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{{Spartan Constitution}}
For most of its history, the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] city-state of [[Sparta]] in the [[Peloponnese]] was ruled by kings. Sparta was unusual among the Greek [[Polis|city-states]] in that it maintained its kingship past the [[archaic Greece|Archaic age]]. It was even more unusual in that it had [[diarchy|two kings simultaneously]], who were called the ''archagetai'',<ref>{{cite book|last=Hall|first=Jonathan M.|author-link=Jonathan M. Hall|title=A History of the Archaic Greek World: Ca. 1200-479 BCE|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WGNH-oxXiAUC&pg=PA129|year=2007|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-631-22668-0|page=129}}</ref>{{refn|group=n|[[Greek language|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|ἀρχᾱγέται}}, {{Transliteration|grc|archagétai}}, plural of {{lang|grc|ἀρχᾱγέτης}}, {{Transliteration|grc|archāgétēs}}, [[Doric Greek]] form of Attic {{lang|grc|ἀρχηγέτης}}, {{Transliteration|grc|archēgétēs}}, 'first/chief leader'.<ref>{{LSJ|a)rxage/tas|ἀρχᾱγέτας}}, {{LSJ|a)rxhge/ths|ἀρχηγέτης|ref}}.</ref>}} coming from two separate [[dynasty|lines]]. According to tradition, the two lines, the '''[[Agiad dynasty|Agiads]]''' ({{lang|grc|Ἀγιάδαι}}, {{Transliteration|grc|Agiadai}}) and '''Eurypontids''' ({{lang|grc|Εὐρυποντίδαι}}, {{Transliteration|grc|Eurypontidai}}), were respectively descended from the twins [[Eurysthenes]] and [[Procles]], the descendants of [[Heracles]], who supposedly conquered Sparta two generations after the [[Trojan War]]. The dynasties themselves, however, were named after the twins' grandsons, the kings Agis I and Eurypon, respectively. The Agiad line was regarded as being senior to the Eurypontid line.<ref name="Cartledge, Paul, ''The Spartans'', Vintage Books, 2003">Cartledge, Paul, ''The Spartans'', Vintage Books, 2003.</ref>

Although there are lists of earlier purported kings of Sparta, there is little evidence for the existence of any before the mid-sixth century BC.

Spartan kings received a recurring posthumous [[hero cult]] like that of the similarly Doric [[kings of Cyrene]].<ref>Pindar and the cult of heroes. By Bruno Currie Page 245 {{ISBN|0-19-927724-9}}.</ref> The kings' firstborn sons, as heirs-apparent, were the only Spartan boys expressly exempt from the [[Agoge]]; however, they were allowed to take part if they so wished, and this endowed them with increased prestige when they ascended the throne.

==Legendary kings of Sparta==
Ancient Greeks named males after their fathers, producing a [[patronymic]] with the suffix ''-id-''; for example, the sons of [[Atreus]] were the Atreids. For royal houses, the patronymic was formed from the name of the founder or of an early significant figure of a dynasty. A ruling family might thus have a number of dynastic names; for example, Agis I named the Agiads, but he was a Heraclid and so were his descendants.

If the descent was not known or was scantily known, the Greeks made a few standard assumptions based on their cultural ideology. Agiad people were treated as a tribe, presumed to have descended from an ancestor bearing its name. He must have been a king, who founded a dynasty of his name. That mythologizing extended even to place names. They were presumed to have been named after kings and divinities. Kings often became divinities, in their religion.

===Lelegids===
The Lelegid were the descendants of Lelex (a [[back-formation]]), ancestor of the [[Leleges]], an ancient tribe inhabiting the Eurotas valley before the Greeks, who, according to the mythological descent, amalgamated with the Greeks
{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Lelegid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=130px|{{circa}} 1600 BC ||width=130px| [[Lelex (king of Sparta)|Lelex]] || son of [[Poseidon]] or [[Helios]], or he was said to be [[autochthon (ancient Greece)|autochthonous]]
|-
|{{circa}} 1575 BC ||[[Myles]] || son of [[Lelex]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 1550 BC ||[[Eurotas]] || son of [[Myles]], father of [[Sparta (mythology)|Sparta]]
|}

===Lacedaemonids===
The Lacedaemonids contain Greeks from the age of legend, now treated as being the Bronze Age in Greece. In the language of mythologic descent, the kingship passed from the Leleges to the Greeks.
{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Lacedaemonid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=130px|{{circa}} ||width=130px| [[Lacedaemon (mythology)|Lacedaemon]] || son of Zeus, husband of [[Sparta (mythology)|Sparta]] 
|-
|{{circa}} || [[Amyclas of Sparta|Amyklas]] || son of [[Lacedaemon (mythology)|Lacedaemon]]. He founded [[Amyclae|Amyklai]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} || [[Argalus]] || son of [[Amyclas of Sparta|Amyklas]]
|-
|{{circa}} || [[Cynortas|Kynortas]] || son of [[Amyclas of Sparta|Amyklas]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} || [[Perieres]] || son of [[Cynortas|Kynortas]]
|-
|{{circa}} || [[Oebalus|Oibalos]] || son of [[Cynortas|Kynortas]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} || [[Tyndareus|Tyndareos]] || (First reign); son of [[Oebalus|Oibalos]] and father of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]]
|-
|{{circa}} || [[Hippocoon]] || son of [[Oebalus|Oibalos]] and brother of [[Tyndareus|Tyndareos]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} || [[Tyndareus|Tyndareos]] || (Second reign)
|}
:''Years with no dates (only "''{{circa}} ''") are unknown''

===Atreids===
The [[Atreidai]] (Latin Atreidae) belong to the Late Bronze Age, or the [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenaean Period]]. In mythology, they were the [[Perseids (mythology)|Perseids]]. As the name of [[Atreus]] is attested in Hittite documents, this dynasty may well be protohistoric.
{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Atreid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=130px|{{circa}} 1250 BC ||width=130px| [[Menelaus]] ||son of [[Atreus]] and husband of [[Helen of Troy|Helen]] 
|-
|{{Circa|1150's BC}} ||[[Orestes]] || son of [[Agamemnon]] and nephew of [[Menelaus]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} || [[Tisamenus|Tisamenos]]||son of [[Orestes]]
|-
|{{Circa|1100 BC}} ||[[Dion (mythology)|Dion]] || husband of [[Amphithea]], the daughter of [[Pronax]]
|}
:''Years with no dates (only "''{{circa}}''") are unknown''

==Heraclids==
The Spartan kings as [[Heracleidae]] claimed descent from [[Heracles]], who through his mother was descended from Perseus. Disallowed the Peloponnesus, Heracles embarked on a life of wandering. The Heracleidae became ascendant in the Eurotas valley with the [[Dorians]] who, at least in legend, entered it during an invasion called the Return of the Heracleidae; driving out the Atreids and at least some of the Mycenaean population.
[[File:Pauly-Wissowa III,1, 0067.jpg|thumb|center|800px|Genealogical Tree of the Kings of Sparta]]

{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Heraclid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=130px|{{circa}} || [[Aristodemus|Aristodemos]] ||width=130px| son of [[Aristomachus (Heracleidae)|Aristomachus]] and husband of [[Argeia]] 
|- 
|{{circa}} || [[Theras]] ([[regent]]) || son of [[Autesion]] and brother of [[Aristodemus]]'s wife [[Argeia]];{{refn|group=n|A [[Cadmus|Cadmid]] of Theban descent.}} served as regent for his nephews, Eurysthenes and Procles.
|}
:''Years with no dates (only "''{{circa}}''") are unknown''

=== Agiad dynasty ===
The dynasty was named after its second king, Agis.

{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Agiad !! Other notable information
|-
|width=130px|{{circa}} 930 BC||width=130px| [[Eurysthenes]] || [[Return of the Heracleidae]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 930 – 900 BC{{refn|group=n|According to [[Apollodorus of Athens]].}}|| [[Agis I]] || Subjugated the [[Helots]]
|- 
|{{circa}} 900 – 870 BC|| [[Echestratus]] || Expelled the [[Cynuria|Cynurensian]]s{{refn|group=n|Cynuria is said to have been colonized by [[Cynurus]]; [[Cynuria|Cynurensian]] bandits were common in the lands.}} that were in power.
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 870 – 840 BC|| [[Labotas]]{{refn|group=n|Or Labotes, Leobotes.}} || 
|- 
|{{circa}} 840 – 820 BC|| [[Doryssus]] || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 820 – 790 BC|| [[Agesilaus I]] || 
|- 
|{{circa}} 790 – 760 BC|| [[Archelaus of Sparta|Archelaus]] || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 760 – 740 BC|| [[Teleclus]] || Killed by the [[Messenians]]
|-
|{{circa}} 740 – 700 BC|| [[Alcmenes|Alcamenes]] || [[First Messenian War]] begins
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 700 – 665 BC|| [[Polydorus (king of Sparta)|Polydorus]] || [[First Messenian War]] ends; killed by the Spartan nobleman Polemarchus<ref>A Classical Dictionary By John Lemprière. Pg [https://books.google.com/books?id=s6cTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA618 618].</ref>
|-
|{{circa}} 665 – 640 BC || [[Eurycrates]] || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 640 – 615 BC|| [[Anaxander]] || 
|-
|{{circa}} 615 – 590 BC|| [[Eurycratides]] || 
|- bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 590 – 560 BC|| [[Leon (king of Sparta)|Leon]] || 
|-
|{{circa}} 560 – 520 BC|| [[Anaxandridas II]] || [[Battle of the Fetters]]
|- bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 520 – 490 BC|| [[Cleomenes I]] || [[Greco-Persian Wars]] begins
|-
|{{circa}} 490 – 480 BC|| [[Leonidas I]] || [[Battle of Thermopylae]]
|- bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 480 – 459 BC|| [[Pleistarchus]] || [[First Peloponnesian War]] begins
|-
|{{circa}} 459 – 445 BC, 426 – 409 BC|| [[Pleistoanax]] || [[Peloponnesian War|Second Peloponnesian War]] begins
|- bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 445 – 426 BC, 409 – 395 BC|| [[Pausanias of Sparta|Pausanias]]|| Helped restore democracy in Athens; [[Spartan hegemony]]
|- 
|{{circa}} 395 – 380 BC|| [[Agesipolis I]] || [[Corinthian War]] begins
|- bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 380 – 371 BC|| [[Cleombrotus I]] || 
|- 
|{{circa}} 371 – 369 BC|| [[Agesipolis II]]{{refn|group=n|Agesilaus II, distinguished king of Sparta, being asked which was the greater virtue, valor or justice, replied: "Unsupported by justice, valor is good for nothing; and if all men were just, there would be no need of valor".}} || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 369 – 309 BC|| [[Cleomenes II]] || [[Third Sacred War]] begins
|- 
|{{circa}} 309 – 265 BC|| [[Areus I]] || Killed in battle against [[Aristodemus]], the tyrant of [[Megalopolis, Greece|Megalopolis]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 265 – 262 BC|| [[Acrotatus II]] || 
|- 
|{{circa}} 262 – 254 BC|| [[Areus II]]<ref>A Prosopography of Lacedaemonians, Part 396. By Alfred S. Bradford. Page [https://books.google.com/books?id=yW1tZQgFlnMC&pg=PA44 44].</ref> || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 254 – 242 BC|| [[Leonidas II]] || Briefly deposed while in exile avoiding trial
|- 
|{{circa}} 242 – 241 BC||[[Cleombrotus II]] || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 241 – 235 BC || [[Leonidas II]] || 
|- 
|{{circa}} 235 – 222 BC|| [[Cleomenes III]] || Exiled after the [[Battle of Sellasia]]
|-
|colspan=3|Following the [[Battle of Sellasia]], the dual monarchy remained vacant until Cleomenes III's death in 219.
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=111px|{{circa}} 219 – 215 BC || [[Agesipolis III]] || last Agiad, deposed by the Eurypontid Lycurgus
|-
|}

=== Eurypontid dynasty ===
The dynasty is named after its third king Eurypon. Not shown is [[Lycurgus of Sparta|Lycurgus]], the lawgiver, a younger son of the Eurypontids, who served a brief regency either for the infant Charilaus (780–750 BC) or for Labotas (870–840 BC) the Agiad.

{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Eurypontid !! Other notable information
|-
|width=123px|{{circa}} 930 BC || [[Procles]] || [[Return of the Heracleidae]]
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 890 BC|| [[Soos (king of Sparta)|Soos]] || Son of Procles and father of Eurypon. Likely fictitious.<ref name=":0">Cartledge, ''Sparta and Lakonia'', p. 90.</ref>
|-
|{{circa}} 890 – 860 BC || [[Eurypon]] || Likely fictitious.<ref name=":0"/>
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 860 – 830 BC|| [[Prytanis (king of Sparta)|Prytanis]] ||Likely fictitious.<ref name=":0"/>
|-
|{{circa}} 830 – 800 BC || [[Polydectes (king of Sparta)|Polydectes]] || 
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 800 – 780 BC|| [[Eunomus (king of Sparta)|Eunomus]] ||Likely fictitious.<ref name=":0"/>
|-
|{{circa}} 780 – 750 BC|| [[Charilaus]]|| Ward and nephew of the Spartan reformer [[Lycurgus of Sparta|Lycurgus]]; War with the [[Argives]]; destroyed the border-town of [[Aegys]]; [[Battle of Tegea]]. Perhaps the first historical Eurypontid king.<ref>Cartledge, ''Sparta and Lakonia'', p. 92.</ref>
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 750 – 725 BC|| [[Nicander (king of Sparta)|Nicander]] ||
|-
|{{circa}} 725 – 675 BC || [[Theopompus of Sparta|Theopompus]] || [[First Messenian War]] 
|}
{{Col-begin}}

Currently known two lists of kings:
{{Col-2}}
''According to [[Herodotus]], VIII: 131''
{| border="0" width=500px
! Year !! Eurypontid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=123px|{{circa}} 675 – 660 BC||width=130px| [[Anaxandridas I]] ||
|-
|width=123px|{{circa}} 660 – 645 BC||width=130px| [[Archidamus I]] ||
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=123px|{{circa}} 645 – 625 BC||width=130px| [[Anaxilas (king of Sparta)|Anaxilas]] ||
|-
|width=123px|{{circa}} 625 – 600 BC||width=130px| [[Leotychidas I]] ||
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=123px|{{circa}} 600 – 575 BC||width=130px| [[Hippocratidas]] ||
|}

{{Col-2}}
''According to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], III, 7: 5-6''
{| border="0" width=500px
! Year !! Eurypontid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=123px|{{circa}} 645 – 625 BC||width=130px| [[Zeuxidamus]] ||
|-
|{{circa}} 625 – 600 BC|| [[Anaxidamus]] ||
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 600 – 575 BC|| [[Archidamus I]] ||
|}
{{Col-end}}

{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Eurypontid !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 575 – 550 BC||width=130px| [[Agasicles]] || Contemporary with Leon
|-
|-
|width=130px|{{circa}} 550 – 515 BC|| [[Ariston (king of Sparta)|Ariston]] || [[Battle of the Fetters]].
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 515 – 491 BC|| [[Demaratus]] || deposed
|-
|{{circa}} 491 – 469 BC|| [[Leotychidas|Leotychidas II]] || great grandson of Hippocratidas, [[Greco-Persian Wars]]
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 469 – 427 BC|| [[Archidamus II]] || [[Peloponnesian War|Second Peloponnesian War]] begins
|-
|{{circa}} 427 – 401 BC{{refn|group=n|name="or 400"|Or 427 – 400 BC}}|| [[Agis II]] || [[Spartan hegemony]]; Attacked [[Epidaurus]], [[Leuctra]],{{refn|group=n|And again, after the [[Carneian festival|Carnean festival]].}} [[Caryae]], [[Orchomenus (mythology)|Orchomenos]], and [[Mantineia]]; Invaded the [[Argolis]]; Council of war{{refn|group=n|Consisting of 10 Spartans.}} formed to check his powers.
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 401{{refn|group=n|name="or 400"}} – 360 BC|| [[Agesilaus II]] ||[[Corinthian War]] begins
|-
|{{circa}} 360 – 338 BC|| [[Archidamus III]] ||[[Third Sacred War]] begins
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 338 – 331 BC|| [[Agis III]] ||
|-
|{{circa}} 331 – 305 BC|| [[Eudamidas I]] ||
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 305 – 275 BC|| [[Archidamus IV]] ||
|-
|{{circa}} 275 – 245 BC|| [[Eudamidas II]] ||
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 245 – 241 BC|| [[Agis IV]]||
|-
|{{circa}} 241 – 228 BC|| [[Eudamidas III]] ||
|-
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 228 – 227 BC|| [[Archidamus V]] ||
|-
|{{circa}} 227 – 222 BC||[[Eucleidas]] ||Actually an Agiad; installed by Cleomenes III{{refn|group=n|I.e. Eucleidas's brother.}} in place of Archidamus V. Died in the [[Battle of Sellasia]].
|-
|colspan=3|Following the [[Battle of Sellasia]], the dual monarchy remained vacant until Cleomenes III's death in 219.
|-
|{{circa}} 219 – 210 BC || [[Lycurgus (king of Sparta)|Lycurgus]] || obscure background and possibly of non-royal descent, deposed the Agiad Agesipolis III and ruled alone
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 210 – 206 BC|| [[Pelops (Sparta)|Pelops]] ||son of Lycurgus 
|}

==Sole kings==

{| border="0" width=777px
! Year !! Tyrants !! Other notable information
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|width=111px|{{circa}} 210–207 BC || [[Machanidas]] || regent for Pelops
|-
|{{circa}} 206–192 BC || [[Nabis of Sparta|Nabis]] || first regent for Pelops, then usurper, claiming descent from the Eurypontid king Demaratus
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|{{circa}} 192 BC ||[[Laconicus]] || last known king of Sparta from Heraclid dynasty
|-bgcolor="#cdcdcd"
|}

The [[Achaean League]] annexed Sparta in 192 BC.

==Notes and references==
;Notes
{{reflist|group=n}}
;References
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* [[Paul Cartledge]], ''Sparta and Lakonia, A Regional History 1300–362 BC'', London, Routledge, 2002 (originally published in 1979). {{ISBN|0-415-26276-3}}
* The Cyclopædia, Volume 20. By Abraham Rees. Page [https://books.google.com/books?id=rvH8ra5JriwC&pg=PT157 157]+ (List of kings of Sparta on pg. [https://books.google.com/books?id=rvH8ra5JriwC&pg=PT164 164]).
* Sir William Smith, [https://books.google.com/books?id=uUPhhcdSACQC A New Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology, and Geography]: Partly Based Upon the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Harper & Brothers, 1851.
* Sir William Smith. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ok4pAAAAYAAJ Abaeus-Dysponteus]. J. Murray, 1890.
* Sir William Smith. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: [https://books.google.com/books?id=diQkGQcmb7QC Earinus-Nyx]. J. Murray, 1876.
* William Smith (Ed.) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: [https://books.google.com/books?id=f-5WAAAAMAAJ Oarses-Zygia]. J. Murray, 1880.

==External links==
* [http://www.livius.org Livius]
* [https://www.livius.org/so-st/sparta/agiads_and_eurypontids.html Eurypontids and Agiads] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051118200031/https://www.livius.org/so-st/sparta/agiads_and_eurypontids.html |date=2005-11-18 }} by Jona Lendering

{{Kings of Laconia & Sparta}}

{{Ancient Greece topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Kings Of Sparta}}
[[Category:Kings of Sparta|*]]
[[Category:Lists of Greek people|Sparta, Kings]]
[[Category:Greece history-related lists|Sparta]]