This war was preceded by internecine wars in Persia. Back in 401 BC. the two brothers Artaxerxes and Cyrus claimed the throne. Cyrus turns to Sparta for help and gets the opportunity to recruit a mercenary army. Thirteen thousand Greeks went to Persia. In the same year, in the battle near Babylon, the entire army of Cyrus was completely defeated and he himself perishes. But in spite of everything, the Greek mercenaries were able to repel all enemy attacks and retreat from the battlefield. The ten thousandth army chose Xenophon, a philosopher and historian, and also close to Socrates, as its commander. This was the beginning of the famous "Trek of Ten Thousand."
The Greek mercenaries were able to repel all the attacks of the local tribes and, with small losses, reached Colchis, where they entered into a difficult battle with the local troops. During the campaign, the army moved in a rectangular position, in the form of a square, in the center of which they placed their carts, thereby protecting them from enemy attacks. But in the mountains, such a movement was difficult, then Xenophon split his army into small companies - lohoses. With such a strategy, he allowed his army to easily maneuver, and if one of the companies could barely hold back the enemy's onslaught, then a nearby one came to her aid.
In total, about 80 suckers were formed. Long-range waxes were located in the center of the formation and on the flanks. The flanking suckers were the first to move into battle. The troops of Colchis moved to meet them and at the same time disrupted the formation of their center, which was used by the main troops of Xenophon. The Colchisians fled from the battlefield and the army of the Greeks headed to Trebizond and sailed to their homeland.
When Artaxerxes established himself on the throne, he began to seize the cities of Asia Minor, allied to Sparta and Cyrus. Therefore, in 399, Sparta declared war on Persia. A number of Greek states joined Persia, dissatisfied with the rule of Sparta.
Long walls and a new fleet were built in Athens with money from Persia, but the Spartan hoplites were not equal on the battlefield. Then Iphicrates modernized his troops by lengthening their spears and making their armor lighter.
In several battles on land, the Spartan wars were defeated by Athens. But fearing for the growth of the forces of Athens., The Persians and their allies in 387 concluded a compromise peace Antalktids. Under its terms, the cities of Asia Minor passed over to Persia.
As a result, Sparta was still able to secure the title of the most powerful state.