Dorieus (Sparta)

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Dorieus ( Greek  Δωριεύς ) was the second eldest son of the Spartan king Anaxandridas II of the house of the Agiads and the eldest son of his first wife. His brothers were Leonidas and Kleombrotos and his half-brother Kleomenes . He had a son named Euryanax .

Departure for Libya

When Anaxandridas died, despite Dorieu's ability and intelligence, his half-brother Cleomenes, the king's eldest son, succeeded him. This was considered less capable, and so many Spartans regretted that Dorieu did not become ruler. It was unbearable for Dorieus too to be ruled by Cleomenes; therefore he left his home with a retinue. He left without consulting the oracle as usual. Only when he landed on Thera did he ask about the sea route to Libya . When he got there, he settled on the Kinyps River. But a short time later he was driven out by the Maken and the Carchedoni and returned to Laconia .

Settlement of Sicily

Now Antichares of Eleon advised him on the basis of a prophecy that Laios had previously received to settle the land on Mount Eryx . Because Herakles - according to legend - once landed on Sicily and fought with Eryx . In killing him, Heracles won his land, and so the Dorians' claim to it was justified .

The oracle of Delphi also announced that Dorieus would conquer the land, and so he set off. When he arrived in Sicily, he founded the city of Herakleia. Now Telys from Sybaris was planning to go to war against the city of Kroton . Dorieus helped the Crotoners, however, and so they marched against Sybaris and captured it. Dorieus built a temple for Athene Krathia there. According to Herodotus , the Crotons claimed that Dorieus did not stand by them.

As Herakleia continued to grow, the Carthaginians and the Egestaians moved against the city. Dorieu and much of his army fell in battle. Thessalus, Paraibates, Kelees and Philip, son of Butakides , were also killed. Only Euryleon escaped and fled with the last of the survivors. The city was razed to the ground. The fact that Dorieus did not conquer the land prophesied to him was explained by the fact that he had deviated from his mission by fighting Sybaris and thus disregarded the oracle.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Pausanias , Reisen in Greece , 3, 3, 9-10; 3, 4, 7.
  2. ↑ Herodotus , Historien , 5, 41; 9, 10.
  3. ↑ Herodotus, Historien , 5, 42–43.
  4. ↑ Herodotus, Historien , 5, 44.
  5. ↑ Herodotus, Historien , 5, 45–46.
  6. ↑ Herodotus, Historien , 5, 47–48.
  7. ↑ Diodor , Bibliotheke historike , 4, 23, 3.
  8. ^ Pausanias, Travels in Greece , 3, 16, 4-5.
  9. ↑ Herodotus, Historien , 5, 45.
personal data
SURNAME Dorieus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Δωριεύς (Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Spartan general
DATE OF BIRTH 6th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH around 490 BC Chr.