Agis

Family: Sparta · Role: king · First appears: Lycurgus

The material identifies Agis in family accounts as the son of Archidamus and Lampido, and elsewhere as the son of Eudamidas. He was also described as having been raised by Agesistrata and Archidamia, with Agesilaus as his maternal uncle. While Agis was away with the army, Alcibiades dishonored his wife Timaea, making Agis his enemy. Before the age of twenty, Agis renounced luxury and adopted the old Laconian discipline.

Agis distributed his six hundred talents among his fellow citizens, then secured Lysander’s election as ephor and proposed his reform decree. Supported by Lysander, Mandroclidas, and Agesilaus, and acting with Cleombrotus, he removed the ephors, appointed replacements, armed young men, released prisoners, and had the citizens’ bonds burned. The common people followed Agis, while the rich supported his rival Leonidas; Amphares, Damochares, and Arcesilaus, once his familiars, became involved in his downfall.

After Leonidas was restored, Agesilaus escaped while Agis and Cleombrotus fled to sanctuaries. Agis was sentenced to death and strangled at the Dechas after Damochares forced him into the execution room. “Agis willingly submitted to his fate, rather than any citizen should be in danger of his life.” Agiatis, later married to Cleomenes, retained kindness for Agis’s memory, and Cleomenes listened to her account of his purpose and design; together, Agis and Cleomenes were said to have restored Sparta’s ancient state.