While still a prince, he was the
eispnílas (, inspirer, or pederastic lover) of Cleonymus, son of
Sphodrias. He interceded with his own father to spare his
aḯtas's (, hearer, or pederastic beloved) father's life in a legal matter, an action which further intensified friction between Athens and Sparta. He later led the Spartan forces both before and during his rule. Archidamus headed the force sent to aid the Spartan army after its defeat by the
Thebans at the
Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, and was commander later during the fighting in the
Peloponnese. Four years later he captured
Caryae, ravaged the territory of the
Parrhasii and defeated the
Arcadians,
Argives and
Messenians in the "tearless battle", so called because the victory did not cost the Spartans a single life. However, he was in turn defeated by the Arcadians in 364 BC at
Cromnus. In 362 BC, 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 355–346. In 346 BC, he went to Crete to help Lyttos in their struggle against Knossos in the
Foreign War. In 343 BC, the Spartan colony
Tarentum asked for Sparta's help in the war against the Italic populations, notably the
Lucanians and the
Messapians. In 342 BC, Archidamus arrived in
Italy with a fleet and a mercenary army and fought against the barbarians, but in 338 BC he was defeated and killed under the walls of the Messapian city of
Manduria. He was succeeded by his son
Agis III, and was also the father of
Eudamidas I and another son named Agesilaus. == References ==