Lycurgus (king of Sparta)

Of obscure background and possibly of non-royal descent, Lycurgus led Sparta in the Social War against Macedon with varying success, and underwent multiple exiles during his checkered reign.

According to the historian Polybius, Lycurgus was not in fact of royal descent, and had made good his claim to the throne by bribing the ephors with one silver talent each.

In the summer of 219 BC, he invaded the eastern foreland of the Parnon and took several towns, and then, after marching back to the northern Laconian border, captured the Athenaeum fortress near Megalopolis.

After unsuccessfully counterattacking a Messenian detachment and failing to prevent Macedon from capturing the Menelaion, Lycurgus was denounced by the ephors and once again went into exile, fleeing to Aetolia.

As the war continued, Lycurgus was soon recalled by the following year's ephors, and, in agreement with the allied Aetolian League's general at Elis, he attacked Messenia again.