At the Battle of Tegyra in 385 BC, a force of 300 Theban hoplites under Pelopidas cut their way through a larger Spartan force that had cut them off while they were marching back to Thebes. The battle marked the first clear defeat of a Spartan by a Theban force, and is often referred to as a "prelude to Leuctra." Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 430s BC 420s BC 410s BC 400s BC 390s BC - 380s BC - 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC Years: 390 BC 389 BC 388 BC 387 BC 386 BC - 385 BC - 384 BC 383 BC... For the ancient capital of Upper Egypt, see Thebes, Egypt. ... A hoplite armed with a spear. ... Pelopidas (d. ... Sparta (Σπάρτη) was a city in ancient Greece, whose territory included, in Classical times, all Laconia and Messenia, and which was the most powerful state of the Peloponnesus. ... Leuctra was a village of Boeotia in the territory of Thespiae, chiefly noticeable for the battle fought in its neighborhood in 371 BC between the Thebans and the Spartans and their allies. ...

At the start of the battle, when Pelopidas was told by a scout, "We are fallen into our enemy's hands," he is supposed to have replied, "And why not they into ours?," after which he led his troops forwards and put the Spartans to flight.

References

• Plutarch, Life of Pelopidas