Battle of Eretria

{{Short description|Naval battle between Sparta and Athens (411 BC)}} {{no footnotes|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox Military Conflict |image= |caption= |conflict=Battle of Eretria |partof= the [[Peloponnesian War]] |date=September 411 BC |place= off the coast of [[Euboea]] |result=[[Sparta]]n victory |combatant1=[[Athens]] |combatant2=[[Sparta]] |commander1=Unknown |commander2=[[Hegesandridas]] |strength1=36 ships |strength2=42 ships |casualties1=22 ships |casualties2=Minimal }} {{Campaignbox Peloponnesian War}}

The naval '''Battle of Eretria''', between [[Sparta]] and [[Athens]], took place in September 411 BC, off the coast of [[Euboea]].

== Background == During the spring of 411 BC, the [[Eretria]]ns drove the Athenians out of [[Oropos]] with the help of the [[Boeotia]]ns. This city was a strategic point for Athens because it allowed them to control all of Euboea. Moreover, all the commercial traffic was made through the city. The Eretrians would hope that Sparta would help them to end the Athenian rule on Euboea.

== Battle == By the end of the summer 411 BC, a large Spartan fleet sailed towards Euboea. The Athenians tried to prevent the Euboeans from switching sides by sending a squadron to Eretria under [[Thymochares]]. However, the Eretrians supported the Spartans. While the Athenians were in the harbour of Eretria in order to supply themselves, the Eretrians informed the Spartan [[admiral]] [[Hegesandridas]] by a signal fire that it was an appropriate time to attack. The Athenians hurriedly embarked but were defeated during the naval battle which followed with the Athenians losing 22 ships.<ref>Thucydides, viii.95.2-7; Xenophon, ''Hellenica'', i.1.1; Diodorus Siculus, xiii.36.4. See D. H. Kelly, ''Xenophon's Hellenika: a Commentary'' (ed. J. McDonald), Amsterdam, 2019, p. 67.</ref> The Athenians who tried to take refuge in Eretria were killed by the town's inhabitants. Only those who decided to go to the Athenian fort in Eretria (which was likely on the Pezonisi Peninsula) survived.

== Aftermath == Following the battle, almost all of Euboea switched sides. Then there was a huge debate as to whether the Athenians would take them back, ending up in a massacre of Eretrians.

==See also== *[[Siege of Eretria]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202030/http://www.unil.ch/esag/page26151.html Swiss School of Archeology]

[[Category:411 BC]] [[Category:410s BC conflicts]] [[Category:Naval battles of the Peloponnesian War|Eretria]] [[Category:Ancient Eretria]] [[Category:Naval battles involving ancient Athens|Eretria]] [[Category:Naval battles involving Sparta|Eretria]]