History of the Peloponnesian War · Character
Agis
The Spartan king who commands Peloponnesian armies in Attica and later in the north, where his independence unsettles his own government.
supporting
Also known as King Agis
First appearance: book i
As a supporting figure in History of the Peloponnesian War, Agis is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Leads the Peloponnesian invasion of Attica but turns back due to earthquakes.
Agis inherits the leadership of repeated invasions of Attica, but his most consequential campaigns unfold far from Sparta, in the north and eventually against Athens' allies. He is a commander of real initiative whose willingness to act on his own judgment makes him both valuable and suspect at home. His decisions in the middle years of the war test how much autonomy Sparta will tolerate in its kings.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
22 connectionsA slice of how Agis sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Family
- Other
Character groups
- Diverse Figures of the War
- Acarnanian Campaign Commanders
- Spartan and Athenian Leaders
- Protagonist
+17 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the Athenians' fateful psychological peak of hubris…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Archidamus
family · positive
Agis was the son and successor of Archidamus as Spartan king, continuing his father's… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Agis in book iIn the story
Agis appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- XI
- Book V
- XVI
- Chapter XXI
- Nineteenth and twentieth years of the war — Revolt of Ionia — Intervention of Persia — The War in Ionia
