Leotychidas II

Leotychidas II(Greek:Λεωτυχίδας;Doric:ΛατυχίδαςLatychidas;c. 545 – c. 469 BC) was king ofSpartabetween 491–476 BC, alongsideCleomenes Iand laterLeonidas IandPleistarchus.He led Spartan forces during thePersian Warsfrom 490 BC to 478 BC.

Born in Sparta around 545 BC, Leotychidas was a descendant of the Royal House of theEurypontids(through Menamus, Agesilaus, Hippocratides, Leotychides, Anaxilaus, Archidamos,Anaxandridas IandTheopompus) and came to power in 491 BC with the help of theAgiadKingCleomenes Iby challenging the legitimacy of the birth ofDemaratusfor the Eurypontid throne of Sparta. Later that year, he joined Cleomenes' second expedition toAegina,where ten hostages were seized and given toAthens.However, after Cleomenes' death in 488 BC, Leotychidas was almost surrendered to Aegina.

In the spring of 479 BC, following the death of his co-ruler Leonidas at theBattle of Thermopylae,Leotychidas commanded a Greek fleet consisting of 110 ships at Aegina and later atDelos,supporting the Greek revolts atChiosandSamosagainstPersia.Leotychidas defeated Persian military and naval forces at theBattle of Mycaleon the coast ofAsia Minorin the summer of 479 BC (possibly around mid-August). In 476 BC, Leotychidas led an expedition toThessalyagainst theAleuadaefamily for collaboration with the Persians but withdrew after being bribed by the family. Upon returning to Sparta he was tried for bribery, and fled to the temple ofAthena AleainTegea.He was sentenced to exile and his house burned. He was succeeded by his grandson,Archidamus II,son of his sonZeuxidamus,called Cyniscus, who had died in his father's lifetime. Leotychidas died some years later, around 469 BC.

Further reading

• Andrew R. Burn,Persia and the Greeks: The Defense of the West 456-478 B.C.,New York, 1962
• Peter Green,The Year of Salamis 480-479 B.C.,London, 1970
• Simon Hornblower,The Greek World, 479-323 B.C.,3rd ed., London 2002