Battle of Sybota facts for kids

The Battle of Sybota happened in 433 BC between Corcyra (which is now called Corfu) and Corinth. This battle was one of the main reasons that led to the big Peloponnesian War.

Why Did the Battle Happen?

Corinth and Corcyra had a long-standing disagreement. Corcyra used to be a colony of Corinth. But Corcyra no longer wanted Corinth to control it. You can learn more about this in the Affair of Epidamnus.

Corcyra had a very strong navy. It was the third largest navy in all of Greece at that time. Because of the trouble with Corinth, Corcyra decided to become friends with Athens. Athens was a rival of Corinth. Corinth, on the other hand, was allied with Sparta.

Athens sent ten ships to help Corcyra's navy. The Athenian ships were told not to fight unless Corinth tried to land troops on Corcyra. Meanwhile, Corinth gathered a large fleet of ships. Their commander was Xenoclides. They planned to sail to Corcyra.

Preparing for Battle

Corcyra's fleet was led by Miciades, Aisimides, and Eurybatus. They set up their base at the Sybota islands. The Athenian commanders, Lacedaimonius (who was the son of Cimon), Diotimus, and Proteas, joined them.

Corcyra had 110 ships. With the 10 ships from Athens, they had 120 ships in total. Corinth had an even bigger fleet of 150 ships.

When the Corinthian ships arrived, both sides got ready to fight. The Corcyraean ships formed a line. The Athenian ships were on the right side. The rest of the Corcyraean ships were in three groups. The Corinthian ships also formed a line. Their allies from Megara and Ambracia were on the right. The Corinthians were on the left. Their other allies were in the middle.

How They Fought at Sea

Both sides had soldiers called hoplites on their ships. They also had archers and people who threw javelins. It was an "old-fashioned" way of fighting, as one historian described it. Instead of crashing into and sinking other ships, they tried to board the enemy ships. This meant they would jump onto the other ship and fight hand-to-hand. It was like a land battle, but happening at sea!

The Athenian ships did not join the fight right away. This was because the Corinthians had not tried to land on Corcyra.

The Battle Unfolds

The Corcyraean ships on their left side fought very well. They pushed back the Corinthian ships on the right. They chased them all the way back to their camp on the coast. The Corcyraeans then burned the Corinthian camp.

However, the Corinthian ships on their left side were more successful. They were winning against the Corcyraeans. The Athenian ships then had to join the battle to help their friends. Even with Athens' help, the Corinthians won this part of the battle. They sailed through the destroyed ships. They often killed people who were still alive instead of taking them prisoner. They even accidentally killed some of their own allies who had been defeated earlier. But they did capture some prisoners.

After the Fighting

The Corcyraeans and Athenians went back to Corcyra. They wanted to protect their island. When the Corinthians arrived, they quickly turned back. This was because 20 more Athenian ships were on their way. These new ships were led by Glaucon.

The next day, the new Athenian ships warned the Corinthians. They said they would fight again if Corinth tried to land on Corcyra. The Corinthians decided to leave completely. They did not want to risk another battle.

Both Corinth and Corcyra said they won the battle. Corinth won the first part of the fight. But Corcyra stopped Corinth from taking over their island.

Soon after this battle, Athens and Corinth fought again. This happened at the Battle of Potidaea. This led to Sparta officially declaring war. This was the start of the big Peloponnesian War.

More to Explore

• Diodorus Siculus
• Plutarch
• Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
• Xenophon, Hellenica
• Aristophanes, Lysistrata