Wees, Hans, and Nick Fisher. 2015. “The Trouble with ‘Aristocracy’.” In “Aristocracy” in Antiquity: Redefining Greek and Roman Elites, edited by Nick Fisher and Hans van Wees, 1–57. Swansea: Classical Press of Wales.5 Wecowski, Marek. 2014. The Rise of the Greek Aristocratic Banquet. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ARISTOCRATES (Ἀριστοκράτης, ὁ)
CHRISTOPHER BARON
University of Notre Dame
Patronymic, father of CASAMBUS, a prominent and wealthy citizen of AEGINA. Aristocrates’ son was selected as a HOSTAGE by the Spartan king CLEOMENES in 491 BCE (6.73.2). Nothing more is known of Aristocrates.
SEE ALSO: Aristocracy; Sparta
ARISTOCYPRUS (Ἀριστόκυπρος, ὁ)
CHRISTOPHER BARON
University of Notre Dame
King of SOLI in CYPRUS (5.113.2). The appropriately named Aristocyprus (“Noble Cypriot”), son of PHILOCYPRUS, died fighting the Persians at SALAMIS on Cyprus during the IONIAN REVOLT (c. 497 BCE). Nothing more is known of him.
SEE ALSO: Onesilus
FURTHER READING
1 Hornblower, Simon, ed. 2013. Herodotus: Histories Book V, 297. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
ARISTODEMUS (Ἀριστόδημος, ὁ) son of Aristomachus
CHRISTOPHER BARON
University of Notre Dame
Legendary Spartan king, descendant of HERACLES and grandfather of the two kings who gave their names to the Spartan royal houses (Agis and EURYP(H)ON). Herodotus reports that the Spartans—“contrary to what the poets say” (see Beck‐Schachter 2016, 122–23)—claim that it was Aristodemus himself, not his sons EURYSTHENES and PROCLES, who led them to the site of SPARTA (cf. Paus. 3.1.6; Fowler 2013, 335–36). He died soon after his wife ARGEIA gave birth to the twins (Hdt. 6.52.1–2; cf. 4.147.2). His name appears in the king‐lists Herodotus provides for LEONIDAS (7.204) and LEOTYCHIDES II (8.131.2).
SEE ALSO: Agis son of Eurysthenes; Aristomachus; Heracleidae
REFERENCES
1 Beck‐Schachter, Aaron J. 2016. “The Lysandreia.” In Myth, Text, and History at Sparta, edited by Thomas Figueira, 105–67. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.
2 Fowler, Robert L. 2013. Early Greek Mythography. Vol. 2, Commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
FURTHER READING
1 Benardete, Seth. 1969. Herodotean Inquiries, 168–69. The Hague: M. Nijhoff. Reprint, South Bend, IN: St. Augustine’s Press, 2009.
2 Carlier, Pierre. 1984. La royauté en Grèce avant Alexandre, 298. Strasbourg: AECR.
ARISTODEMUS (Ἀριστόδημος, ὁ)the Spartan
JESSICA M. ROMNEY
MacEwan University
Aristodemus was the sole survivor of the Spartan 300 at THERMOPYLAE (7.229–31), and he died at PLATAEA in 479 BCE. (9.71). Herodotus’ account of his behavior at both battles, and of the Spartan reaction to his actions, elaborates upon the perception by non‐Spartans that Spartan society was dominated by a martial ideology reinforced by intense public SHAME.
There are two variants with the same format. In the first version Aristodemus and EURYTUS were sent away from Thermopylae by LEONIDAS in order to recover from chronic eye conditions (7.229). Eurytus, however, ordered his HELOT to direct him back to the fighting, where he died; Aristodemus returned to SPARTA. The second version names Aristodemus a MESSENGER, and again he is the only survivor (7.230). The Spartans branded him a coward, though Aristodemus would redeem himself at Plataea: Herodotus, when ranking the bravery of both sides at this battle, names Aristodemus the bravest or best individual (ἄριστος, 9.71). The Spartans, however, honored POSEIDONIUS instead and censured Aristodemus. He had acted contrary to expected HOPLITE behavior by breaking ranks at Plataea, and especially contrary to behavior expected of a Spartan in battle by surviving Thermopylae when the remainder of the Spartan forces died there. On account of the latter he earned the name “Trembler” (tresas, 7.231), a designation reserved for deserters and cowards in Sparta (cf. Xen. Lac. 9.3–5; Plut. Ages. 30.2–4).
SEE ALSO: aretē; Courage; Warfare
FURTHER READING
1 Balot, Ryan. 2004. “Courage in the Democratic Polis.” CQ 54.2: 406–23.
2 Ducat, Jean. 2006. “The Spartan ‘Tremblers’.” In Sparta and War, edited by Stephen Hodkinson and Anton Powell, 1–55. Swansea: Classical Press of Wales.
3 Lazenby, J. F. 1985. The Spartan Army, 56, 122–23. Warminster: Aris & Phillips.
ARISTODICUS (Ἀριστόδικος, ὁ)
CHRISTOPHER BARON
University of Notre Dame
A distinguished citizen of CYME in Asia Minor, son of HERACLEIDES (3). Aristodicus advised the Cymeans not to hand over the Lydian refugee PACTYES to the Persians (c. 545 BCE) despite an oracular response from BRANCHIDAE (Apollo’s temple at Didyma) that they should do so. A second delegation was sent, which included Aristodicus; he framed the question so as to emphasize that the Cymeans would be handing over a SUPPLIANT to certain death. When the ORACLE gave the same response as previously, Aristodicus chased all the BIRDS he could find (“suppliants” of the god) away from their nests in the temple walls. The story goes, Herodotus says, that a voice from the interior of the temple threatened Aristodicus and the Cymeans for their impiety (1.158–59). Unwilling to incur the wrath of either the Persians or APOLLO, the Cymeans decide to send Pactyes to MYTILENE and then—when his position becomes precarious—to CHIOS; but there he is treacherously handed over to the Persians (1.160). Scholars differ on the attitude toward Apollo Herodotus displays here, as well as the extent to which the story reflects or justifies the political stances vis‐à‐vis PERSIA of the parties involved.
SEE ALSO: Gods and the Divine; Piety; Temples and Sanctuaries
FURTHER READING
1 Asheri in ALC, 182–83.
2 Brown, Truesdell S. 1978. “Aristodicus of Cyme and the Branchidae.” AJPh 99.1: 64–78.
3 Parke, H. W. 1985. The Oracles of Apollo in Asia Minor, 15–18. London: Croom Helm.
