List of kings of Sparta

Sparta was an important Greek city-state in the Peloponnesus. It was unusual in that it had a diarchial system, with two kings ruling at the same time. The kings were called Arkhagêtai. They were hereditary rulers, and came from two separate dynasties. According to tradition, the two lines, the Agiads and Eurypontids, were descended from the twins Eurysthenes and Procles. These twins were said to be the descendants of Heracles, who conquered Sparta two generations after the Trojan War. The dynasties were named after the twins' grandsons, the kings Agis I and Eurypon. The Agiad line was regarded as being senior to the Eurypontid line.

Areus I (r. 309–265 BC)

Although there are lists of earlier Kings of Sparta, there is little evidence to show that any kings existed before the middle of the 6th century BC.

Legendary kings

Many kings of Sparta are described in Greek mythology.

Lelegids

• Lelex, a son of Poseidon or Helios
• Myles, a son of Lelex
• Eurotas, a son of Myles, father of Sparta

Lacedaemonids

• Lacedaemon, a son of Zeus, husband of Sparta
• Amyklas, a son of Lacedaemon. He founded Amyklai
• Argalus, a son of Amyklas
• Kynortas, a son of Amyklas
• Perieres, a son of Kynortas
• Oibalos, a son of Kynortas
• Tyndareos (First reign), a son of Oibalos and father of Helen
• Hippocoon, a son of Oibalos and brother of Tyndareos
• Tyndareos (Second reign)

Atreids

• Menelaus, a son of Atreus and husband of Helen — c. 1250 BC
• Orestes, a son of Agamemnon and nephew of Menelaus — c. 1200 BC
• Tisamenos, a son of Orestes
• Dion, husband of Iphitea, the daughter of Prognaus — c. 1200 BC

Heraclids

Agiad dynasty

The dynasty was named after its second king, Agis.

• Eurysthenes ? – c. 930 BC
• Agis I c. 930 – c. 900 BC
• Echestratus c. 900 – c. 870 BC
• Labotas c. 870 – c. 840 BC
• Doryssus c. 840 – c. 820 BC
• Agesilaus I c. 820 – c. 790 BC
• Archelaus c. 790 – c. 760 BC
• Teleclus c. 760 – c. 758 BC
• Alcamenes c. 758 – c. 741 BC
• Polydorus c. 741 – c. 665 BC
• Eurycrates c. 665 – c. 640 BC
• Anaxander c. 640 – c. 615 BC
• Eurycratides c. 615 – c. 590 BC
• Leon c. 590 – 560 BC
• Anaxandridas II c. 560 – c. 520 BC
• Cleomenes I c. 520 – c. 490 BC
• Leonidas I c. 490 – 480 BC
• Pleistarchus 480 – c. 459 BC
• Pleistoanax c. 459 – 409 BC
• Pausanias 409–395 BC
• Agesipolis I 395–380 BC
• Cleombrotus I 380–371 BC
• Agesipolis II 371–369 BC
• Cleomenes II 369–309 BC
• Areus I 309–265 BC
• Acrotatus II 265–262 BC
• Areus II 262–254 BC
• Leonidas II 254–242 BC
• Cleombrotus II, 242–241 BC
• Leonidas II, 241–235 BC
• Cleomenes III 235–222 BC

Eurypontid dynasty

The dynasty is named after its third king Eurypon. Not shown is Lycurgus, who served for a short time as regent either for the minor Charilaus (780–750 BC) or for Labotas (870–840 BC) the Agiad.

• Procles - c. 930 BC
• Soos ? - c. 890 BC
• Eurypon c. 890 – c. 860 BC
• Prytanis c. 860 – c. 830 BC
• Polydectes c. 830 – c. 800 BC
• Eunomus c. 800 – c. 780 BC
• Charilaus c.780 – c. 750 BC
• Nicander c. 750 – c. 725 BC
• Theopompus c. 725 – c. 675 BC
• Anaxandridas I c. 675 – c. 645 BC
• Zeuxidamus c. 645 – c. 625 BC
• Anaxidamus c. 625 – c. 600 BC
• Archidamus I c. 600 – c. 575 BC
• Agasicles c. 575 – c. 550 BC
• Ariston c. 550 – c. 515 BC
• Demaratus c. 515 – c. 491 BC
• Leotychidas c. 491 – 469 BC
• Archidamus II 469–427 BC
• Agis II 427–401/400 BC
• Agesilaus II 401/400–360 BC
• Archidamus III 360–338 BC
• Agis III 338–331 BC
• Eudamidas I 331 – c. 305 BC
• Archidamus IV c. 305 – c. 275 BC
• Eudamidas II c. 275 – c. 245 BC
• Agis IV c. 245 – 241 BC
• Eudamidas III 241–228 BC
• Archidamus V 228–227 BC
• Eucleidas 227–221 BC

After Cleomenes III was defeated by Antigonus III Doson of Macedon and the Achaean League in the Battle of Sellasia, the Spartan kingship began to fail. Sparta was a republic from 221 to 219 BC. The dual monarchy was restored in 219 BC.

• Agesipolis III, 219–215 BC, the last Agiad, deposed by Lycurgus

• Lycurgus, 219–210 BC
• Pelops, 210–206 BC, son of Lycurgus and last king from either dynasty

Nabis, who was regent for Pelops, deposed Pelops and took the throne for himself. He claimed to be descended from the Eurypontid king Demaratus. He ruled from 206–192 BC. Laconicus was the last known king of Sparta. He took the throne in 192 BC. The Achaean League took control of Sparta in 192 BC.

Other websites

• Eurypontids and Agiads Archived 2014-06-02 at the Wayback Machine by Jona Lendering