The Battle of Lacum was a battle of the Syracusan-Crotonese War which was fought in present-day Calabria in 380 BC.
Following his capture of the Crotonese town of Terina (Nocera Terinese), the Syracusan general Dionysius the Younger marched his army north in preparation for an attack on the major city of Consentia (Cosenza); however, he took care to remain within Syracusan territory in order to replenish his numbers. Sensing an opportunity to strike at the enemy while they were still unprepared, the Crotonese general Damianus rode southwest from Thurii with a large army and rendezvoused with the generals Androdamos and Erasistratus, combining their forces before riding into battle with the Syracusans. The two armies met at Lacum (present-day Lago), and the Crotonese armies combined their numbers before marching into battle. Dionysius ordered his flank cavalry to attack the cavalry on the Crotonese armies' flanks as his infantry, initially screened by skirmishers, closed in for battle. The battle turned in Syracuse's favor when the Syracusan cavalry put the Crotonese cavalry to flight, enabling the Syracusan hippeis to turn and slaughter the Crotonese slingers and archers. The Crotonese hoplites found themselves trapped, and a great deal of them were hemmed in and slaughtered by both Syracusan cavalry and hoplites. All three Crotonese generals were slain, and Eurydamus and Onesimos assumed command of the remnants of the Crotonese army and withdrew, enabling the Syracusans to march north and capture Consentia.
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