Thebes, Greece

Thebes (Ancient Greek: Θῆβαι, Thēbai, Modern Greek: Θήβα, Thíva) is a city in Boeotia, central Greece. It played an important role in Ancient Greek myths, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others. Archaeological excavations in and around Thebes have revealed a Mycenaean settlement and clay tablets written in the Linear B script, indicating the importance of the site in the Bronze Age.

Thebes was the largest city of the ancient region of Boeotia and was the leader of the Boeotian confederacy. It was a major rival of ancient Athens, and sided with the Persians during the 480 BC invasion under Xerxes. Theban forces under the command of Epaminondas ended the power of Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC. The Sacred Band of Thebes (an elite military unit) famously fell at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC against Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. Prior to its destruction by Alexander in 335 BC, Thebes was a major force in Greek history, and was the most dominant city-state at the time of the Macedonian conquest of Greece. During the Byzantine period, the city was famous for its silks. Modern Thebes is the largest town of the regional unit of Boeotia.

Thebes in "The Daimon"
Despite having supported the Persians 70 years earlier, Thebes gleefully joined in Alkibiades' plans for a united Greek invasion of Persia.