Middle Roman Republic, Eastern Mediterranean (204-146 BC): Laconian War (195 BC)

In the Peloponnese, Nabis, of unknown origin, usurped the supreme power of Sparta in 207 BC. He carried a social revolution: he exiled the wealthy and divided up their estates, enfranchised the helots to enlarge his army, and granted citizenship and property to his mercenaries. He built a fleet and began the construction of a wall around the previously unwalled city. He stimulated the port of Gytheum, mainly for use as a naval dockyard, but also to encourage commercial trading.

He raised an army said to be in excess of fifteen thousand men and pursued a similar policy to his predecessors: opposing Macedonia and the Achaean League by allying himself with the Aetolians, Elis, Messene and Rome during the First Macedonian War (214-205 BC). In 201 BC he attacked Messene, but he was driven off by the Greek general Philopoemen (c.70; fl.223-183 BC) and decisively defeated at Tegea.

During the Second Macedonian War (200-196 BC), Nabis accepted Argos from Philip as a bribe to remain neutral, but then went over to the Romans. After Philip’s defeat, Nabis kept possession of Argos but the Achaean League, believing the city belonged with them, denounced Nabis as a pirate and claimed that his arming of ships, engagement with the Cretans, and naval raids from Gytheum showed him to be a threat to the Peloponnese. When the Roman declaration was made at the games, the Achaeans pointed out that Nabis’ occupation of Argos violated Rome’s promise of freedom for all Greeks.

Titus ⁰⁷Quintus Flaminius amassed a huge invasion force and in spring 195 BC attacked Laconia by land and sea. He himself laid siege to Sparta while his brother Lucius dealt with the coastal cities. When the port of Gytheum fell under assault by Roman and Pergamene forces, Nabis sued for peace. The terms were harsh: Argos to be relinquished, slaves to be returned to their owners, exiles to be restored, the navy to be limited to a couple transport ships, and a huge indemnity to be paid. Nabis kept control of Sparta, Argos rejoined the Achaean League, and the cities that had surrendered to the Romans were put under the supervision of the League.