A Greek general of Thebes, who led the Theban Hegemony. Epaminondas was born into the Theban aristocracy. He was educated in his childhood by Lysis of Tarentum, one of the last major Pythagorean philosophers. Epaminondas excelled as a student, and had a strong interest in philosophy all his life. After the Spartan army occupied Thebes, the Spartan commander forced the anti-Spartan party to flee the city. Epaminondas, although associated with that faction, was allowed to remain; since "his philosophy made him to be looked down upon as a recluse, and his poverty as impotent". In 371 BC, Epaminondas led the Theban army to defeat Spartans in the Battle of Leuctra. In a major break with tradition, Epaminondas massed his cavalry and a fifty-deep column of Theban infantry on his left wing, and sent forward this body against the Spartan right, in an Echelon formation, showing Epaminondas’s tactical talent.