Kleomenes/Cleomenes

Kleomenes (also known as Cleomenes) was once a king of Sparta, back in the ancient Greek/Hellenic world.

His father had two wives, which was unusual at the time. Kleomenes was the first-born of one mother, and his brother, Dorieus, was the first-born of the other mother. Both claimed they had right to the throne.

Kleomenes, the favoured son, was given the throne. He was married and had a daughter named Gorgo. Kleomenes, Herodotus tells us, was a little bit cray-cray.

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In 499 BC/E Aristagoras came to him for help, trying to convince him to lend him aid in an uprising against Darius, king of Persia. Kleomenes turned him down. Aristagoras tried a second time, coming to the king with an olive branch as a sign of peace. However, with the help of his daughter, Gorgo, he was able to realize that Aristagoras was trying to corrupt Kleomenes and the kingdom of Sparta through the promise of gold and honour and glory.

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At this time there were two kings of Sparta. The co-ruler with Kleomenes was a man named Demaratos. Kleomenes did not like this man, but preferred a man named Leotychides to be his partner in ruling. Kleomenes and Leotychides began to spread rumours about Demaratos.

You see, there was doubt as to whether or not Demaratos was actually the son of the king.

Eventually, through use of these rumours, Kleomenes was able to get that which he desired. Demaratos was deposed and Leotychides became king.

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One day Kleomebes decided to destroy a sacred place.

This drove him to madness. He was only, Herodotus tells us, "slightly deranged" before this. But now? Now he was full-blown touched-by-the-gods mentally unwell. His people were forced to lock up his feet in stocks and set a guard to watch over him.

"Please, please," begged Kleomenes of one of the guards, "let me have your dagger!" The guard tried and tried and tried to refuse. It was no use. The king was insistent and brought terror to the poor guard's heart. The guard handed over the dagger. Kleomenes then began to flay himself alive, starting at the ankles and working his way up until he died - probably from blood loss.

Some people say that he killed himself in this way because he desecrated a place that was holy to the gods and the guilt drove him to madness and death. It is a lesson to us all not to mess with that which should remain intact.

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Questions:

- Kleomenes was king of what city?
- Who saved Kleomenes from listening to Aristagoras?
- Why, according to Herodotus' account, did Kleomenes kill himself?