ARCHIDAMUS III

died 338 BC, Manduria, Calabria king of Sparta, 360338, succeeding his father, Agesilaus II. Archidamus headed the force sent to aid the Spartan army after its defeat by the Thebans at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 and was commander later during the confused fighting in the Peloponnese. He scored a victory over the Arcadians in 367 but was in turn defeated by them in 364 at Cromnus. In 362 he showed great courage in the defense of Sparta against the Theban commander Epaminondas. As king, Archidamus supported the Phocians against Thebes in the Sacred War of 355346. Leading a mercenary army to help Tarentum (modern Tarento, Italy) against the Lucanians, he fell with most of his troops at nearby Manduria.