Battle of Naupactus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Naupactus
Part of the Peloponnesian War
Date 429 BC Location Off Naupactus Result Athenian victory
Belligerents
Athens	Peloponnesians (Corinth, Sparta)
Commanders and leaders
Phormio	Cnemus, Brasidas, Timocrates †, Lycophron, Machaon, Isocrates, Agatharchidas
Strength
20 ships	77 ships
Casualties and losses
1 ship captured	At least 1 ship sunk, 6 ships captured

The Battle of Naupactus was an important sea battle during the Peloponnesian War. It happened in 429 BC, about a week after the Athenians won another battle at Rhium. In this battle, 20 Athenian ships led by Phormio faced off against 77 Peloponnesian ships led by Cnemus.

The Peloponnesians tried to trick the Athenians. They sailed into the Gulf of Corinth, pretending to attack the important Athenian base at Naupactus. The Athenians had to follow them to protect their base. The Peloponnesians then suddenly attacked, pushing nine Athenian ships onto the shore. They chased the other Athenian ships towards Naupactus. It looked like the Peloponnesians were going to win easily.

However, at the entrance to Naupactus harbor, the last Athenian ship did something amazing. It circled around a merchant ship that was anchored there. Then, it suddenly turned and rammed the leading Peloponnesian ship, sinking it! This surprised and confused the Peloponnesian fleet. The Athenians, feeling brave again, quickly turned around and defeated the Peloponnesians.

The Athenians got back all but one of their ships that had been pushed ashore. They also captured six Peloponnesian ships. This unexpected victory helped Athens keep control of the sea. It also kept Naupactus safe. Soon after, 20 more Athenian ships arrived, making their victory even stronger. This stopped Sparta's plan to attack in the Northwest.

Before the Battle: Sparta's Plan

In 429 BC, the government of Sparta wanted to attack the Corinthian Gulf and northwestern Greece. Their goal was to make some of Athens' allies leave the Peloponnesian War. Sparta especially hoped to capture Naupactus, an Athenian base. From Naupactus, the Athenians had been bothering ships from Corinth.

However, Sparta's plan started badly. Their commander, Cnemus, was defeated on land by the Acarnanians at Stratus. At sea, a Peloponnesian fleet of 47 ships was beaten by Phormio's 20 ships at Rhium. The Spartan government was very upset by these losses. They sent several advisors, including the skilled Brasidas, to help Cnemus.

Meanwhile, Phormio asked Athens for more ships. Athens sent 20 ships, but they were first ordered to go to Crete. Because of this, they did not arrive in time for the battle.

Cnemus and his advisors gathered a large fleet of 77 ships. These ships included those that had fought at Stratus and Rhium, plus new ships from Sparta's allies. This big fleet sailed to Panormus in Achaea, where they met up with their soldiers. Phormio moved his 20 ships to Antirrhium, across the strait from the Peloponnesians. From this spot, he could stop the enemy fleet if it tried to sail into the open sea. If he let them escape, Athens would lose its control of the sea.

The Battle Begins: A Clever Trap

The two fleets were anchored across the strait from each other. The Peloponnesians wanted to start the fight before the Athenian reinforcements arrived. After about a week, the Spartan commanders led their fleet eastward into the Corinthian Gulf.

The Athenians had won their previous battle in the open sea, where their ships could move more easily. They did not want to fight in the narrow waters of the Gulf. But they had to follow the Peloponnesians to protect Naupactus, which had no soldiers guarding it.

The 20 Athenian ships entered the gulf sailing in a single line along the northern shore. Soldiers from Naupactus marched along the shore next to them. On the southern shore, the Peloponnesian fleet sailed in four lines, parallel to the shore. The 20 fastest and best Peloponnesian ships were on the right side. Their job was to stop the Athenians from escaping when the attack began.

When Cnemus saw the Athenians sailing in a single line in the gulf, he gave the signal to attack. The Peloponnesian fleet immediately turned and raced across the gulf towards the Athenians.

The Turning Point: A Surprise Move

The Athenians tried to escape. Only the first eleven ships managed to get past the Peloponnesian right side and flee towards Naupactus. The other nine Athenian ships were trapped, pushed onto the shore, and captured. The 20 elite Peloponnesian ships then chased after the eleven fleeing Athenian ships.

Ten Athenian ships reached Naupactus safely. They positioned themselves at the harbor entrance, facing outwards, ready to defend. The last Athenian ship was still fleeing towards the harbor, with the Peloponnesians close behind. The Peloponnesian sailors were already cheering, thinking they had won.

But then, the Athenian captain did something unexpected. His ship came alongside a merchant ship anchored outside the harbor. He used the merchant ship to protect his sides while he quickly turned his own ship around. He spun his ship 270 degrees and rammed the leading Peloponnesian ship right in its side, sinking it!

Even though the Peloponnesians still had many more ships, this single action changed everything. It made the Peloponnesian crews lose heart and made the Athenians feel brave again. Confusion spread among the Peloponnesians. Some rowers in the leading ships stopped rowing, letting the main fleet catch up. This left them still and easy targets. Other Peloponnesian ships ran aground because their captains did not know the coastline well.

The ten Athenian ships waiting in the harbor rushed out and joined the attack. The Peloponnesians were quickly defeated. The Athenians captured six Peloponnesian ships during the chase. They also got back all but one of their own ships that had been captured earlier. Both sides claimed victory, but it was clear who had won. The Peloponnesians feared the arrival of the Athenian reinforcements. They secretly retreated to Corinth a few days after the battle, under the cover of darkness. The Athenians continued to control Naupactus and the Gulf.

After the Battle: Athens Stays Strong

The Athenian victory at Naupactus stopped Sparta's attempts to challenge Athens' power in the Corinthian Gulf and the Northwest. It made sure Athens remained strong at sea. If Athens had lost this battle, they would have lost their important base in the Corinthian Gulf. This would have encouraged the Peloponnesians to try more attacks at sea.

In 428 BC, the Spartans were still so worried about their defeats by Phormio that they did not send any help to Mytilene, an Athenian city that had rebelled. In 427 BC, when they finally did send a fleet, their commander was so afraid of being caught by the Athenians at sea that he fled home without doing anything.