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The Battle of Spartolos took place in 429 between Athens and the
Chalcidian League and their allies, in the early part of the
Peloponnesian
War. The Athenians under Xenophon marched into Thrace to attack Spartolos.
They destroyed the crops outside the city and began negotiating with
pro-Athenian factions in Chalcidice, but the anti-Athenian factions asked for
help from Olynthus. An army from Chalcidice, Spartolos, and Olynthus met the
Athenians in battle, but their hoplites were defeated and they retreated to
Spartolos; their cavalry and peltasts (light infantry armed with javelins),
however, gained the advantage over the Athenian troops. Reinforcements soon
arrived from Olynthus, and they launched a second attack on the Athenians. The
Athenian hoplites could not come to grips with the enemy light troops or
horsemen. Eventually the Athenians panicked and were routed, with all of their
generals and 430 other men killed. In the Athenian tribute list of 429/8 the
only cities of Chalcidice are: Mende, Aphytis, Scione, Stageira and Acanthus
(Athos). Acanthus and Mende had not even joined the Chalcidian League.
Opponents:
Athens versus Chalcidice, Spartolos, Olynthus
Commanders and leaders
Athens - Xenophon
Others - Unknown
Strength:
Athens - 4,000 total
Allies - 5,000 infantry, 400 cavalry
Casualties and losses:
Athens - Over 430
Others - no more than 315
Early Stage of Battle:
When the phalanxes of the Chalcidians clashed with those of the Athenians, it
was clear that the Athenians had a great advantage. The local Chalcidian
hoplites made up the centre and right hand portions of the army while hired
Peloponnesian forces made up the left side. The locals on the Chalcidian side
gave way first, forcing the mercenaries to fall back as well. This left the
Chalcidian army worn and strained, and the battle looked very promising for the
Athenians. Later Stage of Battle After the Chalcidian side was worn down by the
Athenians, the Chalcidians were reinforced by troops sent from Olynthus. With
the help of the troops from Olynthus, the Chalcidians rallied back against the
Athenians much stronger than before. They had learned that the Athenians did
not have the experience or equipment to defend against large numbers of
javelins, so when they came back strengthened by their allies and with a new
tactic, the Chalcidians forced the Athenians to retreat. As the Athenians
retreated, Chalcidian cavalry and light infantry chased down the Athenians to
inflict further damage upon them. The Athenians tried multiple counter-attacks
to defend themselves from further harm, but each time the Chalcidians were able
to evade the attacks. The back ranks of Athenian troops began to abandon those
at the front, allowing them to be overwhelmed, surrounded, and killed,
including their general, Xenophon.
Aftermath:
Between a fifth and a fourth of the Athenian troops were killed in this battle-
twice as much as was expected prior to the battle. This brutal defeat showed
Athens what would be required of them to win the war.
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The battle of Spartolus of 429 was a costly Athenian defeat in a
battle fought just outside the city of Spartolus in Chalcidice. Spartolus is in
the western part of the Chalcidice peninsula, a short distance to the
north-west of Potidaia. Early in the Great
Peloponnesian War
most of Chalcidice had revolted against Athenian control. The Chalcidians had
abandoned many of their coastal communities and had adopted a new capital at
Olynthus, about an equal distance to the north-east of Potidaia. The city of
Potidaia itself was originally part of the Athenian Empire, but at the start of
the war it too rose in revolt and was the target of a lengthy siege that only
ended during the winter of 430/29. In the summer of 429 an Athenian army of
2,000 hoplites and 200 cavalry, under the command of Xenophon son of Euripides,
invaded Chalcidice and marched up to Spartolus. The city was defended by a
force of hoplites and auxiliary troops that had been summoned from Olynthus, as
well as some peltasts (light infantry) from Chusis, the area to the north-west
of the city, and some light troops from Spartolus. When the Athenians arrived
outside the city the defenders sallied out to meet them. The Athenian hoplites
defeated the hoplites and auxiliaries from Olynthus, who were forced to retreat
back into the city. Elsewhere the local cavalry and light troops defeated their
Athenian equivalents, but this first phase of the battle ended with the
Athenians still holding their ground close to the city. According to Thucydides
more peltasts arrived from Olynthus just after the end of this first
engagement. Encouraged by the arrival of the new troops the light troops from
Spartolus launched a new attack on the Athenians. The Athenians close to the
city were forced to retreat back towards the troops who had been left to guard
their baggage. The resulting battle demonstrated one potential weakness of a
hoplite army. Every time the Athenian hoplites attempted to charge their
opponents the lighter peltasts melted away, and the moment the Athenians began
to retreat they were subjected to a hail of javelins, as well as repeated
cavalry charges. Eventually the Athenian formations broke, and the survivors
fled in some disorder back to Potidaea. The Athenians suffered very heavily
casualties during this battle, with 430 men and all of the generals killed.
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