v16_0043 - BEOTIA - THEBES Statère

BEOTIA - THEBES

(5th - 4th century BC)

Thebes was Athens' great rival. During the Peloponnesian War (431-404 AC.), she was an ally of Sparta. It dominated Greece, thanks to the strategist Epaminondas who, after the liberation of Thebes in 379 BC, successively triumphed over Sparta at Leuctra (371 AC.) and Corinth (369 AC.) before finding death at Mantinea (362 AC.). After this date, Philip II of Macedonia imposes his domination over Boeotia. Thebes was crushed in 338 BC at Chéronée where Alexander cut his teeth. The city is destroyed three years later.