Agis II was the Spartan king who invaded Elis during the conflict known as the First Spartan War with Elis.
Agis II belonged to Sparta’s Eurypontid royal dynasty and ruled alongside the Agiad king Pausanias. During the early fourth century BCE, Sparta fought Elis, a western Peloponnesian state that controlled Olympia and had previously imposed restrictions on Spartan participation in the Olympic Games. Agis led a campaign into Elis, helping Sparta force a settlement.
The conflict reflected more than a local border dispute. Olympia had religious importance throughout Greece, and control of the sanctuary gave Elis considerable prestige. Spartan intervention therefore involved both regional power and access to one of the Greek world’s most important sacred festivals.
Agis II is best known for his role during the Peloponnesian War and for being the father of the commander Agesilaus II. His reign also coincided with Sparta’s growing rivalry with other Peloponnesian states after the defeat of Athens.