Battle of Hysiae (c.669 BC) facts for kids

The Battle of Hysiae was an important fight that happened around 669 BC. It took place near a town called Hysiae in an area of ancient Greece known as the Argolis. This battle was a big victory for the city of Argos against their powerful rivals, Sparta. It was one of the few times Sparta faced a major defeat from their neighbors.

What Happened at Hysiae?

Ancient writer Pausanias wrote about this battle. He said it was a major win for Argos. Pausanias didn't share many details about the fight itself. However, he did see the burial place of the Argive soldiers who died in the battle.

Historians believe the battle happened because Sparta was trying to invade the Argolis region. Hysiae was a strong fort located southwest of Argos. It was also close to the border with Sparta. The Argives likely chose this location to stop the Spartan invasion.

Why Was This Battle Important?

This battle might have changed military history forever! Before Hysiae, armies often fought in loose groups. But after their defeat, the Spartans may have changed how they fought. They started using a new formation called the phalanx.

A phalanx was a tight group of soldiers called hoplites. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, holding large shields and long spears. This formation was very strong and hard to break. The Argives might have already been using an early version of the phalanx. This could have given them an advantage over the Spartans. The phalanx became a key part of warfare in the ancient world for centuries.

How Do We Know About This Battle?

Most of what we know about the Battle of Hysiae comes from Pausanias. He wrote about it about 800 years after it happened. It's important not to confuse this battle with another one that happened at Hysiae in 417 BC. That later battle was recorded by a different historian, Thucydides.

Pausanias wrote:

Here are common graves of the Argives who conquered the Lacedaemonians in battle at Hysiae. This fight took place, I discovered, when Peisistratus was archon at Athens, in the fourth year of the twenty-seventh Olympiad, in which the Athenian, Eurybotus, won the foot-race. On coming down to a lower level you reach the ruins of Hysiae, which once was a city in Argolis, and here it is that they say the Lacedaemonians suffered their reverse.

The date Pausanias gives, the fourth year of the twenty-seventh Olympiad, matches up with 669 or 668 BC. Some historians think the Argive leader Pheidon might have been in charge during this battle. Pheidon was known for his military success. However, the exact dates for Pheidon's rule are not certain. Some scholars even wonder if the Battle of Hysiae was invented by the Argives or if Pausanias misunderstood what he heard.