Pausanias (Greek: Παυσανίας) (died c. 470 BC) was a Spartan
general of the 5th century BC. He was a scion of the royal house
of the Agiads but not in the direct line of succession himself:
the son of Cleombrotus and nephew of Leonidas I, serving as
regent after the latter's death, since Leonidas' son
Pleistarchus was still under-age. Pausanias was also the father
of Pleistoanax, who later became king, and Cleomenes. Pausanias
was responsible for the Greek victory over Mardonius and the
Persians at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC, and was the leader
of the Hellenic League created to resist Persian aggression
during the Greco-Persian Wars. After the Greek victories at
Plataea and the Battle of Mycale, the Spartans lost interest in
liberating the Greek cities of Asia Minor. However, when it
became clear that Athens would dominate the Hellenic League in
Sparta's absence, Sparta sent Pausanias back to command the
League's military. In 478 BC Pausanias was suspected of
conspiring with the Persians and was recalled