Sacred Band of Thebes
| Sacred Band of Thebes | |
|---|---|
| Ἱερὸς Λόχος | |
| Active | 4th century BC |
| Country | Thebes |
| Allegiance | Theban |
| Branch | Theban army |
| Type | Heavy infantry |
| Role | |
| Size | 300 men |
The Sacred Band of Thebes (Ancient Greek: Ἱερὸς Λόχος τῶν Θηβῶν, Hieròs Lóchos tôn Thēbôn) was an elite heavy infantry of select soldiers consisting of 150 pairs of male couples, 300 men total, organized by age that formed the elite force of the Theban army in the 4th century BC. It was first organised under commander Gorgidas in 378 BC and later Pelopidas, and played a crucial role in the Battle of Leuctra. It was annihilated by Philip II of Macedon and young Alexander the Great in the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC.