Sphacteria

{{short description|Small island in Greece, site of three battles}}

{{Infobox islands

|name = Sphacteria

|native_name = Σφακτηρία

|native_name_lang = el

|image_name = Sfakteria.jpg

|image_caption = Sphacteria from Pylos

|coordinates = {{coord|36|55|48.49|N|21|39|56.61|E|region:GR_type:isle_scale:500000|display=inline,title}}

|locator_map =

|location =

|archipelago =

|total_islands =

|area_km2 = 3.2

|highest_mount =

|elevation_m =

|country = Greece

|country_admin_divisions_title = Region

|country_admin_divisions = Peloponnese

|country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Regional unit

|country_admin_divisions_1 = Messenia

|country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Municipality

|country_admin_divisions_2 =

|country_capital =

|population = 0

|population_as_of = 2011

|density_km2 = 0

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}}

Sphacteria ({{langx|el|Σφακτηρία}} - Sfaktiria){{cite book|title=The new sailing directions for the Mediterranean sea, the Adriatic sea ... |last= Purdy|first=John|year=1826 |publisher=R.H. Laurie|location=London|pages=213}} also known as Sphagia (Σφαγία)[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.perseus-grc1:8.4.2 Strabo, Geography, 8.4.2] is a small island at the entrance to the bay of Pylos in the Peloponnese, Greece. It was the site of three battles:

• the 425 BC Battle of Sphacteria in the Peloponnesian war.{{Cite web |url=https://www.livius.org/pb-pem/peloponnesian_war/war_t02.html |title=Diodorus Siculus, 12.61-63 |access-date=2020-03-26 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202628/http://www.livius.org/pb-pem/peloponnesian_war/war_t02.html |url-status=dead }}
• the 1825 AD Battle of Sphacteria in the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire
• the 1827 AD Battle of Navarino, also in the Greek War of Independence

The shipwreck of the Irenes Serenade took place near the island in 1980.