mora' were located. A murderous conflict ensued. King Kleombrotos was wounded and many Spartan polemarchs (war chiefs) died before him to avoid the capture of his body by the enemies. For a little while the crescent-shaped Spartan lines held but when the Sacred Band succeeded to overlap the Spartan right flank then the 'Morai' began retreating.
Final phase:
Battle
Diagram
When the Peloponnesian and the rest of the Spartan allies saw their right flank retreating then all their arrays collapsed and began to retreat to their camp. The Spartans deployed again with discipline behind the ditch of their barracks. Their leaders (Kleombrotos was already dead) decided that there was no reason for a counter attack and asked for a truce with a 'Keryx' (herald). So, Thebans in accordance with the Greek custom raised a 'Tropaion' and gave the dead men to their opponents.
Losses:
Spartans lost 400 Spartan citizens and 600 Lakedaimonians. Half of them were slayed during their retreat. Diodoros Sikeliotis says that Spartans lost 4.000 men (rather an exaggeration).
Thebans lost about 300 men. Diodoros Sikeliotis says that 3.000 Thebans killed (an exaggeration too), Pausanias says only 47 Thebans killed (very small number of casualties).
Konstantinos Konstantoulakis
Bibliography:
Military history's subjects - Publications of Greek Army's General Office, 1981.
History of Ancient Greece - Institute History of USSR Science Academy,1978.
The Ancient world - Vassilis Kremmydas & Sofoklis Markianos; Publ. Gnosi, 1982.
History of Ancient world - Athina Kalogeropoulou, 1975.
Many thanks to Ingrid Blackwell for the corrections of the English text.
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