Irlandos at 13:26, February 11, 2008

2008-02-11T13:26:32Z

Irlandos at 18:42, November 9, 2005

2005-11-09T18:42:04Z

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'''Demaratus''', king of [[Sparta]] from [[515 BC|515]] until [[491 BC]] of the [[Eurypontid line]], successor to his father [[Ariston]]. As King he is known chiefly for his opposition to his colleague the other Spartan king [[Cleomenes I]].

When Cleomenes attempted to make [[Isagoras]] tyrant in Athens, Demartus tried unsucessfully to frustrate his plans. In [[501 BC]] [[Aegina]] was one of the states which gave the symbols of submission (''earth and water'') to Persia. Athens at once appealed to Sparta to punish this act of medism, and [[Cleomenes I]], crossed over to the island, to arrest those who were responsible for it. His first attempt was unsuccessful due to interference from Demartus who did his utmost to bring Cleomenes into disfavour at home.

In retaliation Cleomenes urged Leotychides, a relative and personal enemy of Demaratus, to claim the throne on the ground that the latter was not really the son of Ariston but of [[Agetus]], his mother's first husband. Cleomenes bribed the [[Delphic oracle]], to pronounce in favor of Leotychides, who became king [[Leotychides II]] in [[491 BC]].

After the deposition of Demaratus, Cleomenes visited the island of Aegina for a second time, accompanied by his new colleague Leotychides, seized ten of the leading citizens and deposited them at Athens as hostages.

On his abdication, Demaratus was forced to flee. He went to the court of the Persian king [[Darius I]], who gave him the cities of [[Pergamum]], [[Teuthrania]] and [[Halisarna]], where his descendants were still ruling at the beginning of the 4th century.

He accompanied [[Xerxes I]] on his invasion of Greece in [[484 BC]] and is alleged to have warned Xerxes not to underestimate the Spartans before the [[Battle of Thermopylae]]:
:''The same goes for the Spartans. One-against-one, they are as good as anyone in the world. But when they fight in a body, they are the best of all. For though they are free men, they are not entirely free. They accept Law as their master. And they respect this master more than your subjects respect you. Whatever he commands, they do. And his command never changes: It forbids them to flee in battle, whatever the number of their foes. He requires them to stand firm -- to conquer or die. O king, if I seem to speak foolishly, I am content from this time forward to remain silent. I only spoke now because you commanded me to. I do hope that everything turns out according to your wishes.'' — Herodotos vii (trans. G. Rawlinson)

== See also ==
* [[Kings of Sparta]]

==References==
* [[Xenophon]] [[Anabasis (Xenophon)|Anabasis]], ii. j. 3, vii. 8. 17; [http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/1174 Hellenica], iii. I. 6
* [[Athenaeus]] i. 29 f
* [[Herodotus]] v. 75, vi. 50-70, vii ;
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] iii. 4, 3-5, 7, 7-8;
* [[Diodorus]] xi. 6;
* [[Polyaenus]] ii. 20;
* [[Seneca the Younger]], De benefici-is, Vi. 31, 4-12

==External links==
*[http://ragz-international.com/Greek%20Sparta.htm Demaratus on the Spartan Way of Living]

[[Category:Rulers of Sparta]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:26, February 11, 2008
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−	'''Demaratus''', king of [[Sparta]] from [[515 BC\|515]] until [[491 BC]] of the [[Eurypontid ~~line~~]], successor to his father [[Ariston]]. As King he is known chiefly for his opposition to his colleague the other Spartan king [[Cleomenes I]].	+	'''Demaratus''', king of [[Sparta]] from [[515 BC\|515]] until [[491 BC]] of the [[Eurypontid]] line, successor to his father [[Ariston]]. As King he is known chiefly for his opposition to his colleague the other Spartan king [[Cleomenes I]].

	When Cleomenes attempted to make [[Isagoras]] tyrant in Athens, Demartus tried unsucessfully to frustrate his plans. In [[501 BC]] [[Aegina]] was one of the states which gave the symbols of submission (''earth and water'') to Persia. Athens at once appealed to Sparta to punish this act of medism, and [[Cleomenes I]], crossed over to the island, to arrest those who were responsible for it. His first attempt was unsuccessful due to interference from Demartus who did his utmost to bring Cleomenes into disfavour at home.		When Cleomenes attempted to make [[Isagoras]] tyrant in Athens, Demartus tried unsucessfully to frustrate his plans. In [[501 BC]] [[Aegina]] was one of the states which gave the symbols of submission (''earth and water'') to Persia. Athens at once appealed to Sparta to punish this act of medism, and [[Cleomenes I]], crossed over to the island, to arrest those who were responsible for it. His first attempt was unsuccessful due to interference from Demartus who did his utmost to bring Cleomenes into disfavour at home.

Demaratus - Revision history

Irlandos at 13:26, February 11, 2008

Irlandos at 18:42, November 9, 2005