Pausanias of Sparta

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"Ares has chosen me to lead the Spartans to glory. There can be only one."

―Pausanias

Pausanias (died in 420s BCE) was one of the Two Kings of Sparta, ruling with Archidamos during the Peloponnesian War. Pausanias was also the Sage of the Peloponnesian League of the Cult of Kosmos.

Biography

A scion of the List of kings of Sparta#Agiad dynasty, Pausanias rose to rule beside Archidamos in around 445 BCE, and was still beside him by the Peloponnesian War. At some point during his life, he made the acquaintance of the Cult of Kosmos, climbing their ranks until he was the Sage of the Peloponnesian League branch.

When Archidamos ordered the general Brasidas to Korinthia, Pausanias sent a letter to The Monger, a member of his branch, ordering him to return Brasidas "on his shield." However, due to the intervention of the misthios Kassandra, The Monger failed at this task and was slain instead.

Following the unveiling of Pausanias as a member of the Cult of Kosmos, he was dethroned by the ephors and exiled from the city. Shortly thereafter, he was assassinated by the misthios Kassandra.

Trivia

• In the novel he was given the cryptonym the Red-eyed Lion. In the game, however, he signed all his correspondence merely with "P."
• In the novel the last sight of Pausanias was while he was charged by Archidamos, the ephors, the Gerousia, and the Hippeis before a "blood-chilling scream" was heard. However his fate is ultimately unknown.
• Traditionally, Sparta was simultaneously ruled by two kings from two families, the Eurypontids and the Agiads, which according to tradition both descended from Heracles. While Archidamos was an Eurypontid, Pausanias was a scion of the Agiad dynasty like Myrrine, Kassandra and Alexios, his grandfather being the nephew of King Leonidas.
• Historically, Pausanias did not die in 420s BCE. He was however removed from kingship around 424 BCE when his father Pleistoanax was recalled from exile. Historically Pausanias regained the throne in 408 BCE with the death of his father and ruled Sparta until 395 BCE when Pausanias was exiled, dying some unknown time after that.
• "There can be only one" is the motto of the immortals in the Highlander-franchise.

Gallery

• 
  Pausanias walking near the Tomb of Leonidas

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (novel)