Battle of Mantinea (362 BC) in the context of "Battle of Coronea (394 BC)"

The Theban hegemony lasted from the Theban victory over the Spartans at Leuctra in 371 BC to another victory over the Spartans at Mantinea in 362 BC, which was, however, indecisive and greatly weakened both sides. Still, Thebes sought to maintain its position until finally eclipsed by the rising power of Macedon in 335 BC.

Externally, the way was paved for Theban ascendancy by the collapse of Athenian power in the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), through the weakening of the Spartans by their oliganthropia (demographic decline) and by the inconclusive Corinthian War (395–386 BC). Internally, the Thebans enjoyed two temporary military advantages:

The Theban–Spartan War of 378–362 BC was a series of military conflicts fought between Sparta and Thebes for hegemony over Greece. In 378 BC, led by General Epaminondas, Thebes revolted against its Spartan garrison and successfully repelled Spartan offensives. A clever tactician, Epaminondas crushed the hitherto invincible Spartan army at Leuctra in 371 BC, therefore ending Sparta's hegemony and starting Thebes' own hegemony over Greece. After Leuctra, the war continued in the Peloponnese, where Sparta was fighting for survival. In 362 BC, the Battle of Mantinea was a new victory for Thebes, but Epaminondas was also killed. The conflict ended soon after with a treaty of general peace signed by all the belligerents, except Sparta, which was by now isolated and permanently weakened.

Pallantium or Pallantion (Ancient Greek: Παλλάντιον), more rarely Palantium or Palantion (Παλάντιον), was one of the most ancient towns of Arcadia, in the district Maenalia, said to have been founded by Pallas, a son of Lycaon. It was situated west of Tegea, in a small plain called the Pallantic plain (Παλλαντικόν πεδίον) which was separated from the territory of Tegea by a dyke. It was from this town that Evander of Pallene was said to have led colonists to the banks of the river Tiber, and from it the Palatino or Palatine Hill in Rome was reputed to have derived its name.

Pallantium took part in the foundation of Megalopolis, 371 BCE; but it seems to have continued to exist as an independent state, since the Pallantieis is mentioned along with the Tegeatae, Megalopolitae, and Aseatae as joining Epaminondas before the Battle of Mantineia in 362 BCE. Pallantium subsequently shrank into a village, but was restored and enlarged by the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius, who conferred upon it freedom from taxation and other privileges, on account of its reputed connection with Rome. The town was visited by the geographer Pausanias, who found at Pallantium a shrine containing statues of Pallas and Evander, a temple of Core (Persephone), a statue of Polybius, and on the hill above the town, which was anciently used as an acropolis, a temple of the pure (καθαροί) gods.