Battle of Coronea

Significance

The Battle of Coronea in 394 BC was fought during the Corinthian War when a Theban and Argive force attempted to block the return march of the Spartan army under King Agesilaus II into the Peloponnese. The Spartans and their allies defeated this blocking force, allowing Agesilaus to continue his march. Despite its comparative obscurity relative to more famous hoplite engagements such as the Battle of Delium in 424 BC and the Battle of Mantinea in 362 BC, the battle is noted as ranking among the deadliest hoplite encounters, indicating that the fighting was intense and the human cost substantial even if casualty figures were not preserved. The engagement reflects the broader strategic pattern of the Corinthian War, in which Thebes and Argive forces actively contested Spartan movement and sought to deny Sparta free passage through central Greece, underscoring the degree to which Spartan dominance over land routes was being challenged by a coalition of Greek states during this conflict.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)