While Alexander is thousands of miles away conquering the Persian Empire, another war is being fought back in Greece. Through the eyes of Agesias, a Spartan farmer and father raised on stories of Thermopylae and Sparta’s former greatness, follow King Agis III’s last attempt to break Macedonian dominance. Persian money offers hope, Alexander’s absence offers opportunity, and Sparta marches to war believing history might still be changed.
But at Megalopolis in 331 BCE, Agesias discovers that the Macedonia his fathers once knew has changed too. Facing Antipater’s army, the Spartans fight a desperate battle in which Agis is wounded and makes his final stand while his men retreat. When Agesias eventually returns home, his son is waiting with a simple question: did Sparta win? An immersive historical story about the Spartan revolt, the Battle of Megalopolis, King Agis III, and what freedom means when the world you inherited is disappearing.
Narrator: Agesias, Spartan Farmer and Father
Setting: Sparta and the Battle of Megalopolis, 331 BCE
Historical Sources
Ancient Sources
- Diodorus Siculus, Library of History (Book 17)
- Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander (references to events in Greece)
- Plutarch, Life of Agis (later Spartan context)
Modern Sources
- Paul Cartledge, The Spartans
- Adrian Goldsworthy, Philip and Alexander
- Robin Lane Fox, Alexander the Great
- Peter Green, Alexander of Macedon
Historical Notes
Historical
- Agis III of Sparta revolted against Macedonian dominance while Alexander campaigned in Asia.
- The revolt culminated in the Battle of Megalopolis in 331 BCE.
- Agis III was wounded and died fighting while covering the retreat of his men.
- News of Alexander's victory at Gaugamela effectively ended hopes that Persia would help challenge Macedonian power in Greece.
Reconstructed
- Agesias, his family, and personal story.
- Conversations with his son and fellow soldiers.
- Emotional reflections and battlefield experiences.