Archidamus II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Archidamus II |
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Archidamos,1629 woodprint
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| King of Sparta | |
| Reign | 469/8–427/6 BC (42 years) |
| Predecessor | Leotychidas II |
| Successor | Agis II |
| Died | 427/426 BC |
| Spouse | Eupolia |
| Issue | Agis II Agesilaus II Cynisca |
| Greek | Ἀρχίδαμος |
| Dynasty | Eurypontid |
| Father | Zeuxidamus |
Archidamus II (Greek: Ἀρχίδαμος Archídāmos) was a powerful king of Sparta, an ancient Greek city-state famous for its strong army. He ruled for a long time, from about 469/8 BC to 427/6 BC. He was a key leader during a time of big changes and wars in ancient Greece, especially before and during the famous Peloponnesian War.
Early Life and Family
Archidamus II was the grandson of King Leotychidas II. His father was Zeuxidamus. Sadly, Zeuxidamus passed away before his own father, Leotychidas.
After Zeuxidamus died, King Leotychidas married again. He had a daughter named Lampito. Leotychidas arranged for his grandson, Archidamus, to marry Lampito. Archidamus and Lampito had a son named Agis II.
Later, Archidamus married a second time to a woman named Eupolia. Some officials in Sparta, called the Ephors, were not happy about this marriage. They worried that because Eupolia was short, she might have children who would not be strong leaders. However, Archidamus married her anyway. For this, the Ephors fined him.
Archidamus and Eupolia had two children: a son named Agesilaus II and a daughter named Cynisca.
Leading Sparta
Archidamus became king of Sparta around 469 or 468 BC. This happened after his grandfather, Leotychidas, was sent away from Sparta. Leotychidas had been accused of taking bribes.
Archidamus was one of Sparta's kings in the years leading up to the Peloponnesian War. There is a story that he helped save Sparta during a huge earthquake in 464 BC. Some say his calm thinking kept the state from falling apart. However, historians are not sure if this story is completely true.
In 446 BC, Archidamus worked with Pericles, a leader from Athens. They agreed to the Thirty Years' Peace. This agreement ended the First Peloponnesian War, which had been going on since about 460 BC. This peace helped keep things calm between Athens and Sparta for a while.
The Peloponnesian War
Before the main Peloponnesian War began, Archidamus tried his best to stop it. He wanted to avoid the conflict or at least delay it. But other leaders in Sparta, who wanted war, did not agree with him.
When the war finally started, Archidamus led the Spartan forces. He invaded Attica, the region around Athens, in the summers of 431 BC, 430 BC, and 428 BC. In 429 BC, he led an attack against the city of Plataea.
Archidamus II likely died in 427 BC, before the summer of 426 BC. His son, Agis II, then became the new king of Sparta.
Quotes
According to the ancient Greek historian Thucydides, Archidamus said this during a famous debate in Sparta in 432 BC: "If we begin the war in haste, we'll have many delays before we end it, owing to our lack of preparation."
See Also
- Cynisca
- Eupolia
