The (second) battle of Mantinea, July 4, 362 BC: the final nail in the coffin of Spartan dominance. At the battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, a resurgent Thebes led by its great statesmen and tactician reformers Epaminondas and Pelopidas defeated the army of Sparta. The defeat was one of the greatest shocks Greece had witnessed - not only did the Thebans defeat the Spartans but the Spartans turned and fled from the battlefields - something they had not done before even in the face of defeat. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

At the battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, a resurgent Thebes led by its great statesmen and tactician reformers Epaminondas and Pelopidas defeated the army of Sparta. The defeat was one of the greatest shocks Greece had witnessed - not only did the Thebans defeat the Spartans but the Spartans turned and fled from the battlefields - something they had not done before even in the face of defeat. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

The Final showdown at Hexham, May 15th, 1464 John Neville probably marched along the north bank of the River Tyne along Carrel Gate. This route put Bywell castle under threat, but we do not hear of Henry leaving (although he must have if this was the line of march – and other alternatives still put Bywell under threat). In his march west, Neville probably crossed the Tyne at Corbridge (or perhaps Bywell – both had extant Roman bridges) and so came upon the Lancastrian camp from the east or northeast. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3