Arachidamia
Encyclopedia
Arachidamia was a wealthy Sparta
n queen, wife of Eudamidas I
, mother of Archidamus IV
and Agesistrata, grandmother of Eudamidas II
, great-grandmother and grandmother of Agis IV
.
We first hear of her leading Spartan women against Pyrrhus
during his siege of Lacedaemon in the 3rd century BC. In the face of Pyrrhus's invasion, the Spartan Gerousia
considered sending the Spartan women to Crete
for their safety. Arachidamia, speaking on behalf of the Spartan women, entered the Gerousia, "with sword in hand," and contested this proposal, questioning whether the Spartan women were expected to survive the ruin of their own city.
With the matter settled, the Spartans initiated the construction of a defensive trench running parallel to Pyrrhus's camp. We may presume that Arachidamia helped direct the Spartan women in this respect, since it is reported that the Spartan women impressively "completed with their own hands a third of the trench." We may also presume Arachidamia led the efforts Spartan women during the subsequent battle against Pyrrhus, as they are noted for supplying the defenders with weapons and refreshment during combat, and extracting wounded from the battlefield.
We next hear of Arachidamia roughly three decades later, assisting in the revolutionary designs of her grandson Agis IV
, as he attempted to restore Lycurgan institutions to a Sparta then thoroughly corrupted by wealth and greed. Because Arachidamia and Agesistrata were the wealthiest two people in all of Lacedaemon, Arachidamia's support of Agis was instrumental in gaining support for the cause. She was among those who first pledged to contribute their wealth to a common pool, which was then to be distributed equally amongst both old and new Spartan citizens.
However, these revolutionary designs were foiled by the corruption of Agis's uncle and erstwhile supporter, Agesilaus
, and the machinations of a rival party, led by the Agiad King, Leonidas II
. Leonidas and the Ephors had Agis illegally imprisoned and executed, unbeknownst to a mob that had gathered out of concern and a possible desire to see him freed. Arachidamia and Agesistrata were subsequently lured into the prison on the premise that they were to see Agis; and there they too both met their ends at the hands of their political rivals.
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n queen, wife of Eudamidas I
Eudamidas I
Eudamidas I was a Spartan king of the Eurypontid line, son of Archidamus III and brother of Agis III, whom he succeeded. He married the wealthy Arachidamia, and she had two children, Archidamus IV and Agesistrata....
, mother of Archidamus IV
Archidamus IV
Archidamus IV was a king of Sparta from 305 BC to c. 275 BC. He was the 23rd of the Eurypontids, the son of Eudamidas I and Arachidamia and the brother of Agesistrata, the nephew of Agis III and the grandson of Archidamus III. In 296 BC he was defeated by Demetrius Poliorcetes. He was succeded by...
and Agesistrata, grandmother of Eudamidas II
Eudamidas II
Eudamidas II was the 24th King of Sparta of the Eurypontid dynasty. He was the son of King Archidamus IV, nephew of Agesistrata and grandson of Eudamidas I and Arachidamia. He ruled from 275 BC to 244 BC....
, great-grandmother and grandmother of Agis IV
Agis IV
Agis IV , the elder son of Eudamidas II, was the 24th king of the Eurypontid dynasty of Sparta. Posterity has reckoned him an idealistic but impractical monarch.-Succession:...
.
We first hear of her leading Spartan women against Pyrrhus
Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general and statesman of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became king of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...
during his siege of Lacedaemon in the 3rd century BC. In the face of Pyrrhus's invasion, the Spartan Gerousia
Gerousia
The Gerousia was the Spartan senate . It was made up of 60 year old Spartan males. It was created by the Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus in the seventh century BC, in his Great Rhetra...
considered sending the Spartan women to Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
for their safety. Arachidamia, speaking on behalf of the Spartan women, entered the Gerousia, "with sword in hand," and contested this proposal, questioning whether the Spartan women were expected to survive the ruin of their own city.
With the matter settled, the Spartans initiated the construction of a defensive trench running parallel to Pyrrhus's camp. We may presume that Arachidamia helped direct the Spartan women in this respect, since it is reported that the Spartan women impressively "completed with their own hands a third of the trench." We may also presume Arachidamia led the efforts Spartan women during the subsequent battle against Pyrrhus, as they are noted for supplying the defenders with weapons and refreshment during combat, and extracting wounded from the battlefield.
We next hear of Arachidamia roughly three decades later, assisting in the revolutionary designs of her grandson Agis IV
Agis IV
Agis IV , the elder son of Eudamidas II, was the 24th king of the Eurypontid dynasty of Sparta. Posterity has reckoned him an idealistic but impractical monarch.-Succession:...
, as he attempted to restore Lycurgan institutions to a Sparta then thoroughly corrupted by wealth and greed. Because Arachidamia and Agesistrata were the wealthiest two people in all of Lacedaemon, Arachidamia's support of Agis was instrumental in gaining support for the cause. She was among those who first pledged to contribute their wealth to a common pool, which was then to be distributed equally amongst both old and new Spartan citizens.
However, these revolutionary designs were foiled by the corruption of Agis's uncle and erstwhile supporter, Agesilaus
Agesilaus (statesman)
Agesilaus was a Spartan statesman, the uncle of Agis IV, and the father of Hippomedon. When Agis IV began his constitutional reforms in Sparta, Hippomedon entered warmly into the schemes of Agis, and was instrumental in gaining over Agesilaus to their support...
, and the machinations of a rival party, led by the Agiad King, Leonidas II
Leonidas II
Leonidas II , was Agiad King of Sparta from 254 to 235 BC. He was raised at the Persian Court, and according to Plutarch's Life of Agis IV, he married a Persian woman. According to other sources, this non-Spartan wife was actually a Seleucid, possibly the daughter of Seleucus I Nicator by his...
. Leonidas and the Ephors had Agis illegally imprisoned and executed, unbeknownst to a mob that had gathered out of concern and a possible desire to see him freed. Arachidamia and Agesistrata were subsequently lured into the prison on the premise that they were to see Agis; and there they too both met their ends at the hands of their political rivals.