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Battle of Sybota

Battle of Sybota
Part of the Peloponnesian War
Date 433 BC
Location Off Corcyra
Result Stalemate. Both Corinth and Corcyra claim victory.
Belligerents
Corcyra,
Athens
Corinth
Commanders and leaders
Miciades,
Aisimides,
Eurybatus,
Lacedaimonius,
Diotimus,
Proteas
Xenoclides
Strength
110 Corcyraean ships,
10 Athenian ships
150 ships
Casualties and losses
70 ships destroyed,
1000+ captured,
many killed
30 ships destroyed,
many killed

The Battle of Sybota (Ancient Greek: Σύβοτα) took place in 433 BC between Corcyra (modern Corfu) and Corinth, and was, according to Thucydides, the largest naval battle between Greek city states until that time. It was one of the immediate catalysts for the Peloponnesian War.

Corinth had been in dispute with Corcyra, an old Corinthian colony which no longer wanted to remain under Corinthian influence. Corcyra, which had the second largest navy in Greece at the time, allied itself with Athens, an enemy of Corinth (as Corinth was allied with Sparta). Athens sent ten ships to Corcyra to reinforce the Corcyraean fleet, with instructions not to fight the Corinthian fleet unless they attempted to land on the island. Corinth, meanwhile, assembled a fleet of ships under the command of Xenoclides and prepared to sail to Corcyra.

Corcyra gathered a fleet under Miciades, Aisimides and Eurybatus, who made the Sybota islands their base of operations. The Athenian commanders, Lacedaimonius (the son of Cimon), Diotimus, and Proteas, sailed with them. Corcyra had 110 ships, plus the additional 10 provided by Athens, while Corinth had 150 ships. When the Corinthian ships arrived, the Corcyraeans formed their line of battle, with the Athenians on the right and their own ships making up the rest of the line in three squadrons. The Corinthian ships were lined up with the Megarans and Ambraciots on the right, the Corinthians on the left, and the remainder of their allies in the centre. Both sides fought with hoplites on their ships, along with archers and javelin-throwers, in a manner Thucydides calls "old-fashioned." Instead of ramming and sinking the other ships, both sides attempted to board their opponents' ships and fight what was essentially a land battle at sea. The Athenian ships, although they were part of the line, did not at first join the battle, as the Corinthians had not attempted to land.


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