Mantinea is a city in the central Peloponnese that was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek history.
The first battle of Mantinea, in 418 BC, was the largest land battle of the Peloponnesian War. On one side were Sparta and its remaining allies, and on the other were Athens, its allies, plus the cities that had revolted against the Spartans. The battle turned into a rout of the Athenian and allied armies, a result attributed to greater Spartan courage.
The second battle of Mantinea, in 362 BC, led to the fall of Theban hegemony. In that battle, Athens and Sparta were allied. Thebes won the battle, but its greatest general, Epaminondas, was killed in the fighting.
He tried to enrich his relative and dearest friend, Epaminondas, whose side of the family was poor, but Epaminondas always refused and preferred to live in genteel poverty for the sake of virtue.
Many indeed think this strict and entire affection is to be dated from the battle of Mantinea, where they both fought, being part of the assistance that was sent from Thebes to the Lacedaemonians, their then friends and allies.
At the peace negotiations he worked to keep Boeotia united by pressuring the individual cities not to sign separate treaties, but as a result Thebes was excluded from the treaty by the Spartans (King Agesilaus) and the Athenians.
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