Jiang Wei vs Pelopidas

After Zhuge Liang's death, Jiang Wei was appointed as the commander of Shu Han's military forces, tasked with continuing the Northern Expeditions against Wei. He was given command of the remaining troops.

Jiang Wei launched his first major campaign against Wei, attacking the Wei-held territories of Longxi and Nan'an. The campaign achieved limited gains but failed to capture key cities.

Over the course of his career, Jiang Wei launched eleven separate campaigns against Wei, each with varying degrees of success. These campaigns drained Shu Han's resources and manpower without achieving a decisive breakthrough.

Jiang Wei's forces were decisively defeated by Deng Ai at Taoxi. The defeat forced Jiang Wei to retreat and weakened Shu Han's military position.

After Deng Ai's surprise attack on Chengdu, Jiang Wei surrendered to the Wei general. He later attempted to restore Shu by conspiring with Zhong Hui, but the plot failed and he was killed.

Pelopidas led a group of exiles in a coup to overthrow the pro-Spartan oligarchy in Thebes. Disguised as women, they infiltrated a banquet and killed the ruling oligarchs. This action freed Thebes from Spartan control and established a democratic government.

Pelopidas led the Sacred Band in a victory against a larger Spartan force at Tegyra. The Thebans, though outnumbered, broke through the Spartan lines. This battle demonstrated the effectiveness of the Sacred Band and boosted Theban morale before Leuctra.

Pelopidas, as a leader of the Sacred Band, played a key role in the Theban victory over Sparta at Leuctra. The Theban general Epaminondas used an oblique formation, with the Sacred Band on the left wing, crushing the Spartan elite. This battle ended Spartan hegemony in Greece.

Pelopidas led a Theban expedition against Alexander of Pherae in Thessaly. At Cynoscephalae, he was killed in battle after charging recklessly into the enemy ranks. His death was a major loss for Thebes, though the Thebans eventually won the battle.