The Spartan Defeat at Orchomenus

THE pattern of the Arcado-Spartan relations which existed in the period before the rise of the Peloponnesian League, and which, according to Herodotus (1.65.1; 66-68) were largely responsible for that event, is clear enough in its general outline, but greatly lacking in detail. In these circumstances, the allegation of a Spartan defeat by the Arcadians at Orchomenus, at such a date that it was supposed to have been foretold by the Cretan seer Epimenides, has obviously called for consideration, despite the slightness of the available evidence. So far as I am aware, no explanation has as yet been offered which has been wholly successful in placing this affair satisfactorily in its context, and indeed it may well be that a definitive solution of the problem is unobtainable. Nevertheless it seems perhaps worth while to see whether a further scrutiny can offer any useful suggestions. The evidence consists of a passage of Diogenes' Life of Epimenides,' and is as follows

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• The Peace of Nicias

  Open Access•Paul A Rahe•Making of Peace•2008

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