In 418, the still young and inexperienced Spartan King Agis gathered up his Peloponnesian army and marched out to save Tegea, the fall of which would have seriously threatened Spartan dominance over the Peloponnesian League. The Argive coalition, consisting of the Mantineans, Argives, and Athenians (for the Eleans had briefly withdrawan thier 3,000 troops due to a differing opinion in policy on where to attack) was about 9,000 men, with the Spartan army about 10,000.
Agis wanted to force a battle, knowing that once the Eleans returned, he would be outnumbered. The allied forces had taken up a strong defensive position on Mount Alesion, content to wait it out until the Eleans returned, but Agis surprised everyone by making a desperate charge up thhe slopes of Mount Alesion. It was certain to meet disaster (for charging straight up a hill at a phalanx of almost equal size is never going to succeed) until one of his advisors stopped the charge right before they were in spear throwing range-and they pulled back.
So what if the charge had continued, and the Spartan army was crushed at Mantinea? The fall of Tegea would certainly soon follow. Sparta would be in a terrible strateic position, cut off from its allies and Messenia, where the Athenians were poised to encourage an all out Helot revolt. Spartan prestige would have taken a fatal blow, likely along with its hegemony. This would almost certainly have brought a victory in the greater war to the Athenians and its friends and allies, and Spartan hegemony over the Peloponnesian League would be just about done for.
Thoughts?
Agis wanted to force a battle, knowing that once the Eleans returned, he would be outnumbered. The allied forces had taken up a strong defensive position on Mount Alesion, content to wait it out until the Eleans returned, but Agis surprised everyone by making a desperate charge up thhe slopes of Mount Alesion. It was certain to meet disaster (for charging straight up a hill at a phalanx of almost equal size is never going to succeed) until one of his advisors stopped the charge right before they were in spear throwing range-and they pulled back.
So what if the charge had continued, and the Spartan army was crushed at Mantinea? The fall of Tegea would certainly soon follow. Sparta would be in a terrible strateic position, cut off from its allies and Messenia, where the Athenians were poised to encourage an all out Helot revolt. Spartan prestige would have taken a fatal blow, likely along with its hegemony. This would almost certainly have brought a victory in the greater war to the Athenians and its friends and allies, and Spartan hegemony over the Peloponnesian League would be just about done for.
Thoughts?