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The battle of Cnidus (412/411 BC) was an inconclusive naval battle
which meant that the Athenians were unable to prevent two Spartan fleets from
uniting on the coast of Asia Minor (Great
Peloponnesian
War). In the winter of 412/411 the Athenians were besieging Chios, in the
centre of the western coast of Asia Minor. The Spartans had a fleet at Miletus,
some way further south along the coast. This fleet was commanded by
Astyochus, but he was not
entirely trusted in Sparta. When a fresh fleet of 27 ships was sent to join
him, a group of officers were sent to work alongside him, and if necessary
relieve him. This fleet ran into a small Athenian force on the way, and decided
to divert to Crete, and then to Caunus, on the south-western coast of Asia
Minor. The Athenians, who had a fleet based at
Samos (between Chios and
Miletus), discovered this, and sent a squadron of twenty ships under Charminus
south in an attempt to intercept the new arrivals. When Astyochus learnt that
his reinforcements were at Caunus he decided to bring his fleet around the
coast to join them. He passed Cos, and reached Cnidus, at the south-western tip
of Asia Minor. There he learnt that the Athenians were close by, and sailed on
towards the island of Syme in an attempt to catch them. In bad weather the
Spartan fleet was scattered. In the poor visibility the Athenians sighted the
Spartan left wing and incorrectly identified them as the fleet coming from
Caunus. Charminus put to sea with as many ships as were ready (not his entire
force of twenty ships). The initial encounter was won by the Athenians, who
sank three ships and disabled others. The rest of the Spartan fleet then came
into sight, and the Athenians found themselves surrounded. The Athenians
managed to break out of the trap, although six ships were lost. The survivors
then escaped south to the island of Teutlussa, from where they moved north to
Halicarnassus. In the aftermath of this battle the Spartans returned to Cnidus
where they were joined by the twenty seven ships from Caunus. The defeated
Athenians were joined by the rest of the fleet from Samos, but even reinforced
they didn't dare risk another battle, and returned to Samos
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