>The ephors must have grumbled to themselves when Eupolia gave birth to her son, Agesilaus, around 445 BCE. According to Plutarch&rsquo;s sources, Agesilaus was short like his mother and also had a slightly lame leg. He was raised like any other Spartan grunt, taught to be an obedient soldier. Yet, despite his short size and his malformed leg, Agesilaus showed great military skill and won over influential friends to his cause. After the death of King Agis II in 400 BCE, Agesilaus&rsquo; friends accused the heir to the throne, Leotychidas (son of Agis II), with the charge of not being fathered by the late king. With Leotychidas discredited, the crown passed to the man who was never meant to be king&mdash;Agesilaus II (r. 400-360 BCE).