in Ancient Geography, a town of Boeotia, to the west of Thebes, or lying between Plateae and Thebeia, where the Lacedemonians had a great defeat given them by Epaminondas and Pelopidas, the Theban generals. The Theban army consisted of most but of 6000 men, whereas that of the enemy was at least thrice that number; but Epaminondas trusted most in his horse, wherein he had much the advantage, both in their quality and good management; the rest he endeavoured to supply by the disposition of his men, and the vigour of the attack. He even refused to suffer any to serve under him in the engagement, but such as he knew to be fully resolved to conquer or die. He put himself at the head of the left wing, opposite to Cleombrotus king of Sparta, and placed the main strength of the battle there; rightly concluding, that if he could break the body of the Spartans, which was but 12 men deep, whereas his own was 50, the rest would be soon put to flight. He closed his own with the sacred band, which was commanded by Pelopidas; and placed his horse in the front. His right, from which he had drawn so many men, he ordered to fall back, in a slanting line, as if they declined to fight, that they might not be too much exposed to the enemy, and might serve him for a corps of reserve in case of need. This was the wise disposition which the two Theban generals made of these few but resolute forces; and which succeeded in every part, according to their wish. Epaminondas advanced with his left wing, extending it obliquely, in order to draw the enemy's right from the main body; and Pelopidas charged them with such desperate speed and fury, at the head of his battalion, before they could reunite, that their horse, not being able to stand the shock, were forced back upon their infantry, which threw the whole into the greatest confusion: so that though the Spartans were of all the Greeks the most expert in recovering from any surprise, yet their skill on this occasion either failed them or proved of no effect; for the Thebans, observing the dreadful impression they had made on them with their horde, pushed furiously upon the Spartan king, and opened their way to him with a great slaughter.

Upon the death of Cleombrotus, and several officers of note, the Spartans, according to custom, renewed the fight with double vigour and fury, not so much to revenge his death as to recover his body, which was such an established point of honour as they could not give up without the greatest disgrace. But here the Theban general wisely chose rather to gratify them in that point, than to hazard the success of a second onset; and left them in possession of their king, whilst he marched straight against their other wing, commanded by Archidamus, and consisted chiefly of such auxiliaries and allies as had not heartily engaged in the Spartan interest; there were so discouraged by the death of the king and the defeat of that wing, that they betook themselves to flight, and were presently followed by the rest of the army. The Thebans, however, pursued them so closely, that they made a second dreadful slaughter among them; which completed Epaminondas's victory, who remained master of the field, and erected a trophy in memory of it. This was the conclusion of the famed battle of Leuctra, in which the Lacedemonians lost 4000 men, and the Thebans but 300.