The End of the War: Spartan Hegemony and the Rise of Thebes

 

Oligarchy in Athens: From the Four Hundred in 411 to the Thirty Tyrants in 404/3

Oligarchic Dissatisfaction in Athens:

Losses under the democracy

Peisander and the hetaireiai

Phrynichus and Antiphon

Alcibiades and the Lure of Persian Aid

The governments of the Four Hundred and the Five Thousand

Spartan oligarchic regimes - decarchies

The Thirty Tyrants: Critias, Charmides, Theramenes

Execution of Theramenes and the Thirty's reign of terror

Thrasybulus and Athenian exiles in Thebes capture the fort of Phyle

Battle for the Piraeus; Critias, many leaders of the Thirty killed

Lysander's influence wanes – King Pausanias vs. Lysander in Sparta

Spartan King Pausanias permits democracy with amnesty for oligarchs at Eleusis

 

Spartan Hegemony

Spartan harmosts and decarchies in Greek cities – Lysander's influence

Spartan support of Cyrus against Artaxerxes ends in disaster 399

Tissaphernes, satrap of Caria, cracks down on Ionian cities - war with Sparta

King Agesilaos campaigns in Asia Minor 396-4

Corinthian War against Sparta by Greek alliance 395-387

Defeat of Spartan fleet at Cnidus by Conon and Persians 395

King's Peace of 387/6 leaves Sparta in control, breaks up Greek alliances

 

Theban Hegemony

Spartan dissolution of Mantinea and Chalkidike

Anti-Spartan alliance between Thebes and Athens

Liberation of Thebes from pro-Spartan oligarchs 379/8

Pelopidas and the Sacred Band

Theban takeover of Boeotia - Orchomenos, Phokis

Peace Conference 371 - Thebes refuses to make peace with Sparta

Battle of Leuctra 371 - Thebes defeats Sparta

Theban Hegemony in the South -

liberation of Messene

Arcadian League - Megalopolis

Theban Hegemony in the North -

Pelopidas aids Thessalians against Alexander of Pherai

Alexander II of Macedon requests Theban aid against rivals

Thebes builds fleet to try for sea power in North Aegean

Crumbling of Theban Hegemony

Athenian alliance with Sparta against Thebes in Peloponnese

Internal Disputes in Arcadian League

Battle of Mantinea 362 - Death of Epaminondas after victory

Causes of Failure for Thebes

 

TIMELINE

 

404   Athens surrenders to Sparta, Thirty Tyrants installed
401-399   Expedition of Cyrus against Artaxerxes; retreat of the Ten Thousand Greek mercenaries (Xenophon's Anabasis)
396-4   Spartan King Agesilaos campaigns in Asia Minor
395   Corinthian War - alliance of states against Sparta
386   King's Peace between Persia and Greek states
379-8   Liberation of Thebes from Spartans
378-7   Formation of Second Athenian League
375-370   Jason of Pherai leads Thessaly until assassinated by nephew Alexander
371   Thebans defeat Spartans at Battle of Leuctra
370-361   Thebans invade the Peloponnese
367   Dionysios I dies, Dionysios II takes over Syracuse
364   Thebans destroy Orchomenos, main rival in Boeotia; Thebans defeat Thessalians - death of Pelopidas
362   Thebans defeat Spartans and allies at Mantinea - death of Epaminondas
359   Philip becomes King of Macedon