Pagondas

Pagondas was a Greek general of the 5th century BC, he was known as a strategist of the Boeotian troops during the battle of Delion in the Peloponnesian War.

Pagondas was a son of Aiolidas and came from a reputable Theban family. About his early military career nothing is known; at the time of the battle of Delion he was already in his early sixties. Thucydides describes him as a pugnacious speaker who is able to motivate the weakened Theban troops in the fight against the Athenians again. The Thebans were at Delion the Athenian troops under Hippocrates opposite. Pagondas commanded the right wing, while fighting on the left side of troops from Thespiai. Pagondas decided to take a hitherto usual 8 man deep division on its wing apply a list of 25 men deep, so that the right wing was formed significantly more powerful. This asymmetric formation of the Army paved the way for the subsequent skewness of battle. Thus the Thebans succeeded a rapid breakthrough by the Athenian ranks, who succeeded the other hand, to defeat the Thespiainer. The decision was made by the arranged of Pagondas use a reserve cavalry unit against the Athenian right wing.

Pagondas has been through his tactics in the battle of Delion forerunner of several decisive tactical developments:

• Pagondas ' asymmetric line-up was a model for the Theban generals Epaminondas, who gave her a decisive modification (amplification of the left instead of the right wing ), which he should achieve later in the Battle of Leuctra a brilliant success.
• It was the first recorded battle -critical use of a reserve
• The role of the cavalry was strongly enhanced by the use of cavalry to defend against a Hoplitenformation and prepared the later development of cavalry by the Macedonians.

• Military person ( Thebes)
• Greek ( Ancient )
• Born in the 5th century BC
• Died 360 BC
• Man