This painting, by the French artist Nicolas-Andre Monsiaux ou Monsiau (c. 1754 – 1837), depicts the death of an ancient figure named Agis. Although the artwork does not explicitly specify which Agis is featured on canvas, or from which land he hailed, it can be assumed with a high degree of certainty that the artwork was likely inspired by the death of King Agis IV of Sparta (r. 244-241 BCE). Only nineteen years of age when he ascended to the throne, King Agis IV was a member of the Eurypontid line of Spartan kings, one of two co-ruling monarchal dynasties in Sparta. His co-king from the Agiad line was Leonidas II, who had been in power since 251 BCE. Unfortunately for the kings, their kingdom was a shadow of the great military state that had once won glory in the Greco-Persian Wars (490s-449 BCE) and the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE). But young King Agis IV was an ambitious visionary, and he hoped he could reform Spartan society back to its former greatness. Nevertheless, radical reform proved to be a dangerous game, especially when Agis IV ruled alongside an older co-king.
King Agis IV, searching for ways to revive Sparta’s power, decided to bring about a new age of adherence to the teachings of Lycurgus, the legendary philosophical founding father who was attributed with turning Sparta into a luxury-opposed military state sometime between the 9th and 6th centuries BCE. The youthful king thought that if he brought back the Lycurgian constitution, then Sparta would be reborn for the better. With this in mind, eager Agis began proposing an avalanche of ambitious reforms, including the clearing of debts, a reinstitution of the ancient Spartan communal mess hall system, and a new redistribution of Spartan land. Agis supposedly led by example, personally handing over his own estates for redistribution and lending a great deal of money to the state treasury. In these efforts, King Agis IV received support and encouragement from his wealthy mother, Agesistrata, and his grandmother, Archidamia.
Agis IV’s family was not the only powerful landowning clan in the Spartan realm. Unfortunately for the young king, the majority of other Spartan landowners were opposed to the proposed land reforms. These influential Spartiates organized into a powerful opposition movement headed by Agis’ co-ruler, King Leonidas II. With the co-kings at an impasse, internal intrigue began. King Agis IV launched the first blow. His faction brought charges against King Leonidas II, who fled to the safety of a temple. With Leonidas in exile, Agis’ faction elevated Leonidas’ sympathetic son-in-law, Cleombrotus II, as the new Spartan co-king. With full control over the Spartan government, Agis IV was able to maneuver his friends into the powerful council of ephors. The most notable of his agents included his uncle, Agesilaus, and his friend, Lysander. Sadly, these men would hasten Agis’ downfall.
Around 241 BCE, the Achaean League requested the aid of Sparta, and King Agis IV decided to personally lead a force of his revitalized army to their support. It was a short and uneventful expedition for the Spartan troops, but his brief absence had a drastic effect on Sparta. Without the king’s oversight, Agis’ uncle, Agesilaus, showed himself to be extremely corrupt. Agesilaus’ corruption disgruntled King Agis’ supporters and threw political momentum back to the side of the opposition movement. Before the end of 241 BCE, the opposing faction invited the exiled king, Leonidas II, back to Sparta.
In a reversal of fate, it was now time for Agis and Cleombrotus to flee to the sanctuary of sacred temples. Nevertheless, they both ultimately fell into the clutches of their enemies. Cleombrotus was deposed and Leonidas II was reinstated as the rightful king of the Agiad line. As Cleombrotus was family, he was spared from the wrath of Leonidas. King Agis IV, however, was shown less mercy. The ancient scholar, Plutarch (c. 50-120 CE), wrote, “So they condemned him to death and instructed their attendants to convey him to what is called the Dechas. This is a chamber in the prison where condemned men are executed by throttling” (Plutarch, Parallel Lives, Life of Agis, chapter 19). As the artwork above portrays, Agis was not the only one executed. Leonidas II also had King Agis’ mother and grandmother killed. Plutarch’s account contains a description of what seems to be occurring in the painting. It is a long passage, but as it seems to be a close match to the artwork it is worth quoting. Plutarch wrote:
“And after letting both women in and giving instructions for the prison doors to be shut again, he [the execution official Amphares] handed over Archidamia for execution first: she was by now very elderly, and in her old age enjoyed the highest esteem among Spartiate women. Once she was dead he told Agesistrata to step inside. When she came in and saw her son lying on the ground and her mother’s corpse hanging from the noose, she personally helped the attendants take it down, then laid out the body next to that of Agis, arranged it decently and covered it. Next she threw herself upon her son, kissed his face…When Amphares glimpsed from the door what was going on and heard what she was saying, he came on in and spoke angrily to Agesistrata. ‘If you approved of the same ideas as your son,’ he said, ‘then you will suffer the same fate too.’” (Plutarch, Parallel Lives, Life of Agis, chapter 20).
Such is the tragic scene that is likely being re-created in Nicolas-Andre Monsiaux ou Monsiau’s artwork. Elderly Archidamia is dead on the dungeon floor, her body covered with a cloth placed there moments ago by her daughter. Also dead is Agis IV, with his still-living mother crouched mournfully over his body. Like the mourning mother, Agesistrata, it seems an attendant in green, too, is struggling with the emotions of the moment. Unfortunately for the mother, her time would soon be up, for the shadowy figure of the execution official, Amphares, can be seen lurking in the background.
Written by C. Keith Hansley
Sources:
- On Sparta (Life of Lycurgus), by Plutarch excerpted from his Parallel Lives, translated by Richard J. A. Talbert. New York: Penguin Classics, 2005.
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Agis-IV
- https://www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/petit-palais/oeuvres/la-mort-d-agis#infos-principales
