 Epaminondas, supported by Pelopidas and the Arcadians, then persuaded the other Boeotarchs to invade Laconia itself.Moving south, they crossed the Evrotas River, the frontier of Sparta, which no hostile army had breached in memory.The Spartans, unwilling to engage the massive army in battle, simply defended their city, which the Thebans did not attempt to capture.