Hippomedon of Sparta
Encyclopedia
Hippomedon of Sparta was the cousin of Agis IV
in Sparta
. Hippomedon was instrumental in gaining for his father Agesilaus
a powerful position under Agis, but Agesilaus mismanaged affairs and they were exiled. Subsequently Hippomedon was appointed as governor of the cities of Thrace
which were subject to Ptolemy III Euergetes
.
, the uncle of Agis IV
. He must have been older than his cousin Agis, as he is said by Plutarch
to have already distinguished himself on many occasions in war when the young king first began to engage in his constitutional reforms. Hippomedon entered warmly into the schemes of Agis, and was mainly instrumental in gaining over his father Agesilaus to their support. But the latter sought in fact only his own advantage, under the cloak of patriotism; and during the absence of Agis, on his expedition to Corinth
to support Aratus
, he gave so much dissatisfaction by his administration at Sparta
, that Leonidas II
was recalled by the opposite party, and Agesilaus was compelled to flee the city. Hippomedon shared in the exile of his father, though he had not participated in his unpopularity. At a subsequent period he was the governor of those cities of Thrace
which were subject to Ptolemy III Euergetes
. We learn from Polybius
that he was still living at the death of Cleomenes III
in 219 BC, when the crown would have devolved of right either to him or to one of his two grandchildren, the sons of Archidamus V
, who had married a daughter of Hippomedon; but their claims were disregarded, and Lycurgus, a stranger to the royal family, was raised to the throne.
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:...
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...
. Hippomedon was instrumental in gaining for his father 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...
a powerful position under Agis, but Agesilaus mismanaged affairs and they were exiled. Subsequently Hippomedon was appointed as governor of the cities of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
which were subject to Ptolemy III Euergetes
Ptolemy III Euergetes
-Family:Euergetes was the eldest son of Ptolemy II Philadelphus and his first wife, Arsinoe I, and came to power in 246 BC upon the death of his father.He married Berenice of Cyrene in the year corresponding to 244/243 BC; and their children were:...
.
Life
Hippomedon was a son of AgesilausAgesilaus (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...
, the uncle 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:...
. He must have been older than his cousin Agis, as he is said by Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
to have already distinguished himself on many occasions in war when the young king first began to engage in his constitutional reforms. Hippomedon entered warmly into the schemes of Agis, and was mainly instrumental in gaining over his father Agesilaus to their support. But the latter sought in fact only his own advantage, under the cloak of patriotism; and during the absence of Agis, on his expedition to Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
to support Aratus
Aratus of Sicyon
Aratus was a statesman of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon and a leader of the Achaean League. He deposed the Sicyonian tyrant Nicocles in 251 BC. Aratus was an advocate of Greek unity and brought Sicyon into the Achaean League, which he led to its maximum extent...
, he gave so much dissatisfaction by his administration at 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...
, that 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...
was recalled by the opposite party, and Agesilaus was compelled to flee the city. Hippomedon shared in the exile of his father, though he had not participated in his unpopularity. At a subsequent period he was the governor of those cities of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
which were subject to Ptolemy III Euergetes
Ptolemy III Euergetes
-Family:Euergetes was the eldest son of Ptolemy II Philadelphus and his first wife, Arsinoe I, and came to power in 246 BC upon the death of his father.He married Berenice of Cyrene in the year corresponding to 244/243 BC; and their children were:...
. We learn from Polybius
Polybius
Polybius , Greek ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his work, The Histories, which covered the period of 220–146 BC in detail. The work describes in part the rise of the Roman Republic and its gradual domination over Greece...
that he was still living at the death of Cleomenes III
Cleomenes III
Cleomenes III was the King of Sparta from 235-222 BC. He succeeded to the Agiad throne of Sparta after his father, Leonidas II in 235 BC.From 229 BC to 222 BC, Cleomenes waged war against the Achaean League under Aratus of Sicyon. Domestically, he is known for his attempt to reform the Spartan state...
in 219 BC, when the crown would have devolved of right either to him or to one of his two grandchildren, the sons of Archidamus V
Archidamus V
Archidamus V was the 27th of the Kings of Sparta of the Eurypontid line, reigning 228-227 BC.He was the son of Eudamidas II and Agesistrata and through him the grandson of Archidamus IV, after whom he was named....
, who had married a daughter of Hippomedon; but their claims were disregarded, and Lycurgus, a stranger to the royal family, was raised to the throne.