The Battle of Mantinea, in 418 BC, was fought between the Spartans and their allies against the armies of Athens, Argos and their allies during the Peloponnesian War (which began in 431 BC and ended in a truce in 422 BC). The truce did not solve the basic problems that caused the war and was met with sharp disapproval from Sparta’s allies, especially Corinth and Thebes. The center of anti-Spartan sentiment was democratic Argos, around which opponents of Sparta – Athens, Mantinea, and others began to unite.
A significant role in the Peloponnesian war was played by Alcibiades, who was elected strategist of Athens and, with a small detachment of Athenian hoplites and archers, arrived in the Peloponnese. He persuaded the inhabitants of Patras to build long walls to the sea and assisted the Argos in the war against Epidaurus.
The Spartans, seeing that their ally, the city of Epidaurus, was in a difficult situation, and that the rest of the Peloponnesian cities were unreliable when they needed help, took retaliatory measures. In the summer of the next year, they marched against Argos with large force, led by King Agis II. They were joined by contingents from Tegea and other Arcadian cities, the Boeotians, Corinthians, the Epidaurians, the Sicyonians, the Megarians, the Pellenites. The city-state of Argos, having joined the troops of the Mantineans and the Eleans, moved forward to meet them. Both armies met on the Nemeisk road.
The battle, however, did not take place – after brief negotiations, the commanders of both sides concluded a truce for four months, despite the sharp discontent of their soldiers. The ceasefire was not recognized Argos’ allies, and with the arrival of the Athenian army contingent, hostilities resumed. Spartans, also outraged by the truce, wanted to severely punish their king.
The next strike by the Allied forces of Argos was aimed at Tegea. The fall of the city carried a serious threat to Sparta. In this case, many of Sparta’s allies would have fallen away, which would put Sparta in a very difficult situation. Spartans immediately came to the aid of the besieged city, with about 4,000 Spartans, and also called upon their allies of Corinthians, Boeotians, Phocians, and Locrians.
The Argos and their allies took up a position on a hill near Mantinea, awaiting the arrival of the Spartans. Agis did not want to attack the enemy before the arrival of his allies. He retreated to the river between Tegea and Mantinea. River flooding damaged the terrain, so the king attacked Argos from the hill. Argos thought that the Spartans had again retreated, which gave them confidence in their abilities.
Course of Battle
The next day, the Argos moved against the Spartan army. The Spartans followed the river, headed back to Mantinea and clashed with the Argos, already deployed into battle formation. However, they also quickly built up their ranks and went on the attack.
On the right wing of the Spartan army were their Arcadian allies. In the center, headed by the king, elite Spartan troops. On the left flank were the Hoplite formations, the veterans of the Chalcid campaign, who had previously fought with the Athenians under Brasidus. The Spartan cavalry stood on both flanks.
On the left flank of the Argos army, was a detachment of a thousand Athenians, their cavalry, and the militia of two towns of Argolis. In the center stood the army of Argos, including one thousand of their best warriors. On the right flank were Mantineans and a small number of Arcadian allies.
The number of Spartans and their allies was estimated at 9,000 (3,500 Spartans). The number of Argos can be estimated at 8,000: 3,000 Argos, 1,000 Athenians, 2,000 Mantineans, 1,000 Arcadians, 1,000 Kleonians, Aeginians and other allies and cavalry.
The battle was fierce and bloody. The onslaught by the elite Spartans overthrew Argos; then the Spartans struck the Athenians’ flank. On the other flank Athenians attacked, bypassing the Spartan cavalry. On the left flank, the Skyrites and Brasid warriors held back the Mantinean pressure for some time, but fled when a thousand of the best Argos warriors clashed with them and attacked the flank. Agis, seeing the defeat of his left wing, ceased the attack on the Athenians, turned around and moved to pursue the Mantineans and the Argos. The Spartans and their allies were finally victorious. The defeated Argos and Athenians retreated. The Spartans, having won the final victory, ceased pursuit of the defeated opponent.
The Argos losses were around 500 hoplites, their allies lost about 100 hoplites. The Athenians lost about 200 warriors and both strategists. Losses of the Peloponnesian Union army amounted to about 300 hoplites.
Consequences of the Battle
The city of Argos was forced to end the war with Epidaurus, and surrender hostages to their opponents, and make peace with Sparta, lasting for the next 50 years. The defeat of the anti-Spartan coalition led to its disintegration. In its’ cities, oligarchic circles came to power, and most of its’ members entered the Peloponnesian Union again. The democratic alliance of the Peloponnese states had been broken, and most of its’ members returned to the Peloponnese alliance. Sparta was rescued from a strategic defeat and restored dominance over Peloponnese.
Sources:
- Thucydide