Theban hegemony

The Theban Hegemony was a period in ancient Greece during the early 4th century BCE when Thebes, a powerful city-state, dominated much of Greece after defeating Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BCE. This shift ended Spartan supremacy and allowed Thebes to lead alliances and influence regional politics. Theban leadership fostered unity among some Greek city-states for a brief time, promoting military strength and independence from larger powers like Athens and Sparta. However, this dominance was relatively short-lived, and Greece soon saw renewed conflicts and power struggles.