The lameness of Agesilaus

Based on Plutarch’s life of the legendary Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus (16.1-2), Spartan male babies were examined by tribal elders and, if judged “well-built and sturdy”, the child was assigned one of the lots of land set aside for male citizens. If the baby was “ill-born and deformed,” however, it was taken to the cave of the Kaiadas on Mount Taygetus (sometimes described as a cliff or chasm). Agesilaus was clearly not exposed, nor was he born as the Eurypontid heir (that was his elder half-brother Agis II) so should not have received special treatment. Agesilaus was not expected to succeed his half-brother, until the parentage of Agis’ only son, Leotychides, was disputed and he was excluded from the succession. In fact, also according to Plutarch (Agesilaus 2.2), Agesilaus bore his…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XVIII.1

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