Conspiracy of Cinadon
Encyclopedia
The Conspiracy of Cinadon was an attempted coup d'état
which took place in Sparta
in the 4th century BCE during the first years of the reign of Agesilaus II
(398 BCE-358 BCE). The leader was Cinadon, who was a distinguished military officer, but came from a poor family. The Conspiracy aimed to break the power of the oligarchic Spartan state and its elite, and give rights to poorer Spartans, and even to helots
. Although elaborately organized, the plot was in the end betrayed to the ephors; they cracked down on the conspirators, and Cinadon himself was tortured and executed.
Cinadon's conspiracy can be seen as a predecessor to many other radical movements of the ancient world, such as the Catiline Conspiracy in Rome, or even the slave revolt of Spartacus
. From a Marxist
viewpoint, Cinadon's attempted revolution is an early example of class struggle
.
s; he had a Scytale
in his possession which was used to direct Hippeis
, members of the elite Spartan guard. He was well-educated and because of his job he should have been a valued and respected person likely (according to Xenophon
and Aristotle
) to be a member of the peers (Homoioi). In fact, he was a member of the "Inferiors" (hypomeiones), those Spartans who had lost their civil rights either through cowardice, or poverty (for example, inability to pay their dues to the syssitia
), as it was the case for Cinadon, who had a humble background. He aspired, as he rebuts in the course of his trial, "to be a Lacedaemonian inferior to no one".
He assembled other hypomeiones around himself of whom the most dangerous, according to Xenophon, was the seer Tisamenus
, a descendant of an Elean
of the same name who had received Spartan citizenship after the Greco-Persian Wars
. He had also lost his civil rights, probably because of poverty. These two plotters were not members of the oppressed classes, but had been stripped of their usual rights as citizens.
, the omens proved to be very bad. Xenophon bluntly indicates that the soothsayer assisting the king foresaw "a most terrible conspiracy". Several days later a man denounced the conspiracy of Cinadon to the ephors: he said that Cinadon had brought him to the agora
and ordered him to count the Spartans in the crowd, which consisted of nearly 4000. It turned out that only 40 of them were Peers: a king, ephors, Gerousia
, and citizens. Cinadon then pointed out that the 40 Spartans were the enemy, and the 4000 others were allies. The informer added that Cinadon had gathered around himself a number of hypomeiones who hated the Spartans:
Panicked, the ephors did not immediately arrest Cinadon. By means of an elaborate ruse they sent him to the Elean frontier, at Aulon in Messenia
. His escort was composed of young Hippeis
, carefully selected by their commander. An additional detachment of cavalry was available as reinforcements. Cinadon is interrogated in the field; where he revealed the names of the principal co-conspirators who were then arrested. On his return to Sparta, he was further questioned until all his accomplices were named. Cinadon and the conspirators were then bound, flogged and dragged through the city until they were dead.
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
which took place in Sparta
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...
in the 4th century BCE during the first years of the reign of Agesilaus II
Agesilaus II
Agesilaus II, or Agesilaos II was a king of Sparta, of the Eurypontid dynasty, ruling from approximately 400 BC to 360 BC, during most of which time he was, in Plutarch's words, "as good as thought commander and king of all Greece," and was for the whole of it greatly identified with his...
(398 BCE-358 BCE). The leader was Cinadon, who was a distinguished military officer, but came from a poor family. The Conspiracy aimed to break the power of the oligarchic Spartan state and its elite, and give rights to poorer Spartans, and even to helots
Helots
The helots: / Heílôtes) were an unfree population group that formed the main population of Laconia and the whole of Messenia . Their exact status was already disputed in antiquity: according to Critias, they were "especially slaves" whereas to Pollux, they occupied a status "between free men and...
. Although elaborately organized, the plot was in the end betrayed to the ephors; they cracked down on the conspirators, and Cinadon himself was tortured and executed.
Cinadon's conspiracy can be seen as a predecessor to many other radical movements of the ancient world, such as the Catiline Conspiracy in Rome, or even the slave revolt of Spartacus
Spartacus
Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...
. From a Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
viewpoint, Cinadon's attempted revolution is an early example of class struggle
Class struggle
Class struggle is the active expression of a class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The [written] history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle"....
.
Protagonists
Cinadon was a young and valiant man. He was a military officer who carried out important missions for the EphorEphor
An ephor was the leader of ancient Sparta and shared power with the Spartan king...
s; he had a Scytale
Scytale
In cryptography, a scytale is a tool used to perform a transposition cipher, consisting of a cylinder with a strip of parchment wound around it on which is written a message...
in his possession which was used to direct Hippeis
Hippeis
Hippeis was the Greek term for cavalry. The Hippeus was the second highest of the four Athenian social classes, made of men who could afford to maintain a war horse in the service of the state. The rank may be compared to Roman Equestrians and medieval knights. Among the Athenians, it referred to...
, members of the elite Spartan guard. He was well-educated and because of his job he should have been a valued and respected person likely (according to Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
and Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
) to be a member of the peers (Homoioi). In fact, he was a member of the "Inferiors" (hypomeiones), those Spartans who had lost their civil rights either through cowardice, or poverty (for example, inability to pay their dues to the syssitia
Syssitia
The syssitia was, in Ancient Greece, a common meal for men and youths in social or religious groups, especially in Crete and Sparta, though also in Megara in the time of Theognis and Corinth in the time of Periander .The banquets spoken of by Homer relate to this tradition...
), as it was the case for Cinadon, who had a humble background. He aspired, as he rebuts in the course of his trial, "to be a Lacedaemonian inferior to no one".
He assembled other hypomeiones around himself of whom the most dangerous, according to Xenophon, was the seer Tisamenus
Tisamenus
Tisamenus or Tissamenus in Greek mythology, was a son of Orestes and Hermione. He succeeded his father to the thrones of Argos, Mycenae and Sparta and was later killed in the final battle with the Heracleidae. The latter were led by Aristodemus, Cresphontes, Oxylus, Temenus and sought to retake...
, a descendant of an Elean
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
of the same name who had received Spartan citizenship after the Greco-Persian Wars
Greco-Persian Wars
The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and city-states of the Hellenic world that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the Greeks and the enormous empire of the Persians began when Cyrus...
. He had also lost his civil rights, probably because of poverty. These two plotters were not members of the oppressed classes, but had been stripped of their usual rights as citizens.
Discovery of the plot
During a sacrifice presided over by king Agesilaus IIAgesilaus II
Agesilaus II, or Agesilaos II was a king of Sparta, of the Eurypontid dynasty, ruling from approximately 400 BC to 360 BC, during most of which time he was, in Plutarch's words, "as good as thought commander and king of all Greece," and was for the whole of it greatly identified with his...
, the omens proved to be very bad. Xenophon bluntly indicates that the soothsayer assisting the king foresaw "a most terrible conspiracy". Several days later a man denounced the conspiracy of Cinadon to the ephors: he said that Cinadon had brought him to the agora
Agora
The Agora was an open "place of assembly" in ancient Greek city-states. Early in Greek history , free-born male land-owners who were citizens would gather in the Agora for military duty or to hear statements of the ruling king or council. Later, the Agora also served as a marketplace where...
and ordered him to count the Spartans in the crowd, which consisted of nearly 4000. It turned out that only 40 of them were Peers: a king, ephors, 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...
, and citizens. Cinadon then pointed out that the 40 Spartans were the enemy, and the 4000 others were allies. The informer added that Cinadon had gathered around himself a number of hypomeiones who hated the Spartans:
" for whenever among these classes any mention was made of Spartiatae, no one was able to conceal the fact that he would be glad to eat them raw."(Hellenica, III, 3, 6).The informer finished by pointing out that some conspirators were armed and the rest had access to implements such as hatchets and sickles.(Hellenica, III, 3, 7)
Panicked, the ephors did not immediately arrest Cinadon. By means of an elaborate ruse they sent him to the Elean frontier, at Aulon in Messenia
Messenia
Messenia is a regional unit in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, one of 13 regions into which Greece has been divided by the Kallikratis plan, implemented 1 January 2011...
. His escort was composed of young Hippeis
Hippeis
Hippeis was the Greek term for cavalry. The Hippeus was the second highest of the four Athenian social classes, made of men who could afford to maintain a war horse in the service of the state. The rank may be compared to Roman Equestrians and medieval knights. Among the Athenians, it referred to...
, carefully selected by their commander. An additional detachment of cavalry was available as reinforcements. Cinadon is interrogated in the field; where he revealed the names of the principal co-conspirators who were then arrested. On his return to Sparta, he was further questioned until all his accomplices were named. Cinadon and the conspirators were then bound, flogged and dragged through the city until they were dead.