Corinthian War

Name given by modern historians to the conflict of 395-387 BC fought between Sparta with allies and an alliance of Corinth, Athens, Boeotia, Argos, Euboea and the kingdom of Persia. It was so named because much of the war occurred in Corinthian territory.

The grand alliance was remarkable for combining traditional enemies in a united campaign against Spartan supremacy.

The background of the Corinthian War is Sparta’s victory over Athens on the huge Peloponnesian War (404 BC), and established herself as hegemon of the Greek world and marked the beginning of Sparta’s oppressive rule over all the Greek states, former friend and foe alike.

Corinth and Thebes rejected hegemony and openly refused to participate in Peloponnesian League activities. In 395 Thebes maneuvered Locris into conflict with Phocis, which was still an Ally of Sparta. The Spartan response, triggered what became the Corinthian War. Thebes, Corinth and Locris were joined by Athens, Argos and cities in Euboea and Thessaly against Sparta.

Sparta eventually won the war, but only after the Persian had switched support from Athens to Sparta. In fact, the winning side was the old combination that had proved victorious in the Peloponnesian War.

The treaty called King’s Peace which was signed in 387 BC, ending the Corinthian War.

The Corinthian War resulted in the appearance of several new features in relations between the Greeks and Persian, including , diplomacy by conference in the form of peace negotiation at Sardis and Sparta of 393-392 BC.
Corinthian War