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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Anaxandridas was the son of Leon, who reigned during the first half of the 6th century, between 590 and 560.<ref>Forrest, ''History of Sparta'', p. 21, dates his accession c.590, but then p. 73, writes "roughly 580".</ref><ref>Cartledge, ''Sparta and Lakonia'', p. 103, dates his accession c.575.</ref> He belonged to the Agiads, one of the two royal dynasties of Sparta (the other being the Eurypontids).
Anaxandridas was the son of Leon, who reigned during the first half of the 6th century, between 590 and 560 BC.<ref>Forrest, ''History of Sparta'', p. 21, dates his accession c.590, but then p. 73, writes "roughly 580".</ref><ref>Cartledge, ''Sparta and Lakonia'', p. 103, dates his accession c.575.</ref> He belonged to the Agiads, one of the two royal dynasties of Sparta (the other being the Eurypontids).


In the middle of the 6th century, under the leadership of the [[ephor]] [[Chilon of Sparta|Chilon]], in office c.556, Sparta ended its streak of violent conquests, such as in [[Messenian Wars|Messenia]], and adopted a "philachaean policy".<ref>Huxley, ''Early Sparta'', p. 69.</ref> Chilon claimed for Sparta the inheritance of the [[Achaeans (Homer)|Achaean]] kings, who ruled the Peloponnese before the arrival of the [[Dorians]]—the invaders that founded classical Sparta.<ref>Forrest, ''History of Sparta'', pp. 73–79.</ref> As an example of this policy, the legendary Achaean king [[Agamemnon]] started to be worshipped c.550 in [[Amyclae]] (one of the villages of Sparta).<ref>Cartledge, ''Sparta and Lakonia'', p. 120.</ref>
In the middle of the 6th century, under the leadership of the [[ephor]] [[Chilon of Sparta|Chilon]], in office c.556 BC, Sparta ended its streak of violent conquests, such as in [[Messenian Wars|Messenia]], and adopted a "philachaean policy".<ref>Huxley, ''Early Sparta'', p. 69.</ref> Chilon claimed for Sparta the inheritance of the [[Achaeans (Homer)|Achaean]] kings, who ruled the Peloponnese before the arrival of the [[Dorians]]—the invaders that founded classical Sparta.<ref>Forrest, ''History of Sparta'', pp. 73–79.</ref> As an example of this policy, the legendary Achaean king [[Agamemnon]] started to be worshipped c.550 BC in [[Amyclae]] (one of the villages of Sparta).<ref>Cartledge, ''Sparta and Lakonia'', p. 120.</ref>


In c. 560 BC, Anaxandridas II, the new Agiad king of the Spartans, having obtained possession of the bones of the mythical [[Orestes]] (son of the Trojan hero [[Agamemnon]]) in accordance with an oracle, defeated the Acadian [[Tegea|Tegeatae]] and compelled them to acknowledge the supremacy of Sparta. By the time when the Lydian king [[Croesus]] sent his embassy to form an alliance with "the mightiest of the Greeks" (about 554 BC), the war with Tegea, which during the reigns of previous Spartan kings had gone against them, had, under Anaxandridas II and the Spartan Eurypontid king [[Ariston of Sparta|Ariston]], been decided in the Spartans' favour. Anaxandridas II and Ariston also had main carriage of the suppression of the tyrannies, and with it the establishment of [[Spartan hegemony]].
In c. 560 BC, Anaxandridas II, the new Agiad king of the Spartans, having obtained possession of the bones of the mythical [[Orestes]] (son of the Trojan hero [[Agamemnon]]) in accordance with an oracle, defeated the Acadian [[Tegea|Tegeatae]] and compelled them to acknowledge the supremacy of Sparta. By the time when the Lydian king [[Croesus]] sent his embassy to form an alliance with "the mightiest of the Greeks" (about 554 BC), the war with Tegea, which during the reigns of previous Spartan kings had gone against them, had, under Anaxandridas II and the Spartan Eurypontid king [[Ariston of Sparta|Ariston]], been decided in the Spartans' favour. Anaxandridas II and Ariston also had main carriage of the suppression of the tyrannies, and with it the establishment of [[Spartan hegemony]].

Revision as of 09:19, 6 February 2022

Anaxandridas II
King of Sparta
Reignc. 560 BC - c. 520 BC
PredecessorLeon of Sparta
SuccessorCleomenes I
Diedc. 520 BC
IssueCleomenes I
Dorieus
Leonidas I
Cleombrotus
DynastyAgiad
FatherLeon of Sparta

Anaxandridas II (Greek: Ἀναξανδρίδας) was an Agiad king of Sparta between c.560 and 520 BC, father of Leonidas I and grandfather of Pleistarchus. He was succeeded by Cleomenes I.

Biography

Anaxandridas was the son of Leon, who reigned during the first half of the 6th century, between 590 and 560 BC.[1][2] He belonged to the Agiads, one of the two royal dynasties of Sparta (the other being the Eurypontids).

In the middle of the 6th century, under the leadership of the ephor Chilon, in office c.556 BC, Sparta ended its streak of violent conquests, such as in Messenia, and adopted a "philachaean policy".[3] Chilon claimed for Sparta the inheritance of the Achaean kings, who ruled the Peloponnese before the arrival of the Dorians—the invaders that founded classical Sparta.[4] As an example of this policy, the legendary Achaean king Agamemnon started to be worshipped c.550 BC in Amyclae (one of the villages of Sparta).[5]

In c. 560 BC, Anaxandridas II, the new Agiad king of the Spartans, having obtained possession of the bones of the mythical Orestes (son of the Trojan hero Agamemnon) in accordance with an oracle, defeated the Acadian Tegeatae and compelled them to acknowledge the supremacy of Sparta. By the time when the Lydian king Croesus sent his embassy to form an alliance with "the mightiest of the Greeks" (about 554 BC), the war with Tegea, which during the reigns of previous Spartan kings had gone against them, had, under Anaxandridas II and the Spartan Eurypontid king Ariston, been decided in the Spartans' favour. Anaxandridas II and Ariston also had main carriage of the suppression of the tyrannies, and with it the establishment of Spartan hegemony.

With the reigns of Anaxandridas and Ariston commences the period of certain dates, the chronology of their predecessors being doubtful and the accounts in many ways suspicious.

Family

Anaxandridas's first wife was deemed barren. However, due to his love for her, he refused to divorce her. But, the ephors did make Anaxandridas II take a second wife.[6] By her Anaxandridas II had Cleomenes I, and after this, by his first wife he had three sons; Dorieus (father of Euryanas), famous Leonidas I, and Cleombrotus.

Anaxandridas II was succeeded by his son from his second marriage, Cleomenes I.

Eurycratides
Leon of Sparta
First wifeAnaxandridas IISecond wife
DorieusLeonidas ICleombrotus (regent)Cleomenes I

References

  1. ^ Forrest, History of Sparta, p. 21, dates his accession c.590, but then p. 73, writes "roughly 580".
  2. ^ Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 103, dates his accession c.575.
  3. ^ Huxley, Early Sparta, p. 69.
  4. ^ Forrest, History of Sparta, pp. 73–79.
  5. ^ Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 120.
  6. ^ Abbott, Evelyn (1895). From the earliest times to the Ionian revolt. 1895.- pt. 2. G. P. Putnam. pp. 436–437.

Bibliography

  • Paul Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, A Regional History 1300–362 BC, London, Routledge, 2002 (originally published in 1979). ISBN 0-415-26276-3
  • W. G. Forrest, A History of Sparta, New York, Norton, 1986. SBN 393004813
  • G. L. Huxley, Early Sparta, London, Faber & Faber, 1962. ISBN 0389020400
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Sparta
560 - 520 BC
Succeeded by