Pausanias was a Spartan general of the 5th century BCE. He was the nephew of Leonidas I and served as regent after his uncle's death, as Leonidas' son, Pleistarchus, was still under-age. He was responsible for the Greek victory over Mardonius and the Persians at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE, 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.

Pausanias, the Spartan regent, was suspected of conspiring with the Persians and was recalled to Sparta, however he was acquitted and then left Sparta of his own accord, taking a trireme from the town of Hermione. When Pausanios was on the brink of death they carried him out and, as soon as he was brought outside, he died. After burying him nearby, the god at Delphi, Apollo, told the Spartans to move Pausanias' tomb to the place where he died. (Thucydides 1.128-136) Cimon and the Athenians then became the leaders of the Hellenic League, which gave them the clout necessary to create the Delian League.

~Article courtesy of: Livius.org

~Pausanias images are courtesy of Livius.org