04-09-2008, 05:14 AM
It is reasonable to assume that the levy of homoi at Mantinea in 418 was a large one. Precise numbers I cannot give (at the office) but will endeavour to do so given time to consult the relevant work in the Library of Paralus at home.
It is often stated that Leuktra was the Spartan's "battle of the bulge" - the battle which opened Laconia to the enevitable end. This might well be so. What is not always understood is that Sparta faced exactly that prospect in 418. Alkibiades' inspired diplomatic engineering and agitation amongst Sparta's erstwhile allies and Argos had assembled the most dangerous coalition army to go into the field against Sparta in her history. Worse, this army took the field in the Peloponnese and just to the north of Laconia. For Sparta this battle was do or die. A loss in the field at Mantiniea will have laid open the direct route into Laconia for a victorious army.
If the Spartans at Mantinea numbered some 3,072, this would likely be not far off the total of the homoioi poulation of the time. Given the nature of the very real crisis, that is not surprising.
It is often stated that Leuktra was the Spartan's "battle of the bulge" - the battle which opened Laconia to the enevitable end. This might well be so. What is not always understood is that Sparta faced exactly that prospect in 418. Alkibiades' inspired diplomatic engineering and agitation amongst Sparta's erstwhile allies and Argos had assembled the most dangerous coalition army to go into the field against Sparta in her history. Worse, this army took the field in the Peloponnese and just to the north of Laconia. For Sparta this battle was do or die. A loss in the field at Mantiniea will have laid open the direct route into Laconia for a victorious army.
If the Spartans at Mantinea numbered some 3,072, this would likely be not far off the total of the homoioi poulation of the time. Given the nature of the very real crisis, that is not surprising.
Paralus|Michael Park
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
