Battle of Gythium

A map of the southern Peloponnese.

Date	195 BC
Location	Gytheio in Mani, Greece.
Result	Allied Victory

Belligerents

Sparta

Rome,
Achaean League,
Rhodes,
Pergamum,
Macedon

Commanders and leaders

Dexagoridas, †
Gorgopas

Titus Quinctius Flamininus,
Eumenes II of Pergamum

Strength

About 50,000 men

The Battle of Gythium was fought in 195 BC between Sparta and the coalition of Rome, Rhodes, the Achaean League and Pergamum. As the port of Gythium was an important Spartan base the allies decided to capture it before they advanced inland to Sparta. The Romans and the Achaeans were joined outside the city by the Pergamese and Rhodian fleets. The Spartans held out but one of the joint commanders, Dexagoridas, decided to surrender the city to the Roman legate. When Gorgopas, the other commander, found out, he killed Dexagoridas and took solo command of the city. After Dexagoridas' murder the Spartans held out more vigorously. However, Titus Quinctius Flamininus of the allied forces arrived with 4,000 more men and the Spartans decided to surrender the city on the condition that the garrison could leave unharmed. The result of this battle forced Nabis, the tyrant of Sparta, to abandon the surrounding land and withdraw to the city of Sparta. Later that year, Sparta capitulated to the allies.

The Macedonians had been defeated in the Second Macedonian War in 197 BC which left the Spartans in control of Argos. This Spartan gain was a setback for the Achaean League who had been trying to incorporate Sparta into their league for many years. The Romans had won the Second Macedonian War and it left them in control of Greek affairs. However, they decided not to occupy Greece but to garrison some cities for five years. The tyrant of Sparta, Nabis, who had declared himself king, was troubling the Achaean League and was also threatening to destroy the peace in Greece.

In 195 BC, Flamininus summoned his army in Greece and that of his allies at Plataea in Boeotia. He then marched from Plataea to Argos where he was joined by 10,000 Achean infantry and 1,000 cavalry. After a few brief skirmishes, the allies decided to abandon the siege and they pitched in Tegea. They then advanced upon Caryae where they were joined by 1,500 Macedonians and 400 Thessalian cavalry.

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