The Battle of Lechaeum (390 BCE): A Turning Point in the Corinthian War
The Battle of Lechaeum, fought in 390 BCE during the tumultuous period of the Corinthian War, is a significant event in ancient Greek military history. While it may not be as well-known as some of the larger battles in Greek history, the consequences of this battle had a lasting impact on the balance of power in the Greek world at the time. The Corinthian War (395–387 BCE) was a conflict between the city-states of Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Argos, and Thebes, each vying for control over the Greek territories. The battle itself, fought at Lechaeum, a city near Corinth, pitted the forces of Athens against those of Sparta, with a significant contribution from the Athenian mercenaries.
Background of the Corinthian War
The Corinthian War arose from the growing tensions following the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE), in which Athens had been defeated by Sparta. After the war, a fragile peace settled over Greece, but the political landscape remained unstable. Athens, which had lost much of its former power, was rebuilding its naval strength and trying to regain influence in the Aegean, while Sparta, though victorious, found itself increasingly isolated. In this volatile context, several Greek city-states, including Corinth, Argos, and Thebes, allied with Athens in an effort to challenge Spartan hegemony.
The Corinthian War was characterized by a series of engagements, both naval and land-based, with each of the major Greek powers seeking to assert their dominance. Throughout the war, shifting alliances and changing military strategies meant that no one side could achieve a decisive victory for long.
The Battle of Lechaeum: Setting the Stage
Lechaeum was a strategically important location for Corinth, situated near its northern harbor. During the war, Corinth was one of the primary belligerents against Sparta, and it sought to maintain control over its territory, including the vital access points to the sea. The battle at Lechaeum, however, was a land engagement, with the Athenian forces playing a crucial role in the outcome.
Athens had long been a naval power, but the city’s army also played an important part in the war. During the Corinthian War, Athens had hired mercenaries to bolster its forces, and these professional soldiers were crucial in several key battles. In the Battle of Lechaeum, a significant portion of the Athenian forces consisted of mercenaries, particularly from the Athenian contingent that had been hired by the Corinthian side.
The Spartan forces, led by the Spartan commander, were unable to stop the advancing Athenian troops. The combination of Athenian skill, tactical flexibility, and the use of mercenaries ultimately led to the defeat of the Spartans at Lechaeum.
The Battle: A Clash of Forces
On the day of the battle, the Spartan forces were arrayed in a defensive position near the walls of Lechaeum, hoping to hold their ground and prevent the Athenians from breaking through. The Athenian forces, with their mercenary contingents, launched a series of coordinated attacks, testing the Spartan defenses.
The battle unfolded on land, with both sides engaging in fierce combat. The Athenian forces, well-trained and well-disciplined, used their superior numbers and tactical flexibility to wear down the Spartan defenses. As the battle progressed, the mercenary soldiers provided additional strength to the Athenian forces, breaking the Spartan lines and forcing the defenders to retreat.
While the details of the battle itself are not extensively recorded in historical accounts, it is clear that the victory at Lechaeum represented a significant setback for Sparta in the ongoing conflict. The defeat at Lechaeum, combined with other military losses, contributed to the weakening of Sparta’s position in the war.
Aftermath and Significance
The immediate aftermath of the Battle of Lechaeum saw the Corinthian forces and their Athenian allies secure a victory. The battle further cemented Athens’ role as a powerful force in the conflict, while Sparta’s inability to defend its interests at Lechaeum signaled the beginning of its decline in the Corinthian War.
The battle also demonstrated the growing importance of mercenary forces in ancient Greek warfare. Mercenaries, once considered a secondary force, were becoming an increasingly integral part of Greek military campaigns, particularly for city-states like Athens that could not always rely on a large standing army. The Athenian mercenaries at Lechaeum played a pivotal role in securing the victory, and their effectiveness would continue to be seen in subsequent engagements.
Politically, the Battle of Lechaeum had long-term consequences for the balance of power in Greece. Sparta, despite its military tradition, was unable to hold off the coalition forces arrayed against it. Over the following years, Sparta’s influence began to wane, while Athens regained some of its former strength, aided by its naval power and the support of its allies.
The Decline of Sparta and the Impact on the Corinthian War
The defeat at Lechaeum was part of a broader trend of Spartan losses during the Corinthian War. Despite their initial successes, the Spartans faced growing internal challenges, including revolts and the increasing resistance of their enemies. The war, which had initially seemed to favor Sparta, was slowly shifting in favor of the Athenian-led coalition.
By the end of the war, Sparta had been forced into a peace agreement, known as the King’s Peace or the Peace of Antalcidas, which was brokered by the Persian Empire. The terms of this peace settlement were harsh for many of the Greek city-states, but they marked the end of the Corinthian War and the decline of Sparta’s hegemony in the Greek world.
In the aftermath of the war, Athens also saw a temporary revival, although its power would again be undermined by internal strife and external conflicts, including the rise of Macedon under Philip II. Nevertheless, the Battle of Lechaeum remained a key moment in the shifting tides of Greek politics and military strategy.
Conclusion
The Battle of Lechaeum stands as a reminder of the complexity of ancient Greek warfare, where shifting alliances, the use of mercenaries, and tactical innovation could determine the outcome of a conflict. While Sparta was ultimately defeated in this engagement, the larger war was a reflection of the changing nature of Greek politics, where power was no longer solely determined by the might of traditional hoplite armies but also by the use of more flexible, mercenary forces.
For historians, the Battle of Lechaeum provides an important case study in how a single battle can influence the course of a prolonged war, and it underscores the role of Athens and its mercenaries in the broader struggles that defined the Corinthian War. While it may not have been as significant as other major battles in ancient Greek history, its impact on the war and the fate of Sparta was undeniable.