Battle of Naxos

In 378 BC. er The Boeotian war began when Athens supported Thebes in their war against Sparta. At the same time, the Second Athenian Maritime Union was formed, aimed at overthrowing the Spartan hegemony in the Aegean Sea. With the Allies in cash, Athens built a fleet of 100 Trier , enlarged the army with mercenaries and became quite an impressive force in the Balkans.

The Spartans were forced to send their fleet against the resurgent Athens. In 376 BC. er the Athenian fleet under the command of Khabriya was operating in the Aegean Sea against the Spartan squadron of Pollid. Habrius opposed the allied Spartans of the city of Naxos , staffing the fleet with Athenian citizens (and not mercenaries, as was already the case), laid siege to him and began an assault. With the appearance of the Spartans from the island of Paros, Habrii advanced his ships against them.

Two fleets lined up and came together in battle. Pollid, who commanded the right wing of the Spartan fleet, attacked the flank of the Athenians, commanded by Kedon, who opposed him, killed the Athenian commander, inflicted sensitive losses on the Athenians and began to crush them. Habrii sent reinforcements to the retreating flank in time, simultaneously attacking the Spartans along the whole battle line.

Soon the Spartans were defeated and fled. Mindful of the fate of the Athenian strategists after their victory in the Battle of the Arginus Islands , Habrii refrained from pursuing fleeing Spartans. He began to rescue the Athenian sailors - they took the living aboard, and gave them to the dead for burial.

Having lost 18 of their Trier in battle, sinking 24 Spartan ships and eight having captured with the whole crew, Habrii sailed with prey to Piraeus.

The victory won by Habry inspired the Athenians, since it was their first naval battle, which they won after the Peloponnesian War , fighting against the Greeks on their own, without any support. Habrius brought considerable booty to Athens (49 triremes, 3 thousand prisoners and 160 talents). He met an enthusiastic reception of citizens, and in memory of the victory set the annual distribution of wine to the Athenians on the sixteenth day of the Boedromion.

This victory strengthened the Second Athenian Maritime Union, to which new cities began to join. Spartan garrisons were expelled from everywhere, and the Athenian fleet, concentrating around the Peloponnese, inclined many communities on the western coast of Greece to join the new alliance.

The Spartans, having been defeated, temporarily abandoned the confrontation with Athens, directing their forces against Thebes.

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