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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Epaminodas Biography EPAMINODAS (c.418-362 B.C.). A Greek statesman and general. He was born at Thebes, of an influential though not wealthy family. He spent his early life in study as a pupil of the Pythagorean philosopher Lysis of Tarentum, who, exiled from home, lived with the father of Epaminondas. When the Theban democracy was established, he came forward as one of its strongest supporters. He was a member of the deputation sent by Thebes to the congress of Grecian states held at Sparta in 371 B.C. and spoke on that occasion in defense of the Theban policy of maintaining a united Bœotia. War was, in consequence, straightway declared by Sparta. Epaminondas was appointed commander in chief of the Theban army, which consisted of about 6000 men. The Spartans, though they had a much larger force, were defeated at Leuctra in the early part of July, 371 B.C.; the victory was due mainly to Epaminondas' skillful handling of the hoplites, or heavy infantry. (See PHALANX.) The supremacy of Sparta was now at an end. In 370 B.C. Epaminondas and Pelopidas invaded the Peloponnesus and attacked Sparta, which successfully defended itself under the lead of Agesilaus (q.v.). Epaminondas, however, restored Messenia to its former position as an independent state. (369 B.C.); under his auspices, too, Megalopolis was founded as the centre of the Arcadian Confederacy. In 368 B.C. Epaminondas made a second expedition into the Peloponnesus and in 366 a third. In 362 he undertook a fourth expedition, having this time a coalition of Sparta and a number of states opposed to him. He fought a great battle at Mantinea (q.v.), in which the Thebans were successful, but Epaminondas himself fell. Epaminondas was one of the purest and noblest characters in Grecian history. His life was written by Cornelius Nepos. Consult: the life by Cornelius Nepos (q.v.); Du Mesnil, "Ueber den Werth der Politik des Epaminondas," in Historische Zeitschrift (Berlin, 1863); Pomtow, Das Leben des Epaminondas (Berlin, 1870); Pöhlman, Grundriss der griechischen Geschichte (4th ed., Munich, 1914). The New International Encyclopaedia, Vol. VII (New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920) 9. |