Battle of Mantinea (207 BC)

{{Short description|Sparta vs Achaean League, part of the First Macedonian War}}

{{Otheruses|Battle of Mantinea (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox military conflict|

conflict=Battle of Mantinea (207 BC)|

image= Peloponnesos.png|

caption=Map of Peloponnese,a peninsula of Greece.|

partof=the First Macedonian War|

date=207 BC|

place=Mantinea|

result=Achaean League victory|

combatant1=Achaean League|

combatant2=Sparta|

commander1=Philopoemen|

commander2=Machanidas †|

strength1= |

strength2= |

casualties1= |

casualties2=|

}}

{{Campaignbox First Macedonian War Battles}}

The Battle of Mantinea was fought in 207 BC between Sparta under the tyrant Machanidas, as part of the Aetolian League, and the Achaean League whose forces were led by Philopoemen.{{Cite book |last=Μανιατόπουλος |first=Πάνος |url=https://www.openbook.gr/maches-tis-mantineias/ |title=Μάχες της Μαντινείας (418 π.Χ. – 362 π.Χ. – 207 π.Χ.) |year=2021}} Both sides were supplemented by mercenaries.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} It was the major land battle in Greece of the First Macedonian War, which had occurred due to Macedonian alliance with Carthage in the aftermath of Hannibal's victory at the Battle of Cannae in the Second Punic War.

Machanidas and his mercenaries routed Philopoemen's mercenaries and chased them from the field. They pursued too eagerly. When Machanidas led his men back to the main battle the outnumbered Spartan infantry had been defeated and the Achaeans had entrechnced themselves behind a water filled ditch.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} Leading his men in an assault on the Achaeans, Machanidas fell from his horse as he attempted to leap over the ditch and was slain.{{Cite web |title=Ελληνιστικοί Χρόνοι |url=http://www.tegeamuseum.gr/el-gr/%CE%B1%CF%81%CF%87%CE%B1%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B5%CE%B3%CE%AD%CE%B1/%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82%CF%84%CE%B5%CE%B3%CE%AD%CE%B1%CF%82/%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%B7%CE%BD%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%AF%CF%87%CF%81%CF%8C%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%B9.aspx |access-date=2022-12-20 |website=www.tegeamuseum.gr}} The Achaeans, allies of Macedonia, were victorious.