(405 BC) Naval victory of Sparta over Athens in the final battle of the Peloponnesian War .
The Spartans under Lysander surprised the Athenians at anchor off Aegospotami, in Thrace, and defeated them decisively. The Athenians escaped with only 20 of 180 ships, and the Spartans put almost 4,000 captured Athenians to death. The victory led the Spartans to march on Athens, and the Athenians surrendered in 404 BC.