Battle of Dyme

A map of Achaea showing Dyme on the left.

Date	226 BC
Location	Dyme
Result	Decisive Spartan victory

Belligerents

Sparta

Achaean League

Commanders and leaders

Cleomenes III

Hyperbatas,
Aratus

Casualties and losses

Low

Heavy

The Battle of Dyme or Dymae was a battle that was fought by the Achaean League under the command of their Strategos, Hyperbatas and a Spartan army under the command of King Cleomenes III and was part of the Cleomenean War. The battle took in place near Dyme in north-west Achaea and was fought in 226 BC.

Following the declaration of war against Sparta by the Achaean League in around 229 BC-228 BC, the fighting between the two countries had almost been continuous. Cleomenes had crushed two Achaean armies under the command of Aratus of Sicyon at the Battle of Mount Lycaeum and at the Battle of Ladoceia in 227 BC.

After these victories, Cleomenes returned to Sparta and began radical reforms. He abolished the ephors, changed land laws, cancelled debt and he also changed his army into one of the Macedonian style. Following these reforms, Cleomenes with his reformed army answered to appeals from the city of Mantinea and after ridding it of its Achaean garrison advanced north into the Achaean heartland.

After advancing into Achaea, Cleomenes descended upon Pharae, a founding member of the league. His aim was to provoke a battle with the Achaeans or if they didn't come to meet him in battle, to discredit Aratus. The strategus at the time was, Hyperbatas, however Aratus had complete control of the League.

As Cleomenes was besieging the city of Dyme, the full Achean army came out to meet him. When Cleomenes saw them pitch camp, deciding not to battle the enemy while his rear was exposed to attacks from the garrison of Dyme, he advanced on the Achean position. In the pitched battle that followed, the Spartan phalanx routed the Achaean phalanx with the Achaeans sustaining heavy casualties and with many of the survivors being captured.

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