Agesilaus II
Agesilaus II was a significant figure in ancient Sparta, ascending to the throne around 400 B.C.E. Despite the existence of a dual kingship in Sparta, he emerged as the central military and political leader for nearly forty years. His early military career included a campaign against the Persians in Asia Minor, which aimed to protect Greek city-states from perceived threats. However, his leadership faced challenges, notably during the Corinthian War, which required his return to Sparta. He achieved a minor victory at the Battle of Coronea against a coalition that included Thebes and other city-states, enhancing his reputation for boldness and military skill.
Yet, his aggressive policies and animosity towards Thebes eventually alienated allies and contributed to Sparta's downfall at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 B.C.E. Later in his life, he served as a mercenary general for the Egyptian king Tachos, but he ultimately betrayed Tachos by siding with a rival. Agesilaus's life ended during his journey home after falling ill, marking the conclusion of a controversial yet impactful military career in classical Greece.
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Agesilaus II
- Born: c. 444 b.c.e.
- Birthplace: Sparta, Greece
- Died: c. 360 b.c.e.
- Place of death: Cyrene, Cyrenaica (now in Libya)
Principal war: Corinthian War
Principal battle: Coronea (394 b.c.e.)
Military significance: A brilliant military tactician who at first advanced Sparta’s cause; however, his anti-Theban bias and aggressive attitudes toward Spartan security finally contributed to Spartan decline.
Agesilaus II came to the Spartan throne about 400 b.c.e. Though a dual kingship existed in Sparta, for four decades he was the predominant military and political figure. His first major military venture (396-394 b.c.e.) was against the Persians in Asia Minor (later Turkey) who allegedly were preparing to attack the Greek city-states there. When the Corinthian War (395-386 b.c.e.) threatened Sparta, he was forced to return prematurely. At Coronea (394 b.c.e.), he won a minor technical victory against Thebes, which had combined in an anti-Spartan coalition with Argos, Athens, Corinth, and Persia. This battle gained him a reputation for risk taking, but at the war’s end, he was also recognized for his military skills.
After the war, Agesilaus’s aggressive interventionist policies and obsessive hatred of Thebes alienated neighbors and allies and contributed to the massive Spartan defeat at Leuctra (371 b.c.e.). About 360 b.c.e., he hired out as a mercenary general to the Egyptian king Tachos, whom he betrayed by supporting a rival to the throne. On his journey home, he fell ill and died.
Bibliography
Cartledge, Paul. Agesilaos and the Crisis of Sparta. Baltimore, Md.: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987.
Hamilton, Charles D. Agesilaus and the Failure of the Spartan Hegemony. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1991.
Shipley, D. R. A Commentary on Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaos. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.