EPAMINON'DAS, the most eminent of Theban generals and statesmen, and one who for a long period elevated his country to the highest point of honor and prosperity, was b. 414 B. c. He was descended from an ancient but impoverished family, and led a retired life till his 40th year, profiting by the instructions of Lysis the Pythagorean, who inspired him with enthusiasm for the elevated ideas which it was the object of his life to realize. E. first becomes prominent during the period when the Lacedemonians garrisoned the citadel of Thebes, and kept the inhabitants in subjection. Though he took no part in the desperate but successful stratagem by which his fellow-citizens recovered the Cadmeia in 379 B.C., lie stepped forward immediately after into the ranks of the patriots; and when sent to Sparta in 371 B.C. , along with several others, in order to negotiate a peace between the two countries, E. displayed as much firmness and dig nity as eloquence in the debate which ensued upon the question whether Thebes should ratify the treaty in the name of all Bceotia, the result of which ratification would have been equivalent to a recognition of her claim to supremacy over the Boeotian towns. To this the Lacedemonians demurred, and the war was again resumed; E. was appointed commander-in-chief; and, in conjunction with his friend Pelopidas, with an army of 6,000 men, defeated double that number of the enemy at Leuctra (371 B. C.). Two years later, he and Pelopidas marched into the Peloponuesus, incited several of the allied tribes to fall away from Sparta, and then turned his arms against that city, which, how ever, was bravely defended by Agesilaus. On his return to Thebes, E. was accused of
having violated the laws of his country, by retaining the supreme power in his bands beyond the time appointed by law ; but was acquitted in consequence of his open and animated defense. In the spring of 368 B.c., the war was renewed with increased fury between Thebes and Sparta, and E. once more marched into the Peloponnesus, but did not accomplish much; and on his return home, received a check from Chabrias at Corinth. To atone for this unsuccessful uudertaking, he advanced with, 33,000 men into Arcadia, and joined battle with the main body of the enemy near Mantineia, in the year 362 B.C. E., at the head of his troops, succeeded in breaking the Spartan phalanx, but was mor tally wounded in the breast by a javelin. Being told by the physicians that he would die as soon as the weapon was extracted, on receiving intelligence that the Bceotians had gained the victory, he is said to have torn out the javelin with his own hand, exclaim ing: " I have lived long enough." His moral purity, justice, and clemency are extolled by the ancients as much as his military talents; and it is expressly recorded of him, that he never told a lie, even in jest. Compare Bauch Epamiaondas and Thebens Kampf um, die Llegemouie (Breslau, 1834); Pomtow, Das Leben des E. (1870).