The Cleomenean War (229/228–222 BC) was fought between Sparta and the Achaean League for the control of the Peloponnese . Under the leadership of king Cleomenes III , Sparta initially had the upper hand, which forced the Achaean League to call for help the Macedonian king Antigonos Doson , who decisively defeated Cleomenes in the battle of Sellasia in 222.
138-480: In 235 BC, Cleomenes III ( r. 235–222 BC) ascended the throne of Sparta and began a program of reform aimed at restoring traditional Spartan discipline while weakening the influence of the ephors , elected officials who, though sworn to uphold the rule of Sparta's kings, had by the time of Cleomenes come to wield extraordinary political power in the Spartan system. When, in 229 BC, the ephors sent Cleomenes to seize
276-445: A Pre-Greek substrate . The city is located at a rather propitious area, among Nemea , Corinth and Arcadia . It also benefitted from its proximity to lake Lerna , which, at the time, was at a distance of one kilometre from the south end of Argos. Argos was a major stronghold of Mycenaean times, and along with the neighbouring acropolis of Mycenae and Tiryns became a very early settlement because of its commanding positions in
414-619: A break in the unavoidable defeats of the Spartan army, which could not face the Macedonian army in pitched battle. In 222, at the Battle of Sellasia the Spartans were defeated during which the Macedonian cavalry overcame the Spartan cavalry. The Spartan phalanx was overwhelmed by the deeper ranks of the Macedonian phalanx and almost destroyed, and only a few Spartans escaped from the battle, with Cleomenes at their side. In 222 BC Cleomenes
552-594: A city and former municipality in Argolis , Peloponnese , Greece and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and one of the oldest in Europe. It is the largest city in Argolis and a major center in the same prefecture, having nearly twice the population of the prefectural capital, Nafplio . Since the 2011 local government reform it has been part of the municipality of Argos-Mykines , of which it
690-559: A dedication from Pheidon. In 494 BC, Argos suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of its regional rival, Sparta, at the Battle of Sepeia . Following this defeat, Herodotus tells us the city suffered a form of stasis . The political chaos is thought to have resulted in a democratic transition in the city. Argos did not participate in the Hellenic Alliance against the Persian Invasion of 480 BC. This resulted in
828-578: A failed revolt in 219 BC, he committed suicide. Cleomenes was born in Sparta to the future Agiad king Leonidas II and his wife Cratesicleia. The exact year of Cleomenes' birth is unknown but historian Peter Green puts it between 265 BC and 260 BC. Around 242 BC, Leonidas was exiled from Sparta and forced to seek refuge in the temple of Athena after opposing the reforms of the Eurypontid King, Agis IV . Cleomenes' brother-in-law, Cleombrotus, who
966-432: A fleet. He also promised to provide Cleomenes with an annual income of twenty-four talents. However, before he could fulfill his promise, Ptolemy died—and with him any hope for Cleomenes to return to Greece, as the weak Ptolemy IV ascended the throne. Ptolemy IV began treating Cleomenes with neglect and soon his chief minister, Sosibius , had Cleomenes put under house arrest after he was falsely accused of plotting against
1104-523: A great deal of expropriation would have to take place. On the contrary, Argos did not face a similar problem, having large available areas for this purpose. In the end, the proposition of the Greek capital being moved to Argos was rejected by the father of king Otto , Ludwig , who insisted in making Athens the capital, something which eventually happened in 1834. During the German occupation, Argos airfield
1242-571: A minor power in Greek affairs. Argos escaped occupation by Macedon during the reigns of Philip II and Alexander the Great and remained unscathed during the Wars of the Diadochi , however in 272 it was attacked by Pyrrhus of Epirus at the Battle of Argos , in which Pyrrhus was killed. Argos was a democracy for most of the classical period, with only a brief hiatus between 418 and 416. Democracy
1380-524: A night attack on Tegea and Orchomenus but when his supporters inside those cities failed to help, he retreated, hoping to remain undetected. Cleomenes discovered the attempted night attack and sent a message to Aratus asking the purpose of the expedition. Aratus replied that he had come to stop Cleomenes from fortifying Athenaeum. Cleomenes response was, "if it's all the same to you, write and tell me why you brought along those torches and ladders." Cleomenes advanced into Arcadia before being called back by
1518-553: A period of diplomatic isolation, although there is evidence of an Argive alliance with Tegea prior to 462 BC. In 462 BC, Argos joined a tripartite alliance with Athens and Thessaly. This alliance was somewhat dysfunctional, however, and the Argives are only thought to have provided marginal contributions to the alliance at the Battle of Oenoe and Tanagra . For example, only 1,000 Argive hoplites are thought to have fought alongside
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#17327811748161656-474: A report on his operations and was made chief-in-command of all the allied forces. Antigonus took the opportunity to revive the Hellenic League of Philip II of Macedon , under the name League of Leagues. Most of the Greek city states took part in the league. These included Macedon, Achaea, Boeotia, Thessaly, Phocis , Locris , Acarnania , Euboea, and Epiros . Peter Green claims that for Antigonus,
1794-502: A resurgent Sparta would be a more valuable ally against Macedon than a failing Achaean League. In May 227 BC, Aratus was once again elected strategos and attacked Elis . The Eleans appealed to Sparta for aid; as the Achaeans were returning from Elis, Cleomenes attacked and routed their entire army near Mount Lycaeum. Taking advantage of a rumour that he had been killed during the fighting, Aratus attacked and seized Mantinea. Meanwhile,
1932-512: A revolt. When he received no support from the population of Alexandria , he and his friends avoided capture by committing suicide . The last to kill himself was Panteus, Cleomenes' favourite and right-hand man, who was ordered to make sure everyone was dead before taking his own life. When Panteus struck Cleomenes' ankle with the tip of his blade, he saw that the king was still alive; he kissed him and sat beside him, waiting for his last breath, and then Panteus embraced him and took his own life over
2070-472: A temple. With the ephors vanquished, Cleomenes initiated his reforms. First, he handed over his land to the state; he was soon followed by his stepfather and his friends, and then by the rest of the citizens. He divided up all of the Spartan land, awarding an equal lot to each citizen. He increased the citizen population by granting citizenship to some perioeci , who constituted the Spartan middle class, but did not at that time have Spartan citizenship. Expanding
2208-536: A town on the border with Megalopolis , the Achaeans declared war. Cleomenes responded by ravaging Achaea . At Mount Lycaeum he defeated an army under Aratus of Sicyon , the strategos of the Achaean League, that had been sent to attack Elis, and then routed a second army near Megalopolis. In quick succession, Cleomenes cleared the cities of Arcadia of their Achaean garrisons, before crushing another Achaean force at Dyme . Facing Spartan domination, Aratus
2346-485: Is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 138.138 km . It is 11 kilometres (7 miles) from Nafplion , which was its historic harbour. A settlement of great antiquity, Argos has been continuously inhabited as at least a substantial village for the past 7,000 years. A resident of the city of Argos is known as an Argive ( / ˈ ɑːr ɡ aɪ v / AR -ghyve , /- dʒ aɪ v / -jyve ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἀργεῖος ). However, this term
2484-402: Is also important local production of dairy products, factories for fruits processing. Considerable remains of the ancient and medieval city survive and are a popular tourist attraction. Most of Argos' historical and archaeological monuments are currently unused, abandoned, or only partially renovated: A great number of archaeological findings, dating from the prehistoric ages, can be found at
2622-652: Is also used to refer to those ancient Greeks generally who assaulted the city of Troy during the Trojan War ; the term is more widely applied by the Homeric bards. Numerous ancient monuments can be found in the city today. Agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy. There are several proposed etyma. The name is associated with the legendary Argus , the third king of the city in ancient times, who renamed it after himself, thus replacing its older name Phoronikon Asty ( Φορωνικόν Άστυ , "Citadel of Phoroneus "). Both
2760-529: Is an essential green space of the city. Currently, the most commercially active streets of the city are those surrounding the Agios Petros square (Kapodistriou, Danaou, Vassileos Konstantinou streets) as well as Korinthou street. The Pezodromi (Pedestrian Streets), i.e. the paved Michael Stamou, Tsaldari and Venizelou streets, are the most popular meeting point, encompassing a wide variety of shops and cafeterias. The neighborhood of Gouva, which extends around
2898-603: Is delimited to the north by dry river Xerias , to the east by Inachos river and Panitsa stream (which emanates from the latter), to the west by the Larissa hill (site of homonymous castle and of a monastery called Panagia Katakekrymeni-Portokalousa ) and the Aspida Hill (unofficially Prophetes Elias hill), and to the south by the Notios Periferiakos road. The Agios Petros (Saint Peter) square, along with
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#17327811748163036-950: Is known as the Farnese Hercules , and it is exhibited in Naples, Italy. In March 2022 the construction of the fountain in St. Peter's square was completed. In the base of the marble fountain there are four lions. Above the visitor can see four members of the Danaids. The fountain has a width of 7 meters and a height of 5 meters, while the fountain was designed in collaboration with the Supreme School of Fine Arts in Athens. The city has three monasteries that are located in Larissa hill. In 700 BC there were at least 5,000 people living in
3174-518: Is located today. Pheidon also extended Argive influence throughout Greece, taking control of the Olympic Games away from the citizens of Elis and appointing himself organizer during his reign. Pheidon is also thought to have introduced reforms for standard weight and measures in Argos, a theory further reinforced with the unearthing of six "spits" of iron in an Argive Heraion, possibly remainders of
3312-489: Is sometimes between Criasus and Iasus in some sources), Iasus , Agenor , ( Crotopus and Sthenelus was between Agenor and Gelanor in some sources), Gelanor AKA Pelasgus , Danaus , Lynceus , Abas , Proetus , Acrisius , Perseus , Megapenthes , ( Argeus and Anaxagoras comes after in some sources). An alternative version supplied by Tatian of the original 17 consecutive kings of Argos includes Apis , Argios, Kriasos and Phorbas between Argus and Triopas, explaining
3450-603: Is today the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Argolis . Under 'Frankish' Crusader rule , Argos became a Latin Church bishopric in 1212, which lasted as a residential see until Argos was taken by the Ottoman Empire in 1463 but would be revived under the second Venetian rule in 1686. Today the diocese is a Catholic titular see . The former municipality and current municipal unit, is subdivided into
3588-554: The Aetolian League , a powerful Greek confederation of city states in central Greece. Historians Polybius and Sir William Smith claim that Cleomenes seized the cities by treachery; however, Richard Talbert, who translated Plutarch's account of Sparta, and historian N. G. L. Hammond say Cleomenes occupied them at their own request. Later that year, the ephors sent Cleomenes to seize the Athenaeum, near Belbina. Belbina
3726-619: The Eurypontid King of Sparta Eudamidas III, son of Agis IV, died. Pausanias , the Greek writer, claims that Cleomenes had him poisoned. In order to strengthen his position against the ephors, who were opposed to his expansionist policy, Cleomenes recalled his uncle Archidamus V from his exile in Messene to ascend the Eurypontid throne, but as soon as Archidamus returned to the city, he was assassinated. Cleomenes' involvement in
3864-490: The Greco-Persian Wars . There is evidence of continuous settlement in the area starting with a village about 7,000 years ago in the late Neolithic , located on the foot of Aspida hill. Since that time, Argos has been continually inhabited at the same geographical location. And while the name Argos is generally accepted to have a Hellenic Indo-European etymology, Larissa is generally held to derive from
4002-567: The Peloponnese . Upon hearing of Leonidas' death, Aratus began attacking the cities of Arcadia , which bordered Achaea. Plutarch says that Aratus made these moves to discover Sparta's inclinations. In 229 BC, the cities of Tegea , Mantinea , Caphyae and Orchomenus , who were allied with the Aetolian League, joined Sparta. Historians Polybius and Sir William Smith claim that Cleomenes seized these cities by treachery; however
4140-643: The Peloponnesian Senate . It had a single head of state, Stamatellos Antonopoulos, styled " Consul ", between 28 March and 26 May 1821. Later, Argos accepted the authority of the unified Provisional Government of the First National Assembly at Epidaurus , and eventually became part of the Kingdom of Greece . With the coming of governor Ioannis Kapodistrias , the city underwent efforts of modernisation. Being an agricultural village,
4278-486: The personal name and placename are linked to the word argós ( αργός ), which meant "white" or "shining"; possibly, this had to do with the visual impression given of the Argolic plain during harvest time. According to Strabo , the name could have even originated from the word agrós ( αγρός ) 'field' by metathesis of the consonants. Herodotus first recorded the myth of the traditional story of Argos being
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4416-509: The 5,000-strong Spartan army at Pallantium . Aratus, who had accompanied Aristomachos, advised him to retreat because even 20,000 Achaeans were no match for 5,000 Spartans. Aristomachos, listening to Aratus' advice, retreated with the Achaean army. Meanwhile, Ptolemy III of Egypt , who had been an ally of the Achaean League in their wars against Macedon, shifted his financial support to Sparta. Ptolemy made this decision after calculating that
4554-637: The Achaeans and enter the city alone, or approach the city with all his forces. When this message reached Cleomenes, he declared that he had been wronged and once again declared war on the Achaeans. Achaea was now in turmoil, and some cities were close to revolt; many residents were angered at Aratus' decision to invite the Macedonians into the Peloponnese. Some also hoped that Cleomenes would introduce constitutional changes in their cities. Encouraged by this development, Cleomenes invaded Achaea and seized
4692-549: The Achaeans the prisoners and strongholds he had seized. The Achaeans invited Cleomenes to Lerna , where they were holding council. While marching there, Cleomenes drank too much water, which caused him to lose his voice and cough up blood—a situation that forced him to return to Sparta. Aratus took advantage of this incident, and began plotting against Cleomenes with King Antigonus III Doson of Macedon . Previously, in 227 BC, two ambassadors from Megalopolis had been sent to Macedon to request help. Antigonus showed little interest at
4830-592: The Ancient Agora to the eastern side of the city, delimited by Danaou and Agiou Konstadinou streets. Argos played a minor role in the Corinthian Wars against Sparta, and for a short period of time considered uniting with Corinth to form an expanded Argolid state. For a brief period of time, the two poleis combined, but Corinth quickly rebelled against Argive domination, and Argos returned to its traditional boundaries. After this, Argos continued to remain
4968-474: The Argives to lose confidence in Antigonus because of his failure to protect their territory. Walbank describes this raid as being "an impressive demonstration, but it had no effect other than to make it even more clear that Cleomenes had to be defeated in a pitched battle." In the summer of 222 BC, Antigonus summoned his troops from Macedon, who arrived together with other allied forces. According to Polybius,
5106-604: The Argos museum, housed at the old building of Dimitrios Kallergis at Saint Peter's square. The Argos airfield , located in the homonymous area (Aerodromio) in the northwest outskirts of the city, is also worth mentioning. The area it covers was created in 1916–1917 and was heavily used during the Greco-Italian War and for the training of new Kaberos school aviators for the Hellenic Air Force Academy . It also constituted an important benchmark in
5244-728: The Athenians at the Battle of Tanagra . Following the allies' defeat at Tanagra in 457 BC, the alliance began to fall apart, resulting in its dissolution in 451 BC. Argos remained neutral or the ineffective ally of Athens during the Archidamian War between Sparta and Athens. Argos' neutrality resulted in a rise of its prestige among other Greek cities, and Argos used this political capital to organize and lead an alliance against Sparta and Athens in 421 BC. This alliance included Mantinea , Corinth , Elis , Thebes , Argos, and eventually Athens. This alliance fell apart, however, after
5382-616: The Black Sea in 267 A.D. and devastated the Greek coastline and interior. Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes and Argos were all sacked. Gallienus finally cut off their retreat north and destroyed them with great slaughter at Naissus in Moesia. With the death of the last emperor over a unified Empire, Theodosius I , the Visigoths under their leader Alaric I descended into Greece in 396–397 A.D., sacking and pillaging as they went. Neither
5520-521: The Elians. The Achaeans were demoralized by this battle; Aratus declined the generalship, and when both Athens and the Aetolian League turned down their appeals, they sued Cleomenes for peace. Initially, Cleomenes advanced only minor requests, but as the talks continued, his demands became greater and he eventually insisted that leadership of the League be surrendered to him. In exchange, he would return to
5658-438: The League was just a way to further Macedon's power. In the early spring of 223 BC, Antigonus advanced upon Tegea . He was joined there by the Achaeans and together they laid siege to it. The Tegeans held out for a few days before being forced to surrender by the Macedonians' siege weapons. After the capture of Tegea, Antigonus advanced to Laconia, where he found Cleomenes' army waiting for him. When his scouts brought news that
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5796-431: The Macedonian army consisted of 10,000 Macedonian infantry, most of them armed as phalangites , 3,000 peltasts , 1,200 cavalry, 3,000 mercenaries, 8,600 Greek allies, and 3,000 Achaean infantry, making a total of 29,200 men. Cleomenes had fortified all the passes into Laconia with barricades and trenches before setting off with his army of 20,000 men to the pass at Sellasia , on the northern border of Laconia. Overlooking
5934-411: The Macedonians to charge at the Spartan positions. The Spartans' left flank was eventually forced back and thrown from their position and their commander, Eucleidas, killed; they fled the field. Meanwhile, the Macedonian phalanx on the left flank engaged the Spartan phalanx and mercenaries. During the initial assault, the Macedonian phalanx gave a considerable amount of ground before its weight drove back
6072-606: The Peloponnese to continue their military service under the Republic of Venice or the Kingdom of Naples . At the end of the Ottoman–Venetian wars, a large number of Albanians had fled from the Peloponnese to Sicily. Some historians consider the French military term "argoulet" to derive from the Greek "argetes", or inhabitant of Argos, as a large number of French stratioti came from the plain of Argos. During Ottoman rule, Argos
6210-469: The Spartan phalanx. The Spartans, overwhelmed by the deeper ranks of Macedonian phalanx, were routed, but Cleomenes managed to escape with a small group of men. The battle was very costly for the Spartans; only 200 of the 6,000 Spartans that fought survived the battle. Following his defeat at Sellasia, Cleomenes briefly returned to Sparta and urged the citizens to accept Antigonus' terms. Under cover of darkness, he fled from Sparta with some friends and went to
6348-401: The Spartans advanced into Achaea , where Cleomenes hoped to force the League to face him in a pitched battle. Cleomenes advanced with his army to Dyme , where he was met by the entire Achaean army. In the Battle of Dyme , the Spartans routed the Achaean phalanx , killing many of the Achaeans and capturing others. Following this victory, Cleomenes captured the city of Lasium and presented it to
6486-464: The Spartans charged the main body of the Achaean army and routed them. Confident of his strong position, Cleomenes began plotting against the ephors. After gaining the support of his stepfather, he embarked with him on a whirlwind military expedition against his opponents, and when they requested to stay in Arcadia due to exhaustion he returned to Sparta to carry out his reform plans. When he reached
6624-400: The Spartans in a hoplite battle. During the time of its greatest power, the city boasted a pottery and bronze sculpturing school, pottery workshops, tanneries and clothes producers. Moreover, at least 25 celebrations took place in the city, in addition to a regular local products exhibition. A sanctuary dedicated to Hera was also found at the same spot where the monastery of Panagia Katekrymeni
6762-401: The Spartans ransacked the city and burnt it to the ground. Nicholas Hammond estimated that Cleomenes managed to accumulate around 300 talents of loot from the city. The destruction of Megalopolis shook the Achaean League. Cleomenes set off with his army to raid the territory of Argos, knowing that Antigonus would not resist him due to a lack of men. Cleomenes also hoped that his raid would cause
6900-432: The Spartans were routed. He then fled to the court of his ally, Ptolemy III of Egypt ( r. 246–222 BC), where he ultimately committed suicide in the wake of a failed revolt against the new Pharaoh , Ptolemy IV ( r. 221–205 BC). Cleomenes III ascended the throne of Sparta in 236 BC or 235 BC, after deposing his father, Leonidas II . His accession to power ended a decade-long period of heightened conflict between
7038-751: The Visigoths north of Epirus. Sites said to have been destroyed in Argos include the Hypostyle hall, parts of the agora, the odeion, and the Aphrodision. In the late 7th century, it became part of the Theme of Hellas , and later of the Theme of the Peloponnese . In the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade , the Crusaders captured the castle built on Larisa Hill, the site of the ancient acropolis, and
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#17327811748167176-514: The allied loss at the Battle of Mantinea in 418 BC. This defeat, combined with the raiding of the Argolid by the Epidaurians, resulted in political instability and an eventual oligarchic coup in 417 BC. Although democracy was restored within a year, Argos was left permanently weakened by this coup. This weakening led to a loss of power, which in turn led to the shift of commercial focus from
7314-432: The apparent unrelation of Triopas to Argus. The city of Argos was believed to be the birthplace of the mythological character Perseus , the son of the god Zeus and Danaë , who was the daughter of the king of Argos, Acrisius . After the original 17 kings of Argos, there were three kings ruling Argos at the same time (see Anaxagoras ), one descended from Bias , one from Melampus , and one from Anaxagoras . Melampus
7452-399: The appearance of raiding the territory of Argos. From there he went to the territory of Megalopolis; during the night he ordered one of his friends, Panteus, to capture the weakest section of the walls, while Cleomenes and the rest of the army followed. Panteus managed to capture that section of the wall after killing the sentries. This allowed Cleomenes and the rest of the Spartan army to enter
7590-672: The area became part of the lordship of Argos and Nauplia . In 1388, it was sold to the Republic of Venice , but was taken by the Despot of the Morea Theodore I Palaiologos before the Venetians could take control of the city; he sold it anyway to them in 1394. The Crusaders established a Latin bishopric. Venetian rule lasted until 1463, when the Ottomans captured the city. In 1397, the Ottomans plundered Argos, carrying off part of
7728-579: The areas and feign attacks on Cleomenes' position. Unable to force a move from Cleomenes, Antigonus decided to risk a pitched battle. He positioned some of his Macedonian infantry and Illyrians facing the Evas hill in an articulated phalanx. The Epirots, the Acarnanians and 2,000 Achaean infantry stood behind them as reinforcements. The cavalry took a position opposite Cleomenes' cavalry, with 1,000 Achaean and Megalopolitan infantry in reserve. Together with
7866-523: The battle, the Spartans routed the Achaean phalanx , killing many of the Achaeans and capturing others. Following this victory, Cleomenes captured the city of Lasium and presented it to the Elians. The oligarchies opposed the Cleomenian reforms. With Cleomenes' quick victories this opposition increased throughout all the Peloponnese. Cleomenes took Corinth and other strategic places. The Cleomenian reforms, although they were not intended to be applied to
8004-428: The citadel. He retreated to Mantinea when he saw Antigonus' army on the plain outside the city. After retreating into Arcadia and receiving news of his wife's death, Cleomenes returned to Sparta. This left Antigonus free to advance through Arcadia and on the towns that Cleomenes had fortified, including Athenaeum—which he gave to Megalopolis. He continued to Aegium , where the Achaeans were holding their council. He gave
8142-402: The citadel. He sent a messenger to Aratus proposing that Acrocorinth should be garrisoned jointly by both the Spartans and the Achaeans, and that he would deliver a twelve talent pension. Aratus faced the hard decision of whether to give the city to Antigonus or to let it fall to Cleomenes. He chose to conclude an alliance with Antigonus and sent his son as a hostage to Macedon. Cleomenes invaded
8280-528: The cities of Pellene, Pheneus, and Penteleium, effectively splitting the Achaean League in half. The Achaeans, concerned about developing treachery in Corinth and Sicyon , dispatched their mercenaries to garrison the cities and then went to Argos to celebrate the Nemean Games . Cleomenes estimated that Argos would be easier to capture while filled with festival-goers and spectators to cause panic. During
8418-445: The citizen population meant that Cleomenes could build a larger army; he trained 4,000 hoplites and restored the old Spartan social and military discipline. He also strengthened his army by introducing the Macedonian sarissa (pike). Cleomenes completed his reforms by placing his brother, Eucleidas , in charge, making him the first Agiad king on the Eurypontid throne. Ptolemy III of Egypt offered continued assistance to Cleomenes on
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#17327811748168556-418: The citizens of Mantinea appealed to Cleomenes to expel the Achaean garrison from the city. One night, he and his troops crept into the city and removed the Achaean garrison before marching off to nearby Tegea. From Tegea, the Spartans advanced into Achaea, where Cleomenes hoped to force the League to face him in a pitched battle . Cleomenes advanced with his army to Dyme and was met by the entire Achaean army. In
8694-405: The citizens of Orchomenus—which the Achaeans were besieging—before camping outside Mantinea. This campaign exhausted his opponents, who asked to remain in Arcadia so they could rest. Cleomenes then advanced upon Sparta with his mercenaries and sent some loyal followers to slay the ephors. Four of the five ephors were killed; the sole survivor was Agylaeus, who managed to escape and sought sanctuary in
8832-420: The city to Cleomenes, but the Spartan king criticized them for failing to arrest Aratus. Cleomenes sent his stepfather Megistonous to Aratus, asking for the surrender of Acrocorinth —the citadel of Corinth, which had an Achaean garrison—in return for a large amount of money. In quick succession, Hermione , Troezen , and Epidaurus surrendered to Cleomenes, who went from Argos to Corinth and started besieging
8970-461: The city's port of Gythium , where he boarded a ship heading to Egypt. Antigonus entered Sparta triumphantly, its first foreign conqueror. Nevertheless, he treated the population generously and humanely. He ordered that the reforms of Cleomenes be revoked, and restored the ephors, although he did not force Sparta to join the League. However, Antigonus' failure to restore the Spartan kings suggests to historian Graham Shipley that this restoration of laws
9108-402: The city, and inflicted a minor defeat on the Spartan army based nearest the city walls. Cleomenes was therefore obliged to retreat with his troops across a series of ravines. Aratus ordered the Achaeans not to pursue the Spartans across the ravine, but Lydiadas of Megalopolis disobeyed the order and charged with the cavalry in pursuit of the Spartans. Taking advantage of the difficult terrain and
9246-403: The city, he sent some of his loyal followers to kill the ephors. Four of the ephors were killed, while the fifth, Agylaeus, managed to escape and seek sanctuary in a temple. Having removed the ephors, Cleomenes began to implement his reforms. After having removed the ephors, who obstructed his political will, Cleomenes used the character of Lycurgus the lawgiver, which allowed him to legitimize
9384-460: The city. Soon after the seizure of Argos, Cleonae and Phlius surrendered themselves to Cleomenes. Meanwhile, Aratus was in Corinth investigating those suspected of supporting Sparta. When he heard what had happened at Argos, Aratus expected the city to fall to Sparta. He summoned an assembly and, with all the citizens present, he took his horse and fled to Sicyon . The Corinthians did surrender
9522-558: The city. When dawn came, the Megalopolitans realised that the Spartans had entered the city; some of them fled, while others stood and fought against the invaders. Cleomenes' superior numbers forced the defenders to retreat, but their rearguard action allowed most of the population to escape—only 1,000 were captured. Cleomenes sent a message to Messene , where the exiles had gathered, offering to give back their city if they became his allies. The Megalopolitans refused; in retaliation
9660-455: The city. In the fourth century BC, the city was home to as many as 30,000 people. Today, according to the 2021 Greek census, the city has a population of 21,891. It is the largest city in Argolis, larger than the capital Nafplio. The primary economic activity in the area is agriculture. Citrus fruits are the predominant crop, followed by olives and apricots. The area is also famous for its local melon variety, Argos melons (or Argitiko). There
9798-435: The city. Antigonus sent 1,500 men under the command of Aratus to sail to Epidaurus and, from there, march to Argos. At the same time the Achaean strategos for the year, Timoxenos , advanced with more men from Sicyon. When the Achaean reinforcements arrived, the entire city except for the citadel was in the hands of the Argives. When Cleomenes heard about the revolt at Argos, he sent his stepfather with 2,000 men to try and save
9936-413: The condition that the Spartan king would offer his mother and children as hostages. Cleomenes hesitated but his mother, after learning of Ptolemy's offer, went voluntarily to Egypt. In 226 BC, the citizens of Mantinea appealed to Cleomenes to expel the Achaeans from the city. One night, he and his troops crept into the citadel and removed the Achaean garrison before marching off to nearby Tegea. From Tegea,
10074-424: The critical moment, Philopoemon of Megalopolis (who later became one of the greatest heroes of the Achaean League, eventually conquering Sparta), tried to point out the danger to the senior cavalry commanders. When they did not take notice of him, Philopoemon gathered a few other cavalrymen and charged the Spartan cavalry. The Spartans attacking from the rear broke off their engagement with the enemy, which encouraged
10212-399: The dead body of Cleomenes. Thus died the man who nearly conquered all of the Peloponnese and is described by William Smith as "the last truly great man of Sparta, and, excepting perhaps Philopoemen , of all Greece." Argos, Peloponnese Argos ( / ˈ ɑːr ɡ ɒ s , - ɡ ə s / ; Greek : Άργος [ˈarɣos] ; Ancient and Katharevousa : Ἄργος [árɡos] ) is
10350-629: The defeated populations, was a significant factor behind the campaign successes of the Spartan king. Indeed, some of the Achaean population wanted to be debt-free and were willing to share their lands for more equity. In reality, Cleomenes did not care that much about the defeated population and chose to negotiate with the oligarchies even if the enmity between Aratus and Cleomenes was too great to enable them to come to an agreement. After this diplomatic failure, Aratus chose to negotiate with Antigonus III Doson , King of Macedonia, who decided to go to war against Sparta. Despite numerous attempts to break through
10488-475: The defensive line and reach Lechaeum , Antigonus' force failed and suffered considerable losses. These defeats took such a toll on Antigonus that he considered abandoning his attack on the palisade and moving his army to Sicyon. However, Aratus was visited one evening by some friends from Argos who invited Antigonus to come to their city. The Argives were ready to revolt under the command of Aristoteles, as they were irritated that Cleomenes had not made any reforms in
10626-563: The defensive line and reach Lechaeum in the Corinth Isthmus, Antigonus' forces failed and suffered considerable losses. At that time Argos rebelled and Cleomenes had to send 2,000 men to deal with the situation. With this lack of men, Cleomenes abandoned the Isthmus and retreated to Mantinea. At this point, Cleomenes could not avoid retreating and letting the Macedonian army advance through Arcadia. Knowing that Cleomenes had received
10764-557: The disastrous war of the Seven against Thebes . Adrastus bequeathed the kingdom to his son, Aegialeus , who was subsequently killed in the war of the Epigoni . Diomedes , grandson of Adrastus through his son-in-law Tydeus and daughter Deipyle , replaced Aegialeus and was King of Argos during the Trojan war. This house lasted longer than those of Anaxagoras and Melampus , and eventually
10902-418: The eastern or western Roman warlords, Rufinus (consul) or Stilicho , made an effective stand against them due to the political situation between them. Athens and Corinth were both sacked. While the exact level of destruction for Argos is disputed due to the conflicting nature of the ancient sources, the level of damage to the city and people was considerable. Stilicho finally landed in western Greece and forced
11040-608: The end of their terms. There is some evidence that ostracism was practiced. Under Roman rule, Argos was part of the province of Achaea . While prosperous during the early principate, Argos along with much of Greece and the Balkans experienced disasters during the Crisis of the 3rd Century when external threats and internal revolts left the Empire in turmoil. During Gallienus' reign, marauding bands of Goths and Heruli sailed down from
11178-554: The ephors. When Aratus captured Caphyae, the ephors sent him out again. He ravaged the territory of Argos with an army of 5,000 men before being confronted by the new strategos of the Achaean League, Aristomachos of Argos and his army consisting of 20,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry at Pallantium . Aratus, who accompanied Aristomachos as an adviser, urged him to retreat. Smith agrees with Aratus' assessment that 20,000 Achaeans were no match for 5,000 Spartans. This success greatly encouraged Cleomenes, and when he heard that Aratus
11316-520: The eponymous cathedral (dedicated to saint Peter the Wonderworker ), make up the town centre, whereas some other characteristic town squares are the Laiki Agora (Open Market) square, officially Dimokratias (Republic) square, where, as implied by its name, an open market takes place twice a week, Staragora (Wheat Market), officially Dervenakia square, and Dikastirion (Court) square. Bonis Park
11454-680: The ex-helots in Macedonian style to counter the White Shields, the Macedonian crack troops, before planning a major initiative. Cleomenes noted that Antigonus had dismissed his Macedonian troops and only traveled with his mercenaries. At the time Antigonus was in Aegium, a three-day march from Megalopolis. Most of the Achaeans of military age had been killed at Mount Lycaeum and Ladoceia. Cleomenes ordered his army to take five days' worth of rations and sent his troops toward Sellasia , to give
11592-548: The exception of a period of Venetian domination in 1687–1715, Argos remained in Ottoman hands until the beginning of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, when wealthy Ottoman families moved to nearby Nafplio due to its stronger walling. At that time, as part of the general uprising, many local governing bodies were formed in different parts of the country, and the "Consulate of Argos" was proclaimed on 28 March 1821, under
11730-458: The execution of Agis, Cleomenes, who was around eighteen at the time, was forced by his father to marry Agis' widow, Agiatis, who was a wealthy heiress . According to legend, Cleomenes was hunting when his father sent him a message telling him to return immediately to Sparta. When he returned to the city, he saw that it was being decorated for a wedding and when he asked his father who was getting married, his father replied that he, Cleomenes, was. It
11868-520: The following communities and their respective settlements: Argos has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ). It is one of the hottest places in Greece during summer. Argos has generally cold winters, although due to the local climate, some winter months may have little rainfall. The weather of Argos includes an abundant amount of sunny days throughout the year, even in the winter. Temperatures below zero degrees Celsius are recorded mostly in
12006-452: The garrison of Orchomenus was marching to meet Cleomenes, however, Antigonus broke camp and ordered a forced march; this caught the city by surprise and forced it to surrender. Antigonus proceeded to capture Mantinea, Heraea, and Telphusa, which confined Cleomenes to Laconia. Antigonus then returned to Aegium, where he gave another report about his operations before dismissing the Macedonian troops to winter at home. Knowing that Cleomenes got
12144-424: The interior of each mahala, having a semi-public character, whereas the third type of streets referred to dead-end private alleys used specifically by families to access their homes. Remnants of this city layout can be witnessed even today, as Argos still preserves several elements of this Ottoman type style, particularly with its long and complicated streets, its narrow alleys and its densely constructed houses. With
12282-446: The intersection of Vassileos Konstantinou and Tsokri streets, is also considered a commercial point. In the center of the city, next to the St. Peter's church, there is an artificial lake that was constructed and filled during an extensive redevelopment works in the city, which lasted between February 2015 and April 2016. During the work for the redevelopment of the city's square the floor of the old (now demolished) church of St. Nicholas
12420-420: The king. In 219 BC, Cleomenes and his friends escaped from house arrest and ran through the streets of Alexandria, trying to encourage an uprising against Ptolemy. When this failed, Cleomenes and all of his friends committed suicide. 37°20′59″N 22°21′08″E / 37.34972°N 22.35222°E / 37.34972; 22.35222 Cleomenes III Cleomenes III ( Ancient Greek : Κλεομένης )
12558-427: The kingdom was reunited under its last member, Cyanippus, son of Aegialeus, soon after the exile of Diomedes. After Christianity became established in Argos, the first bishop documented in extant written records is Genethlius, who in 448 AD took part in the synod called by Archbishop Flavian of Constantinople that deposed Eutyches from his priestly office and excommunicated him. The next bishop of Argos, Onesimus,
12696-475: The midst of the fertile plain of Argolis. Argos experienced its greatest period of expansion and power under the energetic 7th century BC ruler King Pheidon . Under Pheidon, Argos regained sway over the cities of the Argolid and challenged Sparta 's dominance of the Peloponnese. Spartan dominance is thought to have been interrupted following the Battle of Hyssiae in 669–668 BC, in which Argive troops defeated
12834-485: The model of the Macedonian army, a century after the bitter defeat of the Athenians and Thebans to the Macedonians at Chaeronea . This was characterised by the use of the Macedonian sarissa , a five-meter pike, which performed well over the next two campaigning seasons. Cleomenes completed his reforms by placing his brother, Eucleidas , in charge, making him the first Agiad king on the Eurypontid throne. In 226 BC,
12972-566: The money to pay for his mercenaries from Ptolemy, Antigonus, according to Peter Green, seems to have ceded some territory in Asia Minor to Ptolemy in return for Ptolemy withdrawing his financial support of Sparta. Whether this assumption is accurate or not, Ptolemy certainly withdrew his support, which left Cleomenes without money to pay for his mercenaries. Desperate, Cleomenes freed all helots able to pay five Attic minae ; in this way he accumulated 500 talents of silver. He also armed 2,000 of
13110-481: The money to pay for his mercenaries from Ptolemy, Antigonus, according to Peter Green, seems to have ceded some territory in Asia Minor to Ptolemy in return for Ptolemy withdrawing his financial support of Sparta. After that, Cleomenes entered Megalopolis and destroyed it as well as raided the territory of Argos. The damage caused by those raids was not so much a factor of military domination for Cleomenes but rather
13248-469: The most organised, having the best layout, while Bekir mahala and Karamoutza mahala were the most labyrinthine. However, all quarters shared the same type of streets; firstly, they all had main streets which were wide, busy and public roads meant to allow for communication between neighbourhoods (typical examples are, to a great extent, modern-day Korinthou, Nafpliou and Tripoleos streets). Secondary streets were also common in all four quarters since they lead to
13386-409: The need for urban planning was vital. For this reason, in 1828, Kapodistrias himself appointed mechanic Stamatis Voulgaris as the creator of a city plan which would offer Argos big streets, squares and public spaces. However, both Voulgaris and, later, French architect de Borroczun's plans were not well received by the locals, with the result that the former had to be revised by Zavos. Ultimately, none of
13524-444: The night, he seized the rugged area above the city's theatre. The people of the city were too terrified to offer resistance. They accepted a garrison, delivered twenty hostages to Cleomenes and became Spartan allies. The capture of Argos gave Cleomenes' reputation a massive boost, since no Spartan king had ever managed to seize Argos. Even Pyrrhus of Epirus , one of the most famous generals of the age, had been killed while trying to take
13662-400: The nightly hours during the winter months. Snowfalls are generally rare there, although not unheard of. The most recent significant snowfall in Argos occurred in early January 2017 during a large European cold wave . There is also a degree of variation in the annual rainfall volumes in Argos, as rainfall in Argos usually is between 300 and 800 millimeters depending the year. The city of Argos
13800-507: The organization of the Greek air forces in southern Greece . Furthermore, the airfield was used by the Germans for the release of their aerial troops during the Battle of Crete . It was last used as a landing/takeoff point for spray planes (for agricultural purposes in the olive tree cultivations) up until 1985. Argos is connected via regular bus services with neighbouring areas as well as Athens . In addition, taxi stands can be found at
13938-548: The origin of the ancient Macedonian royal house of the Argead dynasty (Greek: Ἀργεάδαι, Argeádai) of Philip II and Alexander the Great . As a strategic location on the fertile plain of Argolis, Argos was a major stronghold during the Mycenaean era. In classical times , Argos was a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese, but was eventually shunned by other Greek city-states after remaining neutral during
14076-527: The pass at Sellasia were two hills, Evas and Olympus. Cleomenes positioned his brother, Eucleidas, with the allied troops and the Perioeci on Evas; he stationed himself on Olympus with 6,000 Spartan hoplites and 5,000 mercenaries. When Antigonus reached Sellasia with his army, he found it well guarded and decided against storming the strong position. Instead he pitched camp near Sellasia and waited for several days. During this time, he sent scouts to reconnoiter
14214-405: The plan and sent a message to Aratus asking about the goal of his expedition. Aratus replied that he had come to stop Cleomenes from fortifying Belbina. Cleomenes responded to this by saying: "If it's all the same to you, write and tell me why you brought along those torches and ladders." After fortifying Belbina, Cleomenes advanced into Arcadia with 3,000 infantry and a few cavalry . However, he
14352-456: The plans were fully implemented. Still, the structural characteristics of de Borroczun's plan can be found in the city today, despite obvious proof of pre-revolutionary layout, such as the unorganised urban sprawl testified in the area from Inachou street to the point where the railway tracks can be found today. After talks concerning the intentions of the Greek government to move the Greek capital from Nafplio to Athens , discussions regarding
14490-419: The plot is unclear, since ancient sources contradict each other: Polybius claims that Cleomenes ordered the murder, but Plutarch disagrees. Later in 227 BC, Cleomenes bribed the ephors to allow him to continue his campaign against the Achaeans. Having succeeded with his bribe, Cleomenes advanced into the territory of Megalopolis and captured the village of Leuctra . In response, an Achaean army arrived, relieved
14628-621: The population, to sell as slaves. The Venetians repopulated the town and region with Albanian settlers, granting them long-term agrarian tax exemptions. Together with the Greeks of Argos, they supplied stratioti troops to the armies of Venice. Throughout the Ottoman–Venetian wars , many Albanians died or were captured in service to the Venetians; at Nafpaktos , Nafplio , Argos, Methoni , Koroni and Pylos . Furthermore, 8,000 Albanian stratioti , most of them along with their families, left
14766-414: The possibility of Argos also being a candidate as the potential new capital became more frequent, with supporters of the idea claiming that, unlike Athens, Argos was naturally protected by its position and benefited from a nearby port (Nafplio). Moreover, it was maintained that construction of public buildings would be difficult in Athens, given that most of the land was owned by the Greek church, meaning that
14904-460: The rabbits) was composed mostly of Albanian emigrants and well-reputed families. Karamoutza mahala was home to the most prominent Turks and boasted a mosque (modern-day church of Agios Konstadinos), a Turkish cemetery, Ali Nakin Bei's serail , Turkish baths and a Turkish school. It is also at this period when the open market of the city is first organised on the site north to Kapodistrias' barracks, at
15042-481: The rest of his Macedonian infantry and mercenaries Antigonus took his position opposite that of Cleomenes. The battle started when the Illyrian troops on the Macedonian right wing attacked the Spartan force on Evas. The Spartan light infantry and cavalry, noticing that the Achaean infantry was not protected at the rear, launched an assault on the back of the Macedonian right wing, and threatened to rout it. However, at
15180-447: The same spot where it is held in modern times. A mosque would have existed there, too, according to the city planning most Ottoman cities followed. Argos grew exponentially during this time, with its sprawl being unregulated and without planning. As French explorer Pouqueville noted, "its houses are not aligned, without order, scattered all over the place, divided by home gardens and uncultivated areas". Liepur mahala appears to have been
15318-428: The scattered cavalry, Cleomenes sent his Cretan and Tarentine soldiers against Lydiadas. They routed the cavalry, and Lydiadas was amongst the dead. The Spartans, encouraged by these events, charged against the main Achaean forces and defeated the entire army. The Achaeans were so outraged and demoralized by Aratus' failure to support Lydiadas that they made no further attacks in that year. Cleomenes, now confident of
15456-410: The situation. Megistonous was killed while assaulting the city, however, and the relief force retreated, leaving the Spartans in the citadel to continue resistance. Cleomenes abandoned his much stronger position at the Isthmus for fear of being encircled and left Corinth to fall into the hands of Antigonus. Cleomenes advanced his troops upon Argos and forced his way into the city, rescuing the men stuck in
15594-479: The so called inferiors , and half new citizens who for the most part were mercenaries who fought with the Spartan army. There were also Perioeci granted land for their dedication to Sparta. Those 4,000 citizens enhanced the body of Spartiates (Spartan full citizens), which had dwindled drastically (known as oliganthropia). For the first time the amount of produce the Helots had to surrender to each klaros-holder
15732-594: The strength of his position, began plotting against the ephors. He first recruited his stepfather, persuading him of the need to do away with the ephors. Cleomenes contended they could then make the ephors' property common to all citizens and work toward the achievement of Spartan supremacy in Greece. Having won over his stepfather, Cleomenes started preparing his revolution. Employing the men he considered most likely to oppose him (probably in an attempt to get them killed), he captured Heraea and Asea . He also brought in food for
15870-503: The territory of Megalopolis and started to besiege the village of Leuctra . As Cleomenes was besieging the village, an Achaean army under the command of Aratus attacked the Spartans. In the initial attack, the Spartans were repelled. However, Lydiadas of Megalopolis , the cavalry commander, disobeyed Aratus' order not to pursue the Spartans. When the cavalry scattered while trying to cross some difficult terrain, Cleomenes' skirmishers managed to defeat them. Encouraged by this counter-attack,
16008-472: The territory of Sicyon and blockaded Aratus inside the city for three months before Aratus was able to escape to attend the Achaean council at Aegium. Antigonus, who had brought with him a large force of 20,000 infantry and 1,300 cavalry, was marching through Euboea towards the Peloponnese. The hostile Aetolian League occupying parts of Thessaly had threatened to oppose him if he went further south than Thermopylae , despite their neutrality at that point in
16146-501: The time, and these efforts failed. Aratus wanted the Macedonian king to come to the Peloponnese and defeat Cleomenes, but Antigonus asked for control of Acrocorinth in return. This was a sacrifice that the League was not willing to make, however, and they declined to seek help from Macedon. When the Achaeans arrived at Argos for an assembly, Cleomenes came down from Tegea to meet them. However, Aratus—who had reached an agreement with Antigonus—demanded that Cleomenes present 300 hostages to
16284-468: The translator of Plutarch on Sparta, Richard Talbert, claims he did so at their own request. Later that year, the ephors sent Cleomenes to seize Athenaeum, a fort on the Spartan border with Megalopolis which was being disputed by both cities. Cleomenes seized the fort and improved its fortifications. Meanwhile, the Achaean League summoned a meeting of its assembly and declared war against Sparta. In retaliation for fortifying Athenaeum, Aratus carried out
16422-480: The two royal families. Sparta's ancient dual kingship was explained by the founding legend that the original conquerors of Sparta were twin brothers and their descendants shared Sparta. During the turmoil, Leonidas II had executed his rival king, the reformist Agis IV . In 229 BC, Cleomenes took the important cities Tegea , Mantineia , Caphyae , and Orchomenus in Arcadia , who had by then allied themselves with
16560-447: The violence, and he began his reforms. He first handed over all his land to the state ; he was soon followed in this by his stepfather and his friends and the rest of the citizens . He divided up all the land and gave an equal lot to every citizen, a unique achievement. The land was pooled and redistributed in equal portion to some 4,000 citizens (although the first Agis plan projected 4,500 citizens). These citizens were half old citizens,
16698-461: The war. Aratus met Antigonus at Pagae , where he was pressured by Antigonus into giving Megara to Boeotia . When Cleomenes heard of the Macedonian advance through Euboea, he abandoned his siege of Sicyon and constructed a trench and palisade running from Acrocorinth to the Isthmus . He chose this location to avoid facing the Macedonian phalanx head-on. Despite numerous attempts to break through
16836-558: Was a sham. Within three days, he left Sparta and returned to Macedon to deal with a Dardani invasion, leaving a garrison in Acrocorinth and Orchomenos. With Cleomenes' defeat, Sparta's power collapsed and it fell into the hands of successive tyrants. On his arrival at Alexandria , Cleomenes was greeted by Ptolemy, who welcomed him with smiles and promises. At first Ptolemy was guarded towards Cleomenes, but soon came to respect him and promised to send him back to Greece with an army and
16974-403: Was a supporter of Agis, became king. Meanwhile, having started his reforms Agis went on a campaign near the Isthmus of Corinth , which presented Leonidas with an opportunity to regain his throne. He quickly disposed of Cleombrotus, and went after Agis who had gone to find sanctuary. After holding out for quite some time, Agis was arrested and executed, along with other family members. Following
17112-635: Was at the 451 Council of Chalcedon . His successor, Thales, was a signatory of the letter that the bishops of the Roman province of Hellas sent in 458 to Byzantine Emperor Leo I the Thracian to protest the killing of Proterius of Alexandria . Bishop Ioannes was at the Third Council of Constantinople in 680, and Theotimus at the Photian Council of Constantinople (879) . The local see
17250-423: Was attacking Sparta's ally, Elis , he set off to confront them. The Spartan army fell upon the Achaean army near Mount Lycaeum and routed it. Aratus took advantage of a rumour saying that he had been killed in the battle and seized Mantinea. Aratus' victory at Mantinea reduced the Spartans' desire for war and they began to oppose Cleomenes' war effort. Meanwhile, the Eurypontid King of Sparta, Eudamidas III, who
17388-630: Was called back by the ephors, and this retreat allowed Aratus to seize Caphyae as soon as Cleomenes returned to Laconia. Once this news reached Sparta, the ephors sent Cleomenes out again; he managed to capture the Megalopian city Methydrium before ravaging the territory surrounding Argos . Around this time, the Achaean League sent an army under a new strategos— Aristomachos of Argos , who had been elected in May 228 BC—to meet Cleomenes in battle. The Achaean army of 20,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry advanced on
17526-535: Was defeated in the Battle of Sellasia by the Achaeans, who received military aid from Antigonus III Doson of Macedon . Cleomenes returned to Sparta, advised the citizens to submit to Antigonus, and fled to Alexandria to his ally Ptolemy Euergetes of Egypt , hoping for assistance in regaining his throne. However, when Ptolemy died, his son and successor, Ptolemy Philopator neglected Cleomenes and eventually put him under house arrest. Together with his friends, he escaped his house arrest in 219 BC and tried to incite
17664-465: Was divided in four mahalas , or quarters; the Greek ( Rûm ) mahala, Liepur mahala, Bekir Efenti mahala and Karamoutza or Besikler mahala, respectively corresponding to what is now the northeastern, the northwestern, the southwestern and southeastern parts of the city. The Greek mahala was also called the "quarter of the unfaithful of Archos town" in Turkish documents, whereas Liepur mahala (the quarter of
17802-515: Was first established after a disastrous defeat by the Spartans at the Battle of Sepeia in 494. So many Argives were killed in the battle that a revolution ensued, in which previously disenfranchised outsiders were included in the state for the first time. Argive democracy included an Assembly (called the aliaia ), a Council (the bola ), and another body called 'The Eighty,' whose precise responsibilities are obscure. Magistrates served six-month terms of office, with few exceptions, and were audited at
17940-431: Was forced to turn to Antigonus III Doson ( r. 229–221 BC) of Macedon. In return for Macedonian assistance, the Achaeans were obliged to surrender the citadel overlooking Corinth to Antigonus. Cleomenes eventually invaded Achaea, seizing control of Corinth and Argos , but was forced to retreat to Laconia when Antigonus arrived in the Peloponnese . Cleomenes fought the Achaeans and the Macedonians at Sellasia , where
18078-523: Was found, which was located north of the present-day church of St. Peter, that was built after 1865. Pursuant to a decision of the Central Archaeological Council, the floor and part of the sidewalls of the old church were covered with dirt in early March 2016. On 15 February 2022 a new statue of Heracles was unveiled. It is a replica of a statue made by Lysippus of Sicyon in the 4th century BC. The Roman copy of Lysippus' statue
18216-563: Was frequently attacked by Allied forces. One of the raids was so large that it resulted in the bombing of the city on October 14, 1943, with the casualties of about 100 dead Argives and several casualties, and 75 of the Germans. The bombing started from the airfield heading southeast, hitting the monastery of Katakrykmeni and several areas of the city, up to the railway station. The mythological kings of Argos are (in order): Inachus , Phoroneus , Apis , Argus , Criasus , ( Phorbas , Triopas
18354-569: Was one of the entrance points into Laconia and was disputed at the time between Sparta and Megalopolis . Meanwhile, the Achaean League summoned a meeting of her assembly and declared war against Sparta. Cleomenes in return fortified his position. Aratus of Sicyon , the strategos of the Achaean League , tried to re-take Tegea and Orchomenus in a night attack. Efforts from inside the city failed, though, and Aratus quietly retreated, hoping to remain unnoticed. Cleomenes nonetheless discovered
18492-459: Was one of the two kings of Sparta from 235 to 222 BC . He was a member of the Agiad dynasty and succeeded his father, Leonidas II . He is known for his attempts to reform the Spartan state. From 229 to 222 BC, Cleomenes waged war against the Achaean League under Aratus of Sicyon . After being defeated by the Achaeans in the Battle of Sellasia in 222 BC, he fled to Ptolemaic Egypt . After
18630-414: Was reported that Cleomenes was doubtful about the marriage because his father had had Agiatis' husband executed. Nevertheless, the marriage went ahead. Cleomenes ascended the throne of Sparta in 235 BC, following the death of his father. Cleomenes had been inspired by Agis and followed through on his reforms. Meanwhile, the Achaean League under the command of Aratus of Sicyon was trying to unite all of
18768-473: Was specified in absolute quantities rather than as a proportion of the annual yield. Cleomenes trained 4,000 Hoplites and restored the ancient Spartan military and social discipline. The citizens' children were required to pass through an agoge , and the adult citizens had to practise again the old austere diaita centred upon communal living within the framework of the military-minded masses. More significantly, Cleomenes decreed that his new army should follow
18906-413: Was succeeded by his son Mantius , then Oicles , and Amphiaraus , and his house of Melampus lasted down to the brothers Alcmaeon and Amphilochus . Anaxagoras was succeeded by his son Alector , and then Iphis . Iphis left his kingdom to his nephew Sthenelus , the son of his brother Capaneus . Bias was succeeded by his son Talaus , and then by his son Adrastus who, with Amphiaraus, commanded
19044-418: Was the son of Agis IV and Agiatis, died. Cleomenes recalled his uncle, who had fled after Agis' execution to Messene , to assume the throne. However, as soon as he returned to Sparta he was assassinated. Cleomenes' part in the assassination is unknown, with Polybius claiming that he ordered it, but Plutarch disagreeing. Having bribed the ephors to allow him to continue campaigning, Cleomenes advanced into
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