Alkamenes (Sparta)

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Alcamenes ( Greek Ἀλκαμένης Alcamenes ), son of Teleclus was, in Greek mythology, the ninth or tenth king of Sparta from the House of Agiaden , depending on whether one Menelaus counts as a king or not.

During his tenth year of reign, the year of the first Olympic Games in 776 BC. BC, the royal rule in Sparta is said to have ended. Alkamenes remained king, but officials, the so-called ephors , took over part of the powers. Jerome puts this into his 18th year of reign and lets the first Olympic Games follow his last year.

When there were disputes among the people of Crete , he sent Charmidas , the son of Euthys, to settle the dispute. Furthermore, Alkamenes conquered Helos , the last city of the Achaeans in Laconia , because they had stood by the Helots .

Together with Theopompus , the Spartan king from the house of the Eurypontids , Alkamenes went to war against the sons of Phintas Antiochus and Androkles and so began the First Messenian War . This should happen after the fourth Olympic Games, i.e. after 764 BC. Chr., Have occurred. First they attacked the strategically important border town Ampheia at night . They found the city gates open and the population completely unprepared. So the city was taken without resistance. Alkamenes died four years after the start of the war.

After Hieronymus he ruled 37 years and after the Excerpta Latina Barbari 27 years. So that the dating also fits with the statements of Pausanias about the First Messenian War, Alkamenes must have ruled for 37 years after the introduction of the Ephorates, so that he was king for a total of 46 years. He was succeeded by his son Polydorus .

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literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hieronymus: Chronicon [1] .
  2. ↑ Hieronymus: Chronicon [2] .
  3. ↑ Exerpta Latina Barbari  ?
predecessor Office successor
Teleclos King of Sparta Polydoros