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Agiad Kings Of Sparta
The Agiad dynasty was one of the two royal families of Sparta, a powerful city-state of Ancient Greece. The Agiads were seniors to the other royal house, the Eurypontids, with whom they had an enduring rivalry. Their hypothetical founder was Agis I, possibly the first king of Sparta at the end of the 10th century, who gave his name to the dynasty. The last Agiad king was Agesipolis III, deposed by the Eurypontid Lycurgus in 215 BC. Their most famous member was probably Leonidas I, known for his heroic death at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. History In order to explain the peculiarity of the Spartan two kings, the Spartans elaborated a legend saying that Aristodemos—the first king of Sparta—had twins, Eurysthenes and Prokles. Since the Spartans did not know who was born first, they opted for a diarchy, a college of two kings with the same power; Eurysthenes being the first Agiad, Prokles the first Eurypontid.Hard, ''Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology'', p. 291. Mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sparta
Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement on the banks of the Eurotas River in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. Around 650 BC, it rose to become the dominant military land-power in ancient Greece. Given its military pre-eminence, Sparta was recognized as the leading force of the unified Greek military during the Greco-Persian Wars, in rivalry with the rising naval power of Athens. Sparta was the principal enemy of Athens during the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), from which it emerged victorious after the Battle of Aegospotami. The decisive Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC ended the Spartan hegemony, although the city-state maintained its political independence until its forced integration into the Achaean League in 192 BC. The city nevertheless ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lycurgus (lawgiver)
Lycurgus (; grc-gre, wikt:Λυκοῦργος, Λυκοῦργος ; 820 BC) was the quasi-legendary lawgiver of Sparta who established the military-oriented reformation of Spartan society in accordance with the Pythia, Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. All his reforms promoted the three Spartan virtues: equality (among citizens), military fitness, and austerity.Forrest, W.G. ''A History of Sparta 950–192 B.C.'' Norton. New York. (1963) p. 50 He is referred to by ancient historians and philosophers Herodotus, Xenophon, Plato, Polybius, Plutarch, and Epictetus. It is not clear if Lycurgus was an actual historical figure; however, many ancient historians believed that he instituted the communitarianism, communalistic and militaristic reforms – most notably the Great Rhetra – which transformed Spartan society. Biography Early life Most information about Lycurgus comes from Plutarch, Plutarch's "Life of Lycurgus" (part of ''Parallel Lives''), which is more of an anecdotal co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heroön
A heroön or heroon (plural heroa) (; , pl. ), also latinized as ''heroum'', is a shrine dedicated to an ancient Greek or Roman hero and used for the commemoration or cult worship of the hero. They were often erected over his or her supposed tomb or cenotaph. Description The Romans and the Greeks practised an extensive and widespread cult of heroes. Heroes played a central role in the life of a ''polis'', giving the city a shared focus for its identity. The cult typically centred on the heroön in which the hero's bones were usually believed to be contained. In a sense, the hero was considered still to be alive; he was offered meals and was imagined to be sharing feasts. His allegiance was seen as vitally important to the continued well-being of the city. This led to struggles between Greek cities for control of heroic remains. Greek literature records how Cimon of Athens avenged the death of the legendary hero Theseus in 469 BC, finding a set of bones allegedly belonging to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Menelaion
The archaeological site of Menelaion (translit. Menelaeion) ( grc, Μενελάειον) is located approximately 5 km from the modern city of Sparta. The geographical structure of this site includes a hill complex (Northern hill, Menelaion, Profitis Ilias and Aetos). The archaic name of the place is mentioned as Therapne ( grc, Θεράπνη). General context Fluvial deposits of the valley of Eurotas, mild climate and low hills which protect the area, are forming the general geographical and geological context of the archaeological site which revealed few Middle Helladic findings on the Northern hill and major settlement of the Mycenaean period in the Menelaion. Ideology It is considered that Helen appeared initially in Homeric epic poetry, circa 8th century BC. Besides epos, she appears in lyric poetry, in history, in theatrical plays, even in rhetorical exercises. Helen, and her husband Menelaus, belong to a large group of heroes and heroines worshiped throughout Greece. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aegys
Aegys or Aigys ( grc, Αἴγυς or Αἶγυς) was a town of ancient Arcadia then of ancient Laconia, on the frontiers of the two regions. It originally belonged to the Arcadians, but was conquered at an early period by Charilaus, the reputed nephew of Lycurgus, and annexed to Laconia. Its territory, called Aegytis or Aigytis (Αἰγῦτις), appears to have been originally of some extent, and to have included all the villages in the districts of Maleatis and Cromitis. Even at the time of the foundation of Megalopolis in 371 BCE, the inhabitants of these Arcadian districts, comprising Scirtonium Scirtonium or Skirtonion ( grc, Σκιρτώνιον) was a town of ancient Arcadia, in the region of Aegytis, to the south of Megalopolis A megalopolis () or a supercity, also called a megaregion, is a group of metropolitan areas which are ..., Malea, Cromi, Belbina, and Leuctrum, continued to be called Aegytae. Its site is tentatively located west of the modern K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracle had origins in prehistory and it became international in character and also fostered sentiments of Greek nationality, even though the nation of Greece was centuries away from realization. The Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks considered the centre of the world to be in Delphi, marked by the stone monument known as Omphalos of Delphi, the omphalos (navel). The sacred precinct of Ge or Gaia was in the region of Phocis (ancient region), Phocis, but its management had been taken away from the Phocis (ancient region), Phocians, who were trying to extort money from its visitors, and had been placed in the hands of an Amphictyonic League, amphictyony, or committee of persons chosen mainly from Central Greece. According to the Suda, Delphi took its n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pythia
Pythia (; grc, Πυθία ) was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness. The name ''Pythia'' is derived from ''Pytho'', which in myth was the original name of Delphi. Etymology, Etymologically, the Greeks derived this place name from the verb () "to rot", which refers to the sickly sweet smell from the decomposing body of the monstrous Python (mythology), Python after it was slain by Apollo. The Pythia was established at the latest in the 8th century BC, (though some estimates date the shrine to as early as 1400 BC), and was widely credited for her prophecy, prophecies uttered under divine possession (enthusiasmos) by Apollo. The Pythian priestess emerged pre-eminent by the end of the 7th century BC and continued to be consulted until the late 4th century AD. During this period, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amyclae
Amyclae or Amyklai ( grc, Ἀμύκλαι) was a city of ancient Laconia, situated on the right or western bank of the Eurotas, 20 stadia south of Sparta, in a district remarkable for the abundance of its trees and its fertility. Amyclae was one of the most celebrated cities of Peloponnesus in the heroic age. It is said to have been founded by the Lacedaemonian king Amyclas, the father of Hyacinthus, and to have been the abode of Tyndarus, and of Castor and Pollux, who are hence called ''Amyclaei Fratres''. Amyclae is mentioned by Homer, and it continued to maintain its independence as an Achaean town long after the conquest of Peloponnesus by the Dorians. According to the common tradition, which represented the conquest of Peloponnesus as effected in one generation by the descendants of Heracles, Amyclae was given by the Dorians to Philonomus, as a reward for his having betrayed to them his native city Sparta. Philonomus is further said to have peopled the town with colonists ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cynosura (Laconia)
Cynosura or Kynosoura ( grc, Κυνόσουρα) was a settlement that existed before the Dorian conquest. It was united with three other such settlements ( Pitane, Limnae, and Mesoa) by a common sacrifice to Artemis, and eventually coalesced into ancient Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre .... It is probable that Cynosura was in the southwest part of the city. Its site is unlocated. References Populated places in ancient Laconia Former populated places in Greece Lost ancient cities and towns Sparta {{AncientLaconia-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Limnae (Sparta)
Limnae or Limnai ( grc, Λίμναι) was a settlement that existed before the Dorian conquest. It was united with three other such settlements ( Mesoa, Pitane, and Cynosura) by a common sacrifice to Artemis, and eventually coalesced into ancient Sparta. Limnae was situated upon the Eurotas In Greek mythology, Eurotas (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρώτας) was a king of Laconia. Family Eurotas was the son of King Myles of Laconia and grandson of Lelex, eponymous ancestor of the Leleges. The '' Bibliotheca'' gave a slight variant of the ..., having derived its name from the marshy ground which once existed there; and as the Dromus occupied a great part of the lower level towards the southern extremity, it is probable that Limnae occupied the northern. Its site is unlocated. References Populated places in ancient Laconia Former populated places in Greece Lost ancient cities and towns Sparta {{AncientLaconia-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mesoa
Mesoa ( grc, Μεσόα), or Messoa (Μεσσόα), was a settlement that existed before the Dorian conquest. It was united with three other such settlements ( Pitane, Limnae, and Cynosura) by a common sacrifice to Artemis, and eventually coalesced into ancient Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre .... It is probable that Mesoa was in the southeast part of the city. Its site is unlocated. References Populated places in ancient Laconia Former populated places in Greece Lost ancient cities and towns Sparta {{AncientLaconia-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pitane (Laconia)
Pitane ( grc, Πιτάνη), or Pitana (Πιτάνα), was a settlement that existed before the Dorian conquest. It was united with three other such settlements ( Mesoa, Limnae, and Cynosura) by a common sacrifice to Artemis, and eventually coalesced into ancient Sparta. Pitane is called a polis by Euripides, and is also mentioned as a place by Pindar. Herodotus, who had been there, calls it a deme. He also mentions a λόχος Πιτανάτης; and Caracalla, in imitation of antiquity, composed a λόχος Πιτανάτης of Spartans. It appears from the passage of Pindar quoted above, that Pitane was at the ford of the Eurotas, and consequently in the northern part of the city. It was the favourite and fashionable place of residence at Sparta, like Collytus at ancient Athens and Craneion at Corinth. We are also told that Pitane was near the temple and stronghold of Issorium. Pitane was also the home of the Agiads, one of the two Spartan dynasties. Its site is unlocate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
_in_Sparta.jpg "Click for more on -> Menelaion")
