Agariste of Sicyon
Encyclopedia
Agariste (fl.
6th century BC, around 560 BC) was the daughter, and possibly the heiress, of the tyrant
of Sicyon
, Cleisthenes
. Her father wanted to marry her to the best of the Hellenes
and, subsequently, he organized a competition, whose prize was his own daughter. According to his declaration, all the eligible young men had to appear in Sicyon within 60 days. Finally, twelve competitors appeared and Cleisthenes held a banquet in his guests' honour. Cleisthenes preferred the former archon
Hippocleides
but, during the dinner Hippocleides embarrassed himself.
According to Herodotus
, Hippocleides became intoxicated and began to act like a fool; at one point he stood on his head and kicked his legs in the air, keeping time with the flute music. When Hippocleides was informed that he had "danced away his bride," his response was ου φροντις 'Ιπποκλειδη, ("Hippocleides doesn't care" or "It doesn't matter to Hippocleides"). After these unfortunate events, Megacles
of the Alcmaeonid clan
was chosen to marry Agariste, who gave birth to two sons, Hippocrates and Cleisthenes
, the reformer of the Athenian democracy
. Hippocrates was father of another Megacles
(ostracized 486 BC
) and a daughter Agariste was mother of Pericles
and Ariphron
(himself the father of Hippocrates of Athens
who died 424 BC
). The younger son Cleisthenes
was allegedly father of Deinomache (or Dinomache), mother of Alcibiades
(d. 404 BC
) In either scenario, Agariste was a common ancestress of Pericles and Alcibiades. W. K. Lacey felt that Agariste was an epikleros
, or heiress who was required to have children to perpetuate her father's family.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
6th century BC, around 560 BC) was the daughter, and possibly the heiress, of the tyrant
Tyrant
A tyrant was originally one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis. Tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many Greek poleis during the uprising of the middle classes in the sixth and seventh centuries BC, ousting the aristocratic governments.Plato and...
of Sicyon
Sicyon
Sikyon was an ancient Greek city situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea on the territory of the present-day prefecture of Corinthia...
, Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes of Sicyon
Cleisthenes was the tyrant of Sicyon from c. 600–570 BC, who aided in the First Sacred War against Kirrha that destroyed that city in 595 BC. He is also told to have organized with success a war against Argos because of his anti-Dorian feelings...
. Her father wanted to marry her to the best of the Hellenes
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
and, subsequently, he organized a competition, whose prize was his own daughter. According to his declaration, all the eligible young men had to appear in Sicyon within 60 days. Finally, twelve competitors appeared and Cleisthenes held a banquet in his guests' honour. Cleisthenes preferred the former archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
Hippocleides
Hippocleides
Hippocleides , the son of Teisander , was an Athenian nobleman, who served as Eponymous Archon for the year 566 BC – 565 BC.He was a member of the Philaidae, a wealthy Athenian family which was opposed to the family of Peisistratus...
but, during the dinner Hippocleides embarrassed himself.
According to Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
, Hippocleides became intoxicated and began to act like a fool; at one point he stood on his head and kicked his legs in the air, keeping time with the flute music. When Hippocleides was informed that he had "danced away his bride," his response was ου φροντις 'Ιπποκλειδη, ("Hippocleides doesn't care" or "It doesn't matter to Hippocleides"). After these unfortunate events, Megacles
Megacles
Megacles was the name of several notable men of ancient Athens:1. Megacles was possibly a legendary Archon of Athens from 922 BC to 892 BC....
of the Alcmaeonid clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
was chosen to marry Agariste, who gave birth to two sons, Hippocrates and Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes was a noble Athenian of the Alcmaeonid family. He is credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508/7 BC...
, the reformer of the Athenian democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. Hippocrates was father of another Megacles
Megacles
Megacles was the name of several notable men of ancient Athens:1. Megacles was possibly a legendary Archon of Athens from 922 BC to 892 BC....
(ostracized 486 BC
486 BC
Year 486 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Viscellinus and Rutilus...
) and a daughter Agariste was mother of Pericles
Pericles
Pericles was a prominent and influential statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the city's Golden Age—specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars...
and Ariphron
Ariphron
Ariphron was the name of several people from ancient Greek history:*Ariphron, the father of Xanthippus, and grandfather of Pericles, both prominent Athenian statesmen. He was a member of the Alcmaeonid family.*Ariphron, the brother of Pericles....
(himself the father of Hippocrates of Athens
Hippocrates of Athens
Hippocrates of Athens , the son of Ariphron, was a strategos of the Athenians in 424 BC, serving alongside Demosthenes....
who died 424 BC
424 BC
Year 424 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Crassus, Fidenas, Rutilus and Iullus...
). The younger son Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes
Cleisthenes was a noble Athenian of the Alcmaeonid family. He is credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508/7 BC...
was allegedly father of Deinomache (or Dinomache), mother of Alcibiades
Alcibiades
Alcibiades, son of Clinias, from the deme of Scambonidae , was a prominent Athenian statesman, orator, and general. He was the last famous member of his mother's aristocratic family, the Alcmaeonidae, which fell from prominence after the Peloponnesian War...
(d. 404 BC
404 BC
Year 404 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Volusus, Cossus, Fidenas, Ambustus, Maluginensis and Rutilus...
) In either scenario, Agariste was a common ancestress of Pericles and Alcibiades. W. K. Lacey felt that Agariste was an epikleros
Epikleros
Epikleros was the term used to describe an heiress in ancient Athens, and in other ancient Greek city states. It denoted a daughter of a man who had no male heirs. In Sparta they were called patroiouchoi , as they were in Gortyn...
, or heiress who was required to have children to perpetuate her father's family.