Epaminondas
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 parties at all. He would stay home naked while his cloak was being cleaned. Vegetarian.
Killed at the battle of Mantinea, even as he won, his last words were "Make peace, for you have no Generals left".
I think he is one of the greatest men ever. 27 years after his death, Thebes was utter destroyed.
Pelopidas was in command of the Sacred Band, 300 lovers who were the fiercest and best unit in Greek history. They made mincemeat of their opponents.
The freed Spartan slaves immediately built the massive city of Megalopolis. It is still extant. The Spartans had to watch as Epaminondas and his army devastated the land around their city without walls, which the Theban did not enter into, no doubt because he felt he did not need to. Alexander leveled Thebes for revolting against his rule.
Except for Epaminondas, freedom in Greece meant the freedom to attack and enslave other Greeks. The Romans under T. Quintius Flaminius put an end to their bullshit forever.
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 parties at all. He would stay home naked while his cloak was being cleaned. Vegetarian.
Killed at the battle of Mantinea, even as he won, his last words were "Make peace, for you have no Generals left".
I think he is one of the greatest men ever. 27 years after his death, Thebes was utter destroyed.
Pelopidas was in command of the Sacred Band, 300 lovers who were the fiercest and best unit in Greek history. They made mincemeat of their opponents.
The freed Spartan slaves immediately built the massive city of Megalopolis. It is still extant. The Spartans had to watch as Epaminondas and his army devastated the land around their city without walls, which the Theban did not enter into, no doubt because he felt he did not need to. Alexander leveled Thebes for revolting against his rule.
Except for Epaminondas, freedom in Greece meant the freedom to attack and enslave other Greeks. The Romans under T. Quintius Flaminius put an end to their bullshit forever.
The uncropped version. Pelopidas has just said "Lakedaimonians", which I misspelled and then ran out of room It's not like a lot of people will read this so hey, fuck it!
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