First Olympian War

The First Olynthian War (simplified: Olynthian War ) was a dispute between Sparta and the Olynthian League of Cities of the Chalkidike ( Chalkidikischer Bund ) in the years 382 BC. BC to 379 BC Chr.

The Peace of Antalkidas in 387 BC In principle, BC guaranteed autonomy to all Greek cities , but Sparta also used this peace as a tool to enforce its hegemonic position in Greece by interpreting the autonomy clause in such a way that any union of Poleis into a federation was forbidden. Not only was the revival of the Attic League impossible, the Boeotian League was also to be dissolved, as was the Chalkidik Bund in northern Greece, where several cities had united with Olynthus in a league.

The 432 BC The Chalcidian federation, founded in the first years of the 4th century, expanded into the heart of the kingdom of Macedonia . The increasing power of the Chalcidian League and especially its capital, Olynth (os), even let the Macedonian capital Pella fall into the hands of the forces of the Chalcidian League. In continuation of these expansion efforts, the Chalcidian federation under the leadership of Olynths intended to induce the cities of Apollonia and Akanthos to join the federation or to subject them to the rule of the federation. However, both cities refused. The refusal to join the Chalkidik Bund by Apollonia and Akanthos prompted Olynthus to threaten war against the two cities. These in turn turned for help in 383 BC. To Sparta. Sparta decided then, also under the influence of the ambassador of the Macedonian king Amyntas III. , for military intervention against Olynthus (os) and the Chalcidic League. Eudamidas was set on march with 2000 hoplites towards Chalkidiki.

The Spartan forces under Eudamidas were initially able to defend both Apollonia and Akanthos. After a successful defense, the Spartan troops turned against Olynthus and were supported by Macedonian troops. Nevertheless, the capture of Olynths initially failed. Initially the Olynther had the support of Thebes . However, this could not even prevent the march of the Spartian troops through Boeotia . Rather, under Spartan pressure, the Theban government changed, so that the support of Olynth by Thebes was dropped. Despite this military shift in power to the detriment of Olynth and the Chalkidik League, Olynth did not fall at first, but successfully resisted, with the Olympian cavalry in particular being said to have distinguished itself.

After the death of the Spartan king Agesipolis I in 379 BC, the Spartan general Polybiades pushed for it . The decision in favor of Sparta by a close siege of the city of Olynth with the cutting of all its supply and supply lines. The onset of a lack of supplies forced Olynth and the Chalkidik Bund to surrender in the same year after a three-year war. As a result of the war, the Chalkidik Bund was dissolved, most of the cities of the Chalkidike and the Chalcidic Confederation came under the suzerainty of the Macedonian King Amyntas III. A government was set up in Olynthus by the Spartan king Agesilaus II .

One last time Sparta successfully demonstrated its power under King Agesilaus II, before the resistance of the Boeotian League under Thebes put an end to its hegemony shortly afterwards ( Battle of Leuctra , 371 BC).

Macedonia's attack on Olynthus in 348 BC BC is also often referred to as the (second) Olynthian War.

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↑ Sir Walter Raleigh: The Works of Sir Walter Raleigh. Volume V. The history of the world. Books III. and IV . Oxford University Press, 1829.
^ Wilhelm Pütz, Thomas Kerchever Arnold : Manual of Ancient Geography & History. D. Appleton & Co. 1885. p. 153. Reprint by: Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library (December 21, 2005). ISBN 1-4255-4670-6
^ William Smith, Cornelius Conway Felton: A History of Greece: from earliest times to the Roman conquest, with supplementary chapters on the history of literature and art. RB Collins, 1855.
^ William Smith, Cornelius Conway Felton: A History of Greece: from earliest times to the Roman conquest, with supplementary chapters on the history of literature and art. RB Collins, 1855.

[1] Sir Walter Raleigh: The Works of Sir Walter Raleigh. Volume V. The history of the world. Books III. and IV . Oxford University Press, 1829.

[2] Wilhelm Pütz, Thomas Kerchever Arnold : Manual of Ancient Geography & History. D. Appleton & Co. 1885. p. 153. Reprint by: Scholarly Publishing Office, University of Michigan Library (December 21, 2005). ISBN 1-4255-4670-6

[3] William Smith, Cornelius Conway Felton: A History of Greece: from earliest times to the Roman conquest, with supplementary chapters on the history of literature and art. RB Collins, 1855.

[4] William Smith, Cornelius Conway Felton: A History of Greece: from earliest times to the Roman conquest, with supplementary chapters on the history of literature and art. RB Collins, 1855.