The Spartan Warrior King Who Helped Pharaoh Nectanebo Secure the Throne of Egypt

Agesilaus, the Spartan king successful his eighties, defies property and numbers successful Egypt, turning irrigation ditches into weapons of war. Credit: Edmund Ollier 1882, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Agesilaus, a king of Sparta who fought battles and held powerfulness longer than astir men adjacent lived, had his past run transportation him acold from Greece into the onshore of the Nile successful Egypt. His vocation stretched crossed decades of war, diplomacy, and idiosyncratic sacrifice. At much than eighty years old, helium inactive sought challenge. In Egypt, helium fought arsenic a mercenary for an Egyptian rebel king, humbled generals fractional his age, and near down 1 of the astir singular last acts successful past history.

Our main root for these events is the biographer Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus successful which Plutarch tells of however the Spartan king, weary of authorities astatine home, crossed to Egypt to combat arsenic a mercenary. He was already a legend, but helium was besides a antheral who refused to property quietly.

A Spartan successful Egypt

The backdrop was Egypt’s changeless turmoil successful the 4th period BC. Local rulers roseate and fell arsenic Persian power pressed down connected the land. At that time, a rebel named Tachos tried to prehend the throne and interruption Persian control. He needed soldiers with experience, truthful helium called upon Agesilaus and the Spartans.

Agesilaus agreed. Though helium was implicit eighty years old, helium inactive commanded loyalty and discipline. He near Greece with a tiny but battle-hardened Spartan force. Egyptians who initially saw him, mocked his size and appearance. Plutarch described him arsenic short, unimpressive, and limping. To them, helium looked much similar a frail aged antheral than a warrior. They laughed, and they attempted to flatter him with gifts of geese and calves. Agesilaus bluntly responded: “Watch maine work.”

The irrigation trenches

The Egyptians soon discovered that his words carried weight. At 1 point, a monolithic rebel service surrounded Agesilaus and his allies. The concern looked hopeless, and panic gripped the Egyptians. Even seasoned commanders mislaid heart.

But Agesilaus kept calm, studying the crushed with the crisp oculus of a veteran. Around their position, helium noticed irrigation ditches, dug to transmission Nile h2o into the fields. To the Egyptians, these ditches seemed similar obstacles, but for Agesilaus, they were tools.

He ordered the Spartans to person these ditches into trenches and past placed his men successful positions that forced the force to complaint done constrictive lanes. What looked similar weakness became a trap.

When the rebel big advanced, they funneled into the sidesplitting zones. Spartans held their crushed with shields and spears. The Egyptians descended into chaos. Agesilaus himself, though aged and limping, led the countercharge. His beingness inspired the men, with soldiers sixty years younger than him falling successful droves and thousands dying portion fleeing.

Agesilaus had not won arsenic a effect of numbers. He won owed to geography, discipline, and clarity of mind. Tachos yet mislaid his grip connected power. Another contender, Nectanebo, offered Agesilaus important compensation for support, and the Spartan accepted. With the assistance of Agesilaus and his disciplined troops, Nectanebo took the throne of Egypt.

For his services, Agesilaus received 230 talents. Yet his triumph was not conscionable astir wealth. He had erstwhile again proven that strategy and resoluteness were much important than appearances. Egyptians who had erstwhile mocked him present revered him arsenic the antheral who shaped their future.

Agesilaus II is known arsenic the top Spartan King. Credit: Niko978. CC BY 2.0/flickr

The past voyage

After the run ended, Agesilaus prepared for his instrumentality home. However, the play was late, and wintertime made sailing dangerous. His ships hugged the seashore of what is contiguous Libya, ne'er daring to transverse unfastened waters. Along this cautious path, the fleet came to a lonely shore. The spot was known arsenic the Harbour of Menelaus, named for the legendary Spartan who had journeyed to Troy centuries earlier.

There, connected an uninhabited agelong of coast, Agesilaus fell ill. He died softly astatine the property of eighty-four, and his assemblage was carried backmost to Sparta successful wax, preserved until it could remainder successful his homeland.

Agesilaus near down a grounds of victories and contradictions, ruling Sparta during its past large period of power. He fought Persians, Thebans, and adjacent Athenians, made enemies, and inspired loyalty successful adjacent measure. His last run successful Egypt captures the essence of his life.

Mocked for his appearance, Agesilaus showed his worthy done action. Outnumbered successful battle, helium turned the onshore itself into an ally, and though aged successful years, helium fought with the vigor and penetration of a young man. Plutarch’s representation presents not conscionable a Spartan king but a warrior who refused to bow to time.

His decease acold from location adds a last furniture of irony. Agesilaus spent his beingness defending Sparta, yet his past work was to Egypt. Still, adjacent there, helium remained himself: practical, cunning, and relentless.

Egypt Laughed astatine this Spartan King This is wherefore you ne'er mock a Spartan. Even an past one. #sparta #ancienthistory #historytok #warhistory

♬ archetypal dependable – Crowned History