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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