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When Antipater learned of this Greek mobilization, he ended the Thracian campaign on what terms he could and marched down into the Peloponnesus with his entire army. He added soldiers from those of the Greeks who were still loyal and built up his force until it numbered not less than forty thousand.1 [2] When it came to a general engagement, Agis was struck down fighting, but the Lacedaemonians fought furiously and maintained their position for a long time; when their Greek allies were forced out of position they themselves fell back on Sparta. [3] More than five thousand three hundred of the Lacedaemonians and their allies were killed in the battle, and three thousand five hundred of Antipater's troops. [4]

An interesting event occurred in connection with Agis's death. He had fought gloriously and fell with many frontal wounds. As he was being carried by his soldiers back to Sparta, he found himself surrounded by the enemy. Despairing of his own life, he ordered the rest to make their escape with all speed and to save themselves for the service of their country, but he himself armed and rising to his knees defended himself, killed some of the enemy and was himself slain by a javelin cast; he had reigned nine years.2 (This is the end of the first half of the seventeenth book.)3 [5]

Now that we have run through the events in Europe, we may in turn pass on to what occurred in Asia.

1 Alexander sent him 3000 talents for the campaign (Arrian. 3.16.10).

2 The battle took place near Megalopolis, probably rather before than after Gaugamela (Curtius 6.1.21).

3 See the division of the book into two parts in the Table of Contents.

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  • Cross-references in notes from this page (2):
    • Arrian, Anabasis, 3.16.10
    • Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 6.1.21
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