[Home]History of Agesilaus II

HomePage | Recent Changes | Preferences

Revision 3 . . August 22, 2001 5:08 pm by Alan Millar [rest]
Revision 2 . . (edit) August 22, 2001 1:29 am by MichaelTinkler
  

Difference (from prior major revision) (no other diffs)

Changed: 8c8,86
of his political designs.
of his political designs; in this hope, however, Lysander war
disappointed, and the increasing power of Agesilaus soon
led to his downfall. In 396 Agesilaus was sent to Asia
with a force of 2000 Neodamodes (enfranchized Helots) and
6000 allies to secure the Greek cities against a Persian
attack. On the eve of sailing from Aulis he attempted to
offer a sacrifice, as Agamemnon had done before the Trojan
expedition, but the Thebans intervened to prevent it, an
insult for which he never forgave them. On his arrival at
Ephesus a three months' truce was concluded with Tissaphernes,
the satrap of Lydia and Caria, but negotiations conducted
during that time proved fruitless, and on its termination
Agesilaus raided Phrygia, where he easily won immense booty
since Tissaphernes had concentrated his troops in Carla.
After spending the winter in organizing a cavalry force, he
made a successful incursion into Lydia in the spring of 395.
Tithraustes was thereupon sent to replace Tissaphernes, who
paid with his life for his continued failure. An armistice
was concluded between Tithraustes and Agesilaus, who left the
southern satrapy and again invaded Phrygia, which he ravaged
until the following spring. He then came to an agreement
with the satrap Pharnabazus and once more turned southward.
It was said that he was planning a campaign in the interior,
or even an attack on Artaxerxes himself, when he was recalled
to Greece owing to the war between Sparta and the combined
forces of Athens, Thebes, Corinth, Argos and several minor
states. A rapid march through Thrace and Macedonia brought
him to Thessaly, where he repulsed the Thessalian cavalry who
tried to impede him. Reinforced by Phocian and Orchomenian
troops and a Spartan army, he met the confederate forces
at Coronea in Boeotia, and in a hotly contested battle was
technically victorious, but the success was a barren one
and he had to retire by way of Delphi to the Peloponnese.
Shortly before this battle the Spartan navy, of which he had
received the supreme command, was totally defeated off Cnidus
by a powerful Persian fleet under Conon and Pharnabazus.

Subsequently Agesilaus took a prominent part in the Corinthian
war, making several successful expeditions into Corinthian
territory and capturing Lechaeum and Piraeum. The loss,
however, of a mora, which was destroyed by Iphicrates,
neutralized these successes, and Agesilaus returned to
Sparta. In 389 he conducted a campaign in Acarnania, but
two years later the Peace of Antalcidas, which was warmly
supported by Agesilaus, put an end to hostilities. When war
broke out afresh with Thebes the king twice invaded Boeotia
(378, 377), and it was on his advice that Cleombrotus was
ordered to march against Thebes in 371. Cleombrotus was
defeated at Leuctra and the Spartan supremacy overthrown.
In 370 Agesilaus tried to restore Spartan prestige by an
invasion of Mantinean territory, and his prudence and heroism
saved Sparta when her enemies, led by Epaminondas, penetrated
Laconia that same year, and again in 362 when they all but
succeeded in seizing the city by a rapid and unexpected
march. The battle of Mantinea (362), in which Agesilaus took
no part, was followed by a general peace: Sparta, however,
stood aloof, hoping even yet to recover her supremacy.
In order to gain money for prosecuting the war Agesilaus
had supported the revolted satraps, and in 361 he went to
Egypt at the head of a mercenary force to aid Tachos against
Persia. He soon transferred his services to Tachos's cousin
and rival Nectanabis, who, in return for his help, gave
him a sum of over 200 talents. On his way home Agesilaus
died at the age of 84, after a reign of some 41 years.

A man of small stature and unimpressive appearance, he was
somewhat lame from birth, a fact which was used as an argument
against his succession, an oracle having warned Sparta against
a "lame reign." He was a successful leader in guerilla
warfare, alert and quick, yet cautious--a man, moreover, whose
personal bravery was unquestioned. As a statesman he won
himself both enthusiastic adherents and bitter enemies, but
of his patriotism there can be no doubt. He lived in the most
frugal style alike at home and in the field, and though his
campaigns were undertaken largely to secure booty, he was content
to enrich the state and his friends and to return as poor as
he had set forth. . The worst trait in his character is his
implacable hatred of Thebes, which led directly to the battle
of Leuctra and Sparta's fall from her position of supremacy.

HomePage | Recent Changes | Preferences
Search: