The second Battle of Mantinea took place in Ancient Greece in 362 BC. It was fought between the Spartans and the Thebans near Mantinea, Arcadia, Peloponnese peninsula. During that time, the city-State of Thebes, under Epaminondas, exerted the political hegemony over all the other Greek cities, until the Spartans rose up against this hegemonic power.
In order to put down the rebellion, General Epaminondas led the Theban Army, marching to Arcadia, with a fighting force of about 27,000 men. There, at Mantinea, the Spartan Army, under Agesilaus II, was waiting for them. The Spartans had been reinforced with Athenians, Aleans, and other Arcadian cities forces, totaling 23,000 men.
General Epaminondas used the same slanted formation he had utilized at Leuctra. However, this time the maneuver was not as effective, with the battle ending in a draw after fierce fighting. Both sides claimed the victory as it could not be told who really won and the exact number of casualties. What was historically recorded for certain was that Epaminondas was killed in action.
Below, map of Ancient Greece, with the site of the battle of Mantinea being marked with a red dot.
