He was succeeded by his son, King Pleistarchus. According to tradition, the two lines, the Agiads and Eurypontids, were respectively descended from the twins Eurysthenes and Procles, the descendants of Heracles who supposedly conquered Sparta two generations after the Trojan War. Namely, many years before the war’s beginning, both Poseidon and Zeus had fallen in love with a sea-nymph with the name Thetis. By Abraham Rees. Sparta was a respected and most feared militaristic city-state in Ancient Greece. Some time later, when they thought everything had been prepared for an attack, the two brothers returned to Mycenae, and helped by King Tyndareus of Sparta, dethroned Thyestes and Agamemnon became the new ruler. During the war Menelaus served under his elder brother Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Greek forces. Sparta was unusual among the Greek city-states in that it maintained its kingship past the Archaic age. He succeeded his half-brother King Cleomenes I to the throne in c. 489 BC. Today, the name of Menelaus is probably unrecognisable to most people, but in Greek mythology he was a central figure in one of the great tales, the story of the Trojan War. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: William Smith (Ed.) For royal houses, the patronymic was formed from the name of the founder or of an early significant figure of a dynasty. So it happened and Menelaus drew the lucky straw. Thus, Aphrodite helped him kidnap Helen (other versions say they eloped). Menelaus's beautiful wife, Helen, the daughter of Zeus* and a woman called Leda, was at the center of the events that led to the Trojan War.. Before her marriage to Menelaus, Helen lived with Leda and Leda's husband, King Tyndareus of Sparta. He must have been a king, who founded a dynasty of his name. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 17:53. She was one of two daughters of King Eurotas of Laconia, with the other being Tiasa. Together with 7000 hoplites of other Greek city-states they defended the invasion of 80,000 soldiers of Persian king Xerxes. The Spartans were Achaeans who lived in Sparta, the capital of the realm of Lacadeamon, or Laconia. Tyndareus had a brother named Hippocoon (Ἱπποκόων), who seized power and exiled Tyndareus. Menelaus, or spelled Menelaos, was the King of Sparta before and during Trojan War, in Greek Mythology. Menelaus was a king of Sparta in Greek mythology, husband of Helen. Page, A New Classical Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology, and Geography, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_kings_of_Sparta&oldid=995003059, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Short description with empty Wikidata description, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Briefly deposed while in exile avoiding trial, last Agiad, deposed by the Eurypontid Lycurgus, Actually an Agiad; installed by Cleomenes III, deposes the Agiad Agesipolis III and ruled alone, first regent for Pelops, then usurper, claiming descent from the Eurypontid king Demaratus, last known king of Sparta from Heraclid dynasty, The Cyclopædia, Volume 20. By Abraham Rees. In Greek mythology, Sparta (Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, Spártā; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, Spártē) was the ancient Queen of Sparta, which was named in her honour. When his father died, Tyndareus inherited the kingdom, however, with the help of his sons, Hippocoon usurped the throne, exiling his brothers. These twins were known as Dioscuri , and they had joined other heroes in the voyage of the Argonauts and the Calydonian Boar Hunt. The cunning Odysseus stepped in and told Tyndareus of his plan to solve the issue. In Greek mythology, Hermione (/ h ɜːr ˈ m aɪ. After the end of the war, there are different versions of what happened when the couple reunited. She was married to King Menelaus of Sparta but was abducted by Prince Paris of Troy after the goddess Aphrodite promised her to him in the Judgement of Paris. This List of Kings of Sparta details the important rulers of the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta in the Peloponnese. Leonidas was the famous king of Sparta who led 300 Spartan hoplites at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Menelaus. A ruling family might thus have a number of dynastic names; for example, Agis I named the Agiads, but he was a Heraclid and so were his descendants. Later, during the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, the goddess of strife Eris, angry for not being invited, threw a golden apple with the inscription "to the fairest one" amidst the guests. Helen was already married to King Menelaus of Sparta (a fact Aphrodite neglected to mention), so Paris had to raid Menelaus's house to steal Helen from him - according to some accounts, she fell in love with Paris and left willingly. The three goddesses offered him glorious gifts, but in the end the prince gave the apple to Aphrodite, who had promised him the most beautiful woman in the world. It is said that the first love poems to women originated from Sparta. In Greek mythology, Sparta was a great centre of power for the Spartan king, with great palaces. As the name of Atreus is attested in Hittite documents, this dynasty may well be protohistoric. Menelaus, in Greek mythology, king of Sparta and younger son of Atreus, king of Mycenae; the abduction of his wife, Helen, led to the Trojan War. They were presumed to have been named after kings and divinities. The dynasty was named after its second king, Agis. Minos was one of the most famous kings of Greek mythology. The two men abducted Helen, the underaged princess of Sparta, before she was married to Menelaus, the future king of Sparta. • The Cyclopædia, Volume 20. The region of Sparta was also called Lacedaemon, after the name of the mythical king of the region. The beginning of the Trojan war began with a prophecy regarding the order of the Olympians and a divine love contest. In Greek mythology, there was a story that explained how the city of Sparta got its names, for there was an individual called Sparta . In the end, Thyestes emerged victorious, helped by his son Aegisthus who murdered Atreus. The Agiad line was regarded as being senior to the Eurypontid line.[3]. When Zeus saw her, he fell in love with her. In mythology, they were the Perseides. He built the sanctuary dedicated to the three Charites. Once back in Sparta, the life of the couple was strained by the events of the war. He transformed into a swan and appeared in front of her; he seduced her and slept with her. His parents were Atreus and Aerope, while his brother was Agamemnon who ruled over the city of Mycenae. If the descent was not known or was scantily known, the Greeks made a few standard assumptions based on their cultural ideology. Hermione Hermione was the only child of King Menelaus of Sparta and Helen of Troy, in Greek mythology. For when Cylarabes died childless, leaving vacant the throne of Argos, Orestes 2 succeeded him, thus adding this kingdom to his own. All of the suitors had to give a vow to protect the future husband of Helen in any dispute, and they would then draw lots to determine the lucky person to marry her. Kings often became divinities, in their religion. He was the son of Zeus and the nymph Taygete, and was married to Sparta, daughter of the river god Eurotas. This consequence was th… Together, they had three children, Amyclas, Eurydice (different to … Menelaus and Helen got married and ascended to the throne of Sparta when Tyndareus and his wife Leda decided to step down. Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena quarreled over who should get the apple and asked the prince of Troy, Paris, to be the judge. The Lelegid were the descendants of Lelex (a back-formation), ancestor of the Leleges, a Pelasgian tribe inhabiting the Eurotas valley before the Greeks, who, according to the mythological descent, amalgamated with the Greeks. He was one of the main characters involved in the Trojan War. The dynasty is named after its third king Eurypon. The Heracleidae became ascendant in the Eurotas valley with the Dorians who, at least in legend, entered it during an invasion called the Return of the Heracleidae; driving out the Atreids and at least some of the Mycenaean population. The Atreidai (Latin Atreidae) belong to the Late Bronze Age, or the Mycenaean Period. That mythologizing extended even to place names. He was the husband of Leda, with whom he had a number of children, including Castor, Clytemnestra, Timandra, Phoebe and Philonoe. The Spartans' expedition to retrieve Helen from Paris in Troy is the mythological basis of the Trojan War. Menelaus kept thinking of the lives lost during those years, while he also regretted that they did not have a male heir. She was the wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta. They all say, though, that Menelaus initially wanted to kill Helen for leaving him for Paris; he changed his mind though when he saw her weeping in sorrow, or shredding her robes thus uncovering her beautiful body for him to see. Agiad people were treated as a tribe, presumed to have descended from an ancestor bearing its name. This article is part of the series: In Greek mythology, Tyndareus (Ancient Greek: Τυνδάρεως) was a Spartan king, son of Oebalus (or Perieres) and Gorgophone (or Bateia), husband of Leda (Λήδα) and father of Helen, Castor and Polydeuces, Clytemnestra, Timandra, Phoebe and Philonoe. Cassandra or Kassandra (Ancient Greek: Κασσάνδρα, pronounced , also Κασάνδρα), (sometimes referred to as Alexandra), was a Trojan priestess of Apollo in Greek mythology cursed to utter true prophecies, but never to be believed.In modern usage her name is employed as a rhetorical device to indicate someone whose accurate prophecies are not believed. It was founded by Lelex, the original inhabitant of Laconia, and was named after Sparta, his granddaughter. Both wanted Thetis to be his bride; however, they both backed off after they were told of the consequences that awaited them if they made such an action. The Achaean League annexed Sparta in 192 BC. Cynuria is said to have been colonized by. When Phrontis, one of his crewmen,… They were also known for their literate verbal skills and poetry. Sir William Smith. Tyndareus had a step-daughter called Helen, and many suitors had arrived at the court of Sparta to ask her in marriage. Eurotas King of Laconia Eurotas is generally considered to be the son of King Myles of Laconia, and thus grandson of the first king of Laconia, Lelex. King Minos was the king of Crete, a son of Zeus, and husband of Pasiphae; famously though, he was also the king encountered by Theseus. The parents of Menelaus were Atreus and Aerope. The region of Sparta was also called Lacedaemon, after the name of the mythical king of the region. The "kidnapping" of Menelaus' wife Helen by Paris, shepherd son of Priam, was the cause of that conflict. His co-ruler was King Leotychidas. Atreus was his father, and Agamemnon, leader of the Achaean army at Ilion (the plains of Troy), was Menelaus' brother. Although there are lists of the earlier purported Kings of Sparta, there is little evidence for the existence of any kings before the middle of the sixth century BC or so. Pindar and the cult of heroes. https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Menelaus/menelaus.html He was one of the main characters involved in the Trojan War. See Also: Helen, Atreus, Aerope, Agamemnon, Thyestes, Aegisthus, Odysseus, Tyndareus, Trojan War, Peleus, Thetis, Eris, Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, Paris. The couple had a daughter called Hermione, and some other accounts also mentioned three sons; Aithiolas, Maraphius and Pleisthenes. Leonidas (540-480 BC), the legendary king of Sparta, and the Battle of Thermopylae is one of the most brilliant events of the ancient Greek history, a great act of courage and self-sacrifice.This man and the battle itself has inspired since then many artists, poets and … The Acropolis of Sparta is located in the Peloponnese. Agesilaus II, distinguished king of Sparta, being asked which was the greater virtue, valor or justice, replied: "Unsupported by justice, valor is good for nothing; and if all men were just, there would be no need of valor". Menelaus was a key figure in one of the greatest tales of Greek mythology – The Trojan War. In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy, Helen, Helena, (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη Helénē, pronounced ), also known as beautiful Helen, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, was said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. This Greek Mythology Travel Guide will explore the myths of the legendary inhabitants of Sparta, including Tyndareus and his wife Leda, who hatched her children from divine eggs, Menelaus and his wife Helen, whose abduction … Leda was a princess in Greek mythology, daughter of the king of Aetolia, Thestius. By Bruno Currie Page 245, A Classical Dictionary By John Lemprière. Infuriated, Menelaus invoked the oath that had been taken by all the suitors of Helen, and assisted by his brother, set sail for Troy, thus setting in motion the events that culminated in the Trojan War. Sparta Daughter of Eurotas. Queen Sparta was considered to have been beautiful wo… Menelaus, in Greek mythology, king of Sparta and younger son of Atreus, king of Mycenae; the abduction of his wife, Helen, led to the Trojan War. It was also the only city-state in Greece where women had ele… As the husband of Helen, he was at the very heart of the war. 1 Rulers in Greek Mythology 1.1 Lelegids 1.2 Lacadaemonids 1.3 Atreids 1.4 Heraclids 1.4.1 Agaids 1.4.2 Eurypontids Lelex, son ofPoseidon Myles, son of Lelex Eurotas, son of Myles. Spartan Constitution. Hippocoon is the name of several characters of Greek mythology, the most notable being a king of Sparta. Sparta was the home of Helen of Troy and her famous twin brothers, Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux). In Greek mythology, Eurysthenes (Greek: Εὐρυσθένης, "widely ruling") was one of the Heracleidae, a great-great-great-grandson of Heracles, and a son of Aristodemus and Argia. The dynasties themselves, however, were named after the twins' grandsons, the kings Agis I and Eurypon, respectively. He was the son of Zeus and the nymph Taygete, and was married to Sparta, daughter of the river god Eurotas. Tyndareus Tyndareus was a king of Sparta in Greek mythology, son of Oebalus and Gorgophone. Disallowed the Peloponnesus, Hercules embarked on a life of wandering. For Menelaus was, at the time, the King of Sparta, and husband to the beautiful Helen. She was believed to have been the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and was the sister of Clytemnestra, Castor and Pollux, Philonoe, Phoebe and Timandra. [4] The kings' firstborn sons, as heirs apparent, were the only Spartan boys expressly exempt from the Agoge; however, they were allowed to take part if they so wished, and this endowed them with increased prestige when they ascended the throne. Hippocoon was born the son of King Oebalus and half-brother of Tyndareus and Icarius. The murder of their father made Menelaus and Agamemnon flee from the city and seek refuge in the courts of nearby regions. Spartan kings received a recurring posthumous hero cult like that of the Doric kings of Cyrene. Greece - Greek - History - Mythology - Art. Menelaus: GreekMythology.com - Feb 11, 2021, Greek Mythology iOS Volume Purchase Program VPP for Education App. Spartans, however, usually is used to mean the latter as well. King Orestes 2 ruled over a vaster territory than his father. Spartans were familiar with philosophy as they were aware of the importance of training the mind of a warrior, not only the body. Ancient Greeks named males after their fathers, producing a patronymic with the infix -id-; for example, the sons of Atreus were the Atreids. 164). ə n i /; Greek: Ἑρμιόνη [hermi.ónɛː]) was the daughter of Menelaus, king of Sparta, and his wife, Helen of Troy. It was even more unusual in that it had two kings simultaneously, who were called the archagetai,[1][n 1] coming from two separate lines. Pg, A Prosopography of Lacedaemonians, Part 396. When Menelaus and Agamemnon were still young, their father clashed with his brother Thyestes, as to who would be the king of Mycenae. Leonidas I was a king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, and the 17th of the Agiad line, a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles and Cadmus. Leonidas I was son of King Anaxandridas II. Her grandfather Tyndareus gave her hand in marriage to Orestes, before the Trojan War started. In Greek mythology, Eurotas was an early king of Laconia, the region of Ancient Greece more often referred to as Sparta. Born to the House of Atreus, disaster was to befall Menelaus, just as it had on every other member of his family. Sparta was the beautiful daughter of King Eurotas of Laconia and his wife Clete; Sparta had one sister, Tiasa. They dedicated their lives to the power of military, with a focus on quality of their warriors rather than quantity. During the war Menelaus served under his elder brother Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Greek forces. The Lacedaemonids contain Greeks from the age of legend, now treated as being the Bronze Age in Greece. Page. By Alfred S. Bradford. Theseus dropped the girl off in … According to traditions recorded by Pausanias, her father having no male heirs bequeathed his kingdom to Lacedaemon. However, during the war, her father told the son of Achilles, Neoptolemus, that he would give him his daughter as a wife. Not shown is Lycurgus, the lawgiver, a younger son of the Eurypontids, who served a brief regency either for the infant Charilaus (780–750 BC) or for Labotas (870–840 BC) the Agiad. They all offered gifts to Tyndareus, who did not accept any of them, nor did they drive them away, for fear of causing a diplomatic episode. In Greek mythology, Menelaus, king of Sparta*, was the son of King Atreus of Mycenae and the brother of the great warrior Agamemnon*. Together, they had three children, Amyclas, Eurydice(different to the wife of Orpheus), and Asine. Page 157+ (List of kings of Sparta on pg. In the language of mythologic descent, the kingship passed from the Leleges to the Greeks. In his book The Philosophy of Recursive Thinking,[22] German author Manfred Kopfer suggested a viable solution for Sisyphus punishment. The Spartan kings as Heracleidae claimed descent from Heracles, who through his mother was descended from Perseus. His twin was Procles. Menelaus was a king of Sparta in Greek mythology, husband of Helen. In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη Helénē, pronounced [helénɛː]), also known as Helen of Sparta, was said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world.

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