Cleonymus of Sparta
Encyclopedia
Cleonymus was a member of the Spartan royal family of the Agiads
. He was the second son of Cleomenes II
and a pretender to the Spartan throne. He did not succeed his father (died 309/308 BCE), allegedly because he was violent and tyrannic. His nephew Areus I
became new king instead. Hence, he nursed a grudge against his fellow Spartans.
To help Taranto
against the Lucani
, Cleonymus went as mercenary leader to southern Italy with the backing of the Spartan administration (303 BCE). There are two different accounts of his Italian expedition; one were written by Diodorus Siculus
and one by Livy
. But the relations between the two sources are unclarified. The historian Thomas Lenschau supposes that they describe two different campaigns of Cleonymus: that one described by Diodorus Siculus would have taken place in 303 BCE and that one described by Livy in 302 BCE.
According to Diodorus Siculus Cleonymus raised such a large army that the Lucani immediately concluded peace. Then the Spartan prince took the city of Metaponto
and sailed to Corcyra
which island he also quickly captured. Learning that Taranto and other cities had broken with him he sailed back and was at first successful, but then he was defeated at a night attack. Since a lot of his ships were destroyed by a storm at the same time he had to withdraw to Corcyra (303/302 BCE).
Probably in the next year (302 BCE) Cleonymus returned to Italy and – according to Livy – first conquered a city called Thuriae, which is not exactly localized. But Roman armies forced him to go back to his ships. He then sailed to the north across the Adriatic Sea
and landed at the coast of the Veneti
. From the mouth of the Meduacus (now Brenta River
) he sailed upstream to the country of Patavium (now Padua
) and raided the nearby villages. But the natives defeated him and he suffered great losses – allegedly four fifths of his ships were destroyed. Cleonymus had to leave the territory of Patavium. It is unknown how his campaign ended.
Cleonymus is next mentioned in 293 BCE. By then he seems to have returned to Sparta and was now sent to Boeotia
to help the inhabitants against Demetrius I Poliorcetes
. But when this diadoch
arrived with an army Cleonymus withdrew.
As an older man Cleonymus married the beautiful Chilonis as his second wife. Chilonis was the daughter of Leotychidas, who was a member of the other Spartan royal family of the Eurypontids. However, Chilonis loved Acrotatus II, the grand-nephew of Cleonymus. Deeply offended Cleonymus left Sparta and, in 272 BCE, persuaded Pyrrhus
to back his claim to the Spartan throne. Pyrrhus was confident he could take the city of Sparta with ease, however, the Spartans, with even the women taking part in the defense, succeeded in beating off Pyrrhus' attacks. At this point Pyrrhus received an appeal for help from his supporters in Argos which was being attacked by Antigonus Gonatas and he called off the attack. Cleonymus does not appear in the sources after this event any more so that his further lot is unknown.
Kings of Sparta
Sparta was an important Greek city-state in the Peloponnesus. It was unusual among Greek city-states in that it maintained its kingship past the Archaic age. It was even more unusual in that it had two kings simultaneously, coming from two separate lines...
. He was the second son of Cleomenes II
Cleomenes II
Cleomenes II was Agiad King of Sparta from 369 to 309 BC. The son of Cleombrotus I, he succeeded his brother Agesipolis II. He was the father of Acrotatus I, the father of Areus I, and of Cleonymus, the father of Leonidas II....
and a pretender to the Spartan throne. He did not succeed his father (died 309/308 BCE), allegedly because he was violent and tyrannic. His nephew Areus I
Areus I
Areus I was Agiad King of Sparta from 309 to 265 BC, who died in battle near Corinth during the Chremonidean War. He was the grandson of Cleomenes II and was succeeded by his son Acrotatus II.-Military Success:...
became new king instead. Hence, he nursed a grudge against his fellow Spartans.
To help Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
against the Lucani
Lucani
Lučani is a town and municipality located in the Dragačevo region within the Moravica District of Serbia . The population of the town is 3,425, while population of the municipality was 20,855....
, Cleonymus went as mercenary leader to southern Italy with the backing of the Spartan administration (303 BCE). There are two different accounts of his Italian expedition; one were written by Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian who flourished between 60 and 30 BC. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agyrium in Sicily . With one exception, antiquity affords no further information about Diodorus' life and doings beyond what is to be found in his own work, Bibliotheca...
and one by Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
. But the relations between the two sources are unclarified. The historian Thomas Lenschau supposes that they describe two different campaigns of Cleonymus: that one described by Diodorus Siculus would have taken place in 303 BCE and that one described by Livy in 302 BCE.
According to Diodorus Siculus Cleonymus raised such a large army that the Lucani immediately concluded peace. Then the Spartan prince took the city of Metaponto
Metaponto
Metaponto is a small town of about 1,000 people in the province of Matera, Basilicata, Italy. Administratively it is a frazione of Bernalda.-History:The town is best known for the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Metapontum...
and sailed to Corcyra
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
which island he also quickly captured. Learning that Taranto and other cities had broken with him he sailed back and was at first successful, but then he was defeated at a night attack. Since a lot of his ships were destroyed by a storm at the same time he had to withdraw to Corcyra (303/302 BCE).
Probably in the next year (302 BCE) Cleonymus returned to Italy and – according to Livy – first conquered a city called Thuriae, which is not exactly localized. But Roman armies forced him to go back to his ships. He then sailed to the north across the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
and landed at the coast of the Veneti
Adriatic Veneti
The Veneti were an ancient people who inhabited north-eastern Italy, in an area corresponding to the modern-day region of the Veneto....
. From the mouth of the Meduacus (now Brenta River
Brenta River
The Brenta is an Italian river that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea just south of the Venetian lagoon in the Veneto region.During Roman era, it was called Medoacus and near Padua it divided in two branches, Medoacus Maior and Medoacus Minor ; the river changed its course in early Middle...
) he sailed upstream to the country of Patavium (now Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
) and raided the nearby villages. But the natives defeated him and he suffered great losses – allegedly four fifths of his ships were destroyed. Cleonymus had to leave the territory of Patavium. It is unknown how his campaign ended.
Cleonymus is next mentioned in 293 BCE. By then he seems to have returned to Sparta and was now sent to Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
to help the inhabitants against Demetrius I Poliorcetes
Demetrius I of Macedon
Demetrius I , called Poliorcetes , son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Stratonice, was a king of Macedon...
. But when this diadoch
Diadochi
The Diadochi were the rival generals, family and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for the control of Alexander's empire after his death in 323 BC...
arrived with an army Cleonymus withdrew.
As an older man Cleonymus married the beautiful Chilonis as his second wife. Chilonis was the daughter of Leotychidas, who was a member of the other Spartan royal family of the Eurypontids. However, Chilonis loved Acrotatus II, the grand-nephew of Cleonymus. Deeply offended Cleonymus left Sparta and, in 272 BCE, persuaded 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...
to back his claim to the Spartan throne. Pyrrhus was confident he could take the city of Sparta with ease, however, the Spartans, with even the women taking part in the defense, succeeded in beating off Pyrrhus' attacks. At this point Pyrrhus received an appeal for help from his supporters in Argos which was being attacked by Antigonus Gonatas and he called off the attack. Cleonymus does not appear in the sources after this event any more so that his further lot is unknown.