See Also: Agiads(encyclopedia)

Agiads (sh)




Line of Spartan kings named after Agis I (11th century BC?).

Agis was traditionally held to be the son of one of the legendary twins who founded Sparta. Agis II (d. 400/398 BC) commanded the Spartan army during most of the Peloponnesian War (431-404) against Athens. Agis III (d. 331 BC) led the Greek cities in an unsuccessful revolt against Alexander the Great. The last of the line was Agis IV (d. 241 BC), who failed in his attempt to reform the unequal distribution of land and wealth in Sparta, ultimately losing his crown and his life to Leonidas II.