User:JurassicDad35/Demaratus

Bronze Statue of Demaratus in the Naples Museo Archeologico

Demaratus (Greek: Δημάρατος, Demaratos; Doric: Δαμάρατος, Damaratos) was a king of Sparta from around 515 BC to 491 BC. He was the 15th ruler of the Eurypontid dynasty and the firstborn son of King Ariston. During his reign, Demaratus is best known for his opposition to his co-ruler, King Cleomenes I. This rivalry ultimately led to his dethronement around 491 BC, following Cleomenes' accusations of illegitimacy and political maneuvering.

After his removal from power, Demaratus sought refuge in the Achaemenid Empire, where he was welcomed by King Darius I. He was granted land and cities in Asia Minor, integrating him into Persian society while retaining his influence. Demaratus served as an advisor to Xerxes I during the Second Persian invasion of Greece, providing strategic insights about Greek military tactics.

Early Life

Demaratus was born into the Eurypontid dynasty of Sparta and was the firstborn son of King Ariston. His father's significance in the highly structured Spartan society meant Demaratus' firstborn status held considerable weight. According to Herodotus, Demaratus' birth was accompanied by a prophecy that suggested his future prominence and influence, with his name meaning "wished by the people." In Herodotus' writing, we see that King Ariston initially doubted his son's true parentage. "And he, after remembering when he had married the woman and counting out the months on his fingers, swore an oath: 'He could not be my own son!'" As Demaratus grew, Ariston repented what he had sworn and regarded Demaratus as his own.

Upon King Ariston's death, Demaratus ascended to the throne around 515 BCE. His rise to kingship made him the 15th ruler of the Eurypontid line. His succession appears fairly straightforward, as Ariston eventually claimed Demaratus as his own son.

Reign

In retaliation, Cleomenes urged Leotychidas, a relative and personal enemy of Demaratus, to claim the throne on the grounds that the latter was really the son not of Ariston but of Agetus, his mother's first husband. Leotychidas' anger towards Demaratus was due to a dispute over the marriage of Perkalon, the daughter of Chilon, son of Demarmenos. Initially, Leotychidas was arranged to marry Perkalon, but Demaratus seized her as his own. Cleomenes bribed the Delphic oracle to pronounce in favor of Leotychidas, who became king in 491 BC.

Note in Demaratus and Xerxes:

Demaratus is the first *known* ruler of Pergamum

Death and Succession

There is no known year for Demaratus' death. Afterward, however, his sons, Eurysthenes and Prokles, succeeded him in ruling over the cities of Halisarna and Teuthrania in Aeolis. This succession maintained the connection between Demaratus' lineage and the city granted to him by the Persian king. His descendants ruled this area for approximately the next 80 years.