Battle of Leuctra
371 BCE · Greece
The Battle of Leuctra was fought in 371 BCE in Greece between Thebes and the Boeotian League vs Sparta and the Peloponnesian League; decisive Theban victory that broke Spartan military dominance.
Battle of Leuctra: quick facts
- Date
- 371 BCE
- Location
- Greece
- Belligerents
- Thebes and the Boeotian League vs Sparta and the Peloponnesian League
- Commanders
- Epaminondas vs Cleombrotus I
- Result
- decisive Theban victory that broke Spartan military dominance.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Leuctra?
Epaminondas of Thebes revolutionized Greek warfare by massing his left wing fifty ranks deep against the Spartan right, while refusing his weaker right wing. This oblique order shattered the supposedly invincible Spartan phalanx and killed King Cleombrotus. The victory ended Spartan military supremacy in Greece forever and established Thebes as the leading Greek power.
Did you know?
Epaminondas's oblique order at Leuctra was so revolutionary that it influenced military tactics for over two thousand years, directly inspiring Frederick the Great's tactics at Leuthen in 1757.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Leuctra on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.