Anaxandridas II (Ancient Greek: Ἀναξανδρίδας, meaning "descendant of Anaxander") was an Agiad king of Sparta from c. 560 BC to 524 BC, father of Leonidas I and grandfather of Pleistarchus. Under the leadership of the ephor Chilon, in office during the middle of the 6th century, Sparta ended its streak of violent conquests, such as in Messenia, and adopted a pro-Achaea policy based on diplomacy. Anaxandridas was succeeded by Cleomenes I.
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Anaxandridas II in the context of Leonidas I
Leonidas I (/liəˈnaɪdəs, -dæs/; Ancient Greek: Λεωνίδας, Leōnídas; born c. 540 BC; died 11 August 480 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. He was the son of king Anaxandridas II and the 17th king of the Agiad dynasty, a Spartan royal house which claimed descent from Heracles. Leonidas I ascended to the throne in c. 489 BC, succeeding his half-brother king Cleomenes I. He ruled jointly along with king Leotychidas II until his death in 480 BC, when he was succeeded by his son, Pleistarchus.
At the Second Greco-Persian War, Leonidas led the allied Greek forces in a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), attempting to defend the pass from the invading Persian army, and was killed early during the third and last day of the battle. Leonidas entered myth as a hero and the leader of the 300 Spartans who died in battle at Thermopylae. While the Greeks lost this battle, they were able to expel the Persian invaders in the following year.
Anaxandridas II in the context of Ariston of Sparta
Ariston (Ancient Greek: Ἀρίστων) was a king of Sparta, 14th of the Eurypontid kings, son of Agasicles, and contemporary of the Agiad king, Anaxandrides II. He reigned from approximately 560 BC to shortly after 510 BC. There are two main sources for him, Herodotus and Pausanias.
Of his military or political activities we are told nothing. He is known for Bering legal father of his successor, Damaratus, who was later deposed on suspicion illegitimate. As Herodotus told it, Ariston had married twice, but neither wife had borne him a child. He had a close friend named Agetus who had an exceedingly beautiful wife, and Ariston, having fallen in love with her, connived to trick his friend into trading this woman for anything among his belongings that Agetus might choose. Once married to her, she became pregnant, and a son was later born – but after 7 months.