<p>While Athens was trying democracy as a form of government, its rival Sparta had <strong>two kings, </strong>one from each of the two founding families, Agaidai and Eurypontidae.</p><p>One king might stay at home, while the other was away fighting battles. Fighting battles was what the Spartans did best. Greeks said that in a battle one Spartan was worth several other men.</p>

How many kings were there in Sparta?

<figure><img src="https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/h_QLa0_94MUF0GB1pkYf9TnMZUk=/768x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/-leonidas-at-thermopylae---5th-century-bc---c1814---artist--jacques-louis-david-463927039-5bfd8f23c9e77c0051c0d1ed.jpg" alt="'Leonidas at Thermopylae', 5th century BC, (c1814). Artist: Jacques-Louis David" width="721" height="518"><figcaption dir="auto">Print Collector/Getty Images / Getty Images</figcaption></figure><div>Updated on August 07, 2019</div><p dir="ltr">
The ancient Greek city of <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/sparta-a-military-state-112761" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1" dir="ltr">Sparta</a> was ruled by two kings, one from each of the two founding families, Agaidai and Eurypontidae. Spartan kings inherited their&nbsp;roles, a job filled by the leader of each family. Although not much is known about the kings — note how few of the kings listed below even have regnal dates — ancient historians have pieced together general information about <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/about-the-spartan-government-118542" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="2" dir="ltr">how the government worked</a>.
</p><h2 dir="ltr"> <span dir="ltr"> Spartan Monarchical Structure </span> </h2><p dir="ltr">
Sparta was a <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/constitutional-monarchy-definition-examples-4582648" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1" dir="ltr">constitutional monarchy</a>, made up of the kings, advised by and (supposedly) controlled by a college of <em dir="ltr">ephors</em>; a council of elders called the <em dir="ltr">Gerousia</em>; and an assembly, known as the <em dir="ltr">Apella </em>or <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/ancient-greece-sparta-4133332" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="2" dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">Ecclesia</em></a>. There were five ephors who were elected annually and swore fealty to Sparta rather than the kings. They were there to&nbsp;call up the army and receive foreign envoys. The <em dir="ltr">Gerousia </em>was a council made up of men who were over the age of 60; they made decisions in criminal cases. The Ecclesia was made up of every Spartan male full citizen who had attained his 30th birthday; it was led by the ephors and they&nbsp;supposedly made decisions on when to go to war and who would be the commander in chief.&nbsp;
</p><h2 dir="ltr"> <span dir="ltr"> Dual Kings&nbsp; </span> </h2><p dir="ltr">
Having two kings share power was fairly common in several <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/bronze-age-117138" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1" dir="ltr">Bronze Age</a> Indo-European societies; they shared power but had different roles. Like Mycenaean kings in Greece, the Spartans had a political leader (the Eurypontidae kings) and a war leader (the Agaidai kings). Priests were people outside of the regnal pair and neither of the kings was considered sacred — although they could enable contact with the gods, they were never interpreters. They were involved in certain religious or cultic activities, members of the priesthood of Zeus Lacedaemon (a cult group based honoring the mythical king of Laconia) and Zeus Ouranos (Uranus, the primal sky god).&nbsp;
</p><p dir="ltr">
The Spartan kings weren't believed to be supernaturally strong or sacred, either. Their role in Spartan life was shouldering certain magisterial and juridical responsibilities. Although this made them relatively weak kings and there was always input from the other pieces of the government on most of the decisions they made, most of the kings were fierce and acted independently most of the time. Remarkable examples of this include the famed first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/king-leonidas-of-sparta-battle-thermopylae-112481" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1" dir="ltr">Leonidas</a>&nbsp;(ruled 490–480 BCE for the house of Agaidai), who traced his ancestry to Hercules and was featured in the movie "300".
</p><h2 dir="ltr"> <span dir="ltr"> Names &amp; Dates of the Kings of Sparta </span> </h2><table class="mntl-sc-block-table__table" dir="ltr">
<colgroup span="1" dir="ltr"></colgroup>
<colgroup span="1" dir="ltr"></colgroup>
<thead dir="ltr">
<tr dir="ltr">
<th dir="ltr">House of Agaidai</th>
<th dir="ltr">House of Eurypontidai</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody data-check="0" dir="ltr">
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Agis 1</td>
<td dir="ltr"></td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Echestratos</td>
<td dir="ltr">Eurypon</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Leobotas</td>
<td dir="ltr">Prytanis</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Dorrusas</td>
<td dir="ltr">Polydectes</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Agesilaus I</td>
<td dir="ltr">Eunomos</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Archilaus</td>
<td dir="ltr">Charillos</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Teleklos</td>
<td dir="ltr">Nikandros</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Alkamenes</td>
<td dir="ltr">Theopompos</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Polydoros</td>
<td dir="ltr">Anaxandridas I</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Eurykrates</td>
<td dir="ltr">Archidamos I</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Anaxandros</td>
<td dir="ltr">Anaxilas</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Eurykratidas</td>
<td dir="ltr">Leotychidas</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Leon 590-560</td>
<td dir="ltr">Hippocratides 600–575</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Anaxandrides II 560–520</td>
<td dir="ltr">Agasicles 575–550</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/gorgo-of-sparta-121103" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1" dir="ltr">Cleomenes</a> 520–490</td>
<td dir="ltr">Ariston 550–515</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-at-thermopylae-480-bc-112901" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1" dir="ltr">Leonidas</a> 490–480</td>
<td dir="ltr">Demaratus 515–491</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Pleistrachus 480–459</td>
<td dir="ltr">Leotychides II 491–469</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Pausanias 409–395</td>
<td dir="ltr">Agis II 427–399</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Agesipolis I 395–380</td>
<td dir="ltr">Agesilaus 399–360</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Cleombrotos 380–371</td>
<td dir="ltr"></td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Agesipolis II 371–370</td>
<td dir="ltr"></td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Cleomenes II 370–309</td>
<td dir="ltr">Archidamos II 360–338</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr"></td>
<td dir="ltr">Agis III 338–331</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr"></td>
<td dir="ltr">Eudamidas I 331– ?</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Araios I 309–265</td>
<td dir="ltr">Archidamos IV</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Akrotatos 265–255?</td>
<td dir="ltr">Eudamidas II</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Araios II 255/4–247?</td>
<td dir="ltr">Agis IV ?–243</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Leonidas 247?–244;<br dir="ltr">243–235</td>
<td dir="ltr">Archidamos V ?–227</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Kleombrotos 244–243</td>
<td dir="ltr">[interregnum] 227–219</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Kleomenes III 235–219</td>
<td dir="ltr">Lykurgos 219– ?</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr">Agesipolis 219–</td>
<td dir="ltr">Pelops<br dir="ltr">(Machanidas regent) ?–207</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr"></td>
<td dir="ltr">Pelops<br dir="ltr">(Nabis regent) 207–?</td>
</tr>
<tr dir="ltr">
<td dir="ltr"></td>
<td dir="ltr">Nabis ?–192</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><h2 dir="ltr"> <span dir="ltr"> Sources </span> </h2><UL><LI><cite>Chronology of Monarchical Rule (from the now-defunct Herodotus website)</cite></LI><LI><cite>Adams, John P. “The kings of Sparta.”&nbsp;California State University, Northridge.&nbsp;&nbsp;</cite></LI><LI><cite dir="ltr">Lyle, Emily B. "Dumezil's Three Functions and Indo-European Cosmic Structure." <em dir="ltr">History of Religions</em> 22.1 (1982): 25-44. Print.</cite></LI><LI><cite dir="ltr">Miller, Dean A. "The Spartan Kingship: Some Extended Notes on Complex Duality." <em dir="ltr">Arethusa</em> 31.1 (1998): 1-17. Print.</cite></LI><LI><cite dir="ltr">Parke, H. W. "The Deposing of Spartan Kings." <em dir="ltr">The Classical Quarterly </em>39.3/4 (1945): 106-12. Print.</cite></LI><LI><cite dir="ltr">Thomas, C. G. "<a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/4435402" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="1" rel="noopener" dir="ltr">On the Role of the Spartan Kings</a>." <em dir="ltr">Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte</em> 23.3 (1974): 257-70. Print.</cite></LI></UL><div data-tracking-container="true" dir="ltr">
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Sparta was a constitutional monarchy, and although the dual kings were hampered by advisory bodies, they were often fierce and independent.

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<p>The ancient Greek city of <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/sparta-a-military-state-112761">Sparta </a>was ruled by two kings, one from each of the two founding families, Agaidai and Eurypontidae. Spartan kings inherited their roles, a job filled by the leader of each family. Although not much is known about the kings — note how few of the kings listed below even have regnal dates — ancient historians have pieced together general information about <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/about-the-spartan-government-118542">how the government worked </a>. </p>

<p>Sparta was a <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/constitutional-monarchy-definition-examples-4582648">constitutional monarchy </a>, made up of the kings, advised by and (supposedly) controlled by a college of <em>ephors </em>; a council of elders called the <em>Gerousia </em>; and an assembly, known as the <em>Apella </em>or <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/ancient-greece-sparta-4133332"><em>Ecclesia </em> </a>. There were five ephors who were elected annually and swore fealty to Sparta rather than the kings. They were there to call up the army and receive foreign envoys. The <em>Gerousia </em>was a council made up of men who were over the age of 60; they made decisions in criminal cases. The Ecclesia was made up of every Spartan male full citizen who had attained his 30th birthday; it was led by the ephors and they supposedly made decisions on when to go to war and who would be the commander in chief.  </p>

<p>Having two kings share power was fairly common in several <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/bronze-age-117138">Bronze Age </a>Indo-European societies; they shared power but had different roles. Like Mycenaean kings in Greece, the Spartans had a political leader (the Eurypontidae kings) and a war leader (the Agaidai kings). Priests were people outside of the regnal pair and neither of the kings was considered sacred — although they could enable contact with the gods, they were never interpreters. They were involved in certain religious or cultic activities, members of the priesthood of Zeus Lacedaemon (a cult group based honoring the mythical king of Laconia) and Zeus Ouranos (Uranus, the primal sky god).  </p>

<p>The Spartan kings weren't believed to be supernaturally strong or sacred, either. Their role in Spartan life was shouldering certain magisterial and juridical responsibilities. Although this made them relatively weak kings and there was always input from the other pieces of the government on most of the decisions they made, most of the kings were fierce and acted independently most of the time. Remarkable examples of this include the famed first <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/king-leonidas-of-sparta-battle-thermopylae-112481">Leonidas </a> (ruled 490–480 BCE for the house of Agaidai), who traced his ancestry to Hercules and was featured in the movie "300". </p>

<ul><li><cite>Chronology of Monarchical Rule (from the now-defunct Herodotus website) </cite> </li><li><cite>Adams, John P. “The kings of Sparta.” California State University, Northridge.   </cite> </li><li><cite>Lyle, Emily B. "Dumezil's Three Functions and Indo-European Cosmic Structure." <em>History of Religions </em>22.1 (1982): 25-44. Print. </cite> </li><li><cite>Miller, Dean A. "The Spartan Kingship: Some Extended Notes on Complex Duality." <em>Arethusa </em>31.1 (1998): 1-17. Print. </cite> </li><li><cite>Parke, H. W. "The Deposing of Spartan Kings." <em>The Classical Quarterly </em>39.3/4 (1945): 106-12. Print. </cite> </li><li><cite>Thomas, C. G. "<a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/4435402">On the Role of the Spartan Kings </a>." <em>Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte </em>23.3 (1974): 257-70. Print. </cite> </li> </ul>

Regnal List and Power Limits of the Ancient Kings of Sparta

How many kings were there in Sparta?

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