Athens lost control of Boeotia after this defeat, triggering revolts that contributed to the wider Peloponnesian War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 447 BC
- Athenian hoplites
- 1,000 plus allied troops
- Athenian commander
- Tolmides
- Outcome
- Boeotian League victory; Athens ceded Boeotia
- Conflict
- First Peloponnesian War
- Prior Athenian control of Boeotia
- Since 457 BC (Battle of Oenophyta)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After gaining control of Boeotia at the Battle of Oenophyta in 457 BC, Athens spent a decade consolidating power there. By 447 BC, exiled Boeotian leaders had returned and began recapturing towns, prompting Athens to dispatch a force under Tolmides to reassert control over the restive region.
Tolmides led roughly 1,000 Athenian hoplites and allied troops into Boeotia, capturing Chaeronea before being attacked by the Boeotian League at Coronea. The Boeotians defeated the Athenian force decisively, compelling Athens to negotiate a withdrawal in exchange for releasing Boeotia from the Delian League.
Athens was forced to relinquish Boeotia entirely. The defeat immediately sparked revolts on Euboea and in Megara, straining Athenian power and heightening tensions with Sparta, thereby accelerating the conditions that led to the broader Peloponnesian War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Tolmides.
Side B
1 belligerent