Mister Scribbles

     Epaminondas the night before the battle of Leuctra.  He will mass his best troops on his left, unheard of in Hoplite warfare, as he knows the Spartan elite will be opposite these.  If he can stomp the Spartans, their "allies" will run.  His one elite force on his right will be commanded by his friend Pelopidas.  This is the Sacred Band, 300 lovers picked for their looks and physique.  No kidding.  The Spartans are crushed, losing 700 irreplaceable soldiers and their king.  Sparta always had two kings so this would have been the one on the field.  I am sure that the olive oil flowed around the campfires that night!

     Epaminondas and his friend Pelopidas, of Thebes.  These two would change the balance of power in Greece forever, and pave the way for the subjection by Alexander.      By massing his forces on the left wing, unheard of in hoplite warfare, Epaminondas slammed into the Spartan line, broke it and the battle was over.  700 Spartan warriors were killed, a loss that seriously crippled the slave state.  Sparta never had more than 10,000 soldiers and could never mass all of them due to having to control their slaves.      Later he led the largest army ever raised in Greece and invaded Sparta.  He freed all slaves and broke Sparta to a local power.  In the winter.  Returning to Thebes, he was put on trial for his life for illegally keeping his army in the field past his mandate.  Acquitted.  When he was not being a general, he served in the ranks.      No fun at...