The Corinthian War
Sparta's victory over Athens in the Peloponnesian War (404 BCE) left it the dominant power in Greece, but its heavy-handed leadership -- installing puppet oligarchies and garrisons in former Athenian allies -- alienated the very cities that had helped defeat Athens. Corinth, resentful at being denied a share of the spoils and threatened by Sparta's growing power, took the lead in forming an anti-Spartan coalition with Athens (rebuilding after its defeat), Thebes, and Argos in 395 BCE. Persia, alarmed at Spartan support for a rebel satrap and eager to see the Greek cities weaken each other, funded the anti-Spartan coalition -- the same Persian gold that had earlier funded Sparta's victory over Athens now funded Sparta's enemies. The war saw major battles at Corinth's own territory, Nemea, and Coronea, plus a decisive naval victory for the Persian-Athenian fleet under Conon at Cnidus in 394 BCE that destroyed Spartan naval power built up during the Peloponnesian War. The war ground on inconclusively until Sparta, seeking to detach Persia from the coalition, agreed to the King's Peace of 387 BCE: Persia would receive nominal 'freedom' guarantees over the Greek cities of Asia Minor in exchange for recognising Spartan leadership on the mainland. It was a humiliating admission that Greek disunity had let their historic Persian enemy dictate terms to them.
- Year: 395 BCE
- Category: Military
