Archidamus III
Encyclopedia
Archidamus III the son of Agesilaus II
, was king
of Sparta
from 360 BC to 338 BC.
While still a prince, he was the eispnelas (inspirer, or pederastic lover) of Cleonymus, son of Sphodrias
. He interceded with his own father to spare his aites' father's life in a legal matter, an action which further intensified friction between Athens and Sparta. He later led the Spartan forces both before and during his rule. Archidamus headed the force sent to aid the Spartan army after its defeat by the Thebans at the Battle of Leuctra
in 371 BC and was commander later during the fighting in the Peloponnese
. He scored a victory over the Arcadians
in 367 BC but was in turn defeated by them in 364 BC at Cromnus. In 362 BC he showed great courage in the defense of Sparta against the Theban commander Epaminondas
. As king, Archidamus supported the Phocians against Thebes
in the Sacred War of 355–346. In 346 BC he went to Crete to help Lyttos in their struggle against Knossos in the Foreign War
. In 343 BC, the Spartan colony Tarentum
asked for Sparta's help in the war against the Italic populations, notably the Lucanians. In 342 BC Archidamus arrived in Italy
with a fleet and an army and fought against the barbarians, but in 338 BC he was defeated and killed under the walls of Manduria
. He was succeeded by his son Agis III
, and was also the father of Eudamidas I
.
Agesilaus II
Agesilaus II, or Agesilaos II was a king of Sparta, of the Eurypontid dynasty, ruling from approximately 400 BC to 360 BC, during most of which time he was, in Plutarch's words, "as good as thought commander and king of all Greece," and was for the whole of it greatly identified with his...
, was king
Kings of Sparta
Sparta was an important Greek city-state in the Peloponnesus. It was unusual among Greek city-states in that it maintained its kingship past the Archaic age. It was even more unusual in that it had two kings simultaneously, coming from two separate lines...
of Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
from 360 BC to 338 BC.
While still a prince, he was the eispnelas (inspirer, or pederastic lover) of Cleonymus, son of Sphodrias
Sphodrias
Sphodrias was a Spartan general during the period of Greek history known as the Spartan hegemony. In 379 BC, he was in command of a garrison in the Spartan-occupied city of Thespiae in Boeotia. Aiming to increase Spartan power in the region, he attempted to march by night to seize the Piraeus,...
. He interceded with his own father to spare his aites' father's life in a legal matter, an action which further intensified friction between Athens and Sparta. He later led the Spartan forces both before and during his rule. Archidamus headed the force sent to aid the Spartan army after its defeat by the Thebans at the Battle of Leuctra
Battle of Leuctra
The Battle of Leuctra was a battle fought on July 6, 371 BC, between the Boeotians led by Thebans and the Spartans along with their allies amidst the post-Corinthian War conflict. The battle took place in the neighbourhood of Leuctra, a village in Boeotia in the territory of Thespiae...
in 371 BC and was commander later during the fighting in the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
. He scored a victory over the Arcadians
Arcadians
Arcadians can refer to:* Residents of Arcadia, Greece* The Arcadians , a choir in Oxford, England* The Arcadians , a 1909 long-running musical theatre comedy...
in 367 BC but was in turn defeated by them in 364 BC at Cromnus. In 362 BC he showed great courage in the defense of Sparta against the Theban commander Epaminondas
Epaminondas
Epaminondas , or Epameinondas, was a Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a preeminent position in Greek politics...
. As king, Archidamus supported the Phocians against Thebes
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
in the Sacred War of 355–346. In 346 BC he went to Crete to help Lyttos in their struggle against Knossos in the Foreign War
Foreign War
The Foreign War was fought between the forces of Knossos with the help of mercenaries under the ousted Phocian leader Phalaikos and the forces of Lyttos who received help from the Spartans under their King Archidamus III...
. In 343 BC, the Spartan colony Tarentum
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
asked for Sparta's help in the war against the Italic populations, notably the Lucanians. In 342 BC Archidamus arrived in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with a fleet and an army and fought against the barbarians, but in 338 BC he was defeated and killed under the walls of Manduria
Manduria
Manduria is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Taranto. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.-History:...
. He was succeeded by his son Agis III
Agis III
Agis III , son of Archidamus III, was the 20th Eurypontid king of Sparta.He succeeded his father in 338 BC, on the very day of the battle of Chaeronea...
, and was also the father of Eudamidas I
Eudamidas I
Eudamidas I was a Spartan king of the Eurypontid line, son of Archidamus III and brother of Agis III, whom he succeeded. He married the wealthy Arachidamia, and she had two children, Archidamus IV and Agesistrata....
.