Hostilities in the Corinthian War began in 395 BC with raiding in northwestern Greece, eventually leading to a clash between Sparta and Thebes at the Battle of Haliartus, a Theban victory.

A Spartan army under Aristodemus, the guardian of the boy king Agesipolis, was sent north from Sparta to challenge the allies.

Of the hoplites, 6,000 were Spartan, with the remainder coming from the other states of the Peloponnesian League: 3,000 from the Eleans, Triphylians, Acrorians, and Lasionians; 1,500 from Sicyon; and at least 3,000 from Epidaurus, Troezen, Hermione, and Halieis.

This shift meant that, by the time the armies met, both of them extended past their opponents' left flank.

The main source of the battle is the pro-Spartan historian Xenophon, who put most of the blame of the allies' defeat on the arrogance and indiscipline of the Thebans.

[13] Although the Spartans held the field at the end of the battle, they were unable to force their way past Corinth and enter central Greece.