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The battle of Hermeum (354 or 353) was a
Phocian victory over the Boeotians (Third Sacred War),
which followed a brief Phocian intervention in Thessaly that saw them inflict
two rare battlefield defeats on
Philip II. After earlier
events of 354 any Phocian successes seemed unlikely. Their leader
Philomelus had been
defeated and killed by the Boeotians at the battle of Neon, and his brother Onomarchus had only just
been able to convince his people to keep fighting. Onomarchus had then sent an
army commanded by his brother Phayllus north into Thessaly to help Lycophron,
tyrant of Pherae, but Philip II of Macedon had defeated that army. Onomarchus
restored the Phocian position. First he led the main army into Thessaly, where
he inflicted two rare battlefield defeats on Philip. Sadly these battles are
terribly badly documented. After these defeats Philip withdrew into Macedon.
Onomarchus took his army south into Boeotian. Diodorus (16.35.3) records that
he defeated the Boeotians in battle, and captured Coronea, but gives no other
details. Aristotle provides a little more detail (Nic. Eth. 1116b). The battle
is located as being fought at the temple of Hermes (the Hermeum). The Boeotians
had a mixed force of citizens and mercenaries, but were probably outnumbered,
as Aristotle was making a point about the reluctance of mercenaries to stand
and fight when at a disadvantage in numbers and equipment. This was a
short-lived success. Philip quickly recovered from his two defeats, and led his
army back to Thessaly to attack Lycophron. Onomarchus headed north in response,
but was killed at the battle of the
Crocus
Field.
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