Battle of Nemea - The Battle

The Battle

The Spartan army was composed of some 18,000-19,000 hoplites, with associated light troops; of the hoplites, 6,000 were Spartan, with the remainder coming from the other states of the Peloponnesian League. Specifically, 3,000 from the Eleans, Triphylians, Acrorians and Lasionians; 1,500 from Sicyon, and at least 3,000 from Epidaurus, Troezen, Hermione and Halieis. There was also a cavalry force of about 600, about 300 Cretan archers, and at least 400 Marganian, Letrinian and Amphidolian slingers. On the allied side were about 24,000 hoplites, and the associated light troops; Thebes, Athens, and Argos each provided about one quarter of the troops. Specifically, 6,000 hoplites from Athens, about 7,000 from Argos, 5,000 from the Boeotians, 3,000 from Corinth, and 3,000 from Euboea. Also for cavalry, 800 from Boeotians, 600 from Athens, about 100 from Chalcis in Euboea, and about 50 from the Ozolian Locrians.

The Spartans and their allies lined up for battle with the Spartans on the right and the allies on the left. The opposing coalition was divided over how to arrange themselves; the Athenians wanted to line up on the right, but ultimately had acceded to the demand of the Boeotians that they take the left, while the Boeotians took the right. This meant that the Athenians were opposite the Spartans, while the Boeotians and other allies faced the Spartans' allies.

As the two phalanxes closed for battle, both shifted to the right. (This was a common occurrence in hoplite battles—hoplites carried their shield on their left arm, so men would shift to the right to gain the protection of their neighbor's shield as well as their own.) This shift meant that, by the time the armies met, both of them extended past their opponents' left flank. Consequently, the right flanks of both armies were victorious, while the left flanks of both were defeated.

The Spartans then turned from their defeat of the Athenians to face the soldiers from the allied right wing who were returning from their pursuit of the Spartans' allies. The Spartan phalanx took first the Argives, then the Corinthians, and then the Boeotians in the side, inflicting heavy losses on all three. At the end of the day, the Spartans had inflicted 2,800 casualties, while suffering only 1,100.