He was one of only two Spartan survivors to survive, as he was not present at the last stand. It was so that he can use his oratorial skills to tell the story of his comrades in order to inspire the rest of Sparta, and then all of Greece. While at Rhodes the envoy encounters a group of Egyptian marines, led by a captain named Ptammitechus (whom they simply call 'Tommie'), and is given a tour of their warships. In this role, he defeated the Etruscan armies in 524 BC, and again in 508 BC in the Battle of Aricia. He failed to return to Thermopylae in time for the battle, and on finding himself in disgrace in Sparta, hanged himself.[5]. Aristodemos is the main figure in Caroline Snedeker's popular historical novel The Coward of Thermopylae (1911), retitled in 1912 as The Spartan. In this role, he defeated the Etruscan armies in 524 BC, and again in 508 BC in the Battle of Aricia. Aristodemus of Sparta was a Spartan, mentioned in Herodotus' account of the Battle of Thermopylae. He secured his power by surrounding himself with a strong bodyguard and by recruiting mercenaries. As such, he faces no scorn from his comrades on his return, and is later seen leading the Spartan army into battle at Plataea. He secured his power by surrounding himself with a strong … Born to a distinguished family, Aristodemus was appointed a strategos. The three of them survive the events of the film. [3], Around 490 BC the exiled nobles and their sons, supported by Campanians and mercenaries, were able to take possession of Cumae, and took cruel vengeance on Aristodemus and his family. This turned out to be the battle of Plataea, just one year after Thermopylae. "[4] Schmitz, Leonhard (1867). Finally, Aristodemos's shameful treatment upon his return to Sparta is recalled, as well as his redemption by the heroic way he fought at Plataea. He died there in 322 of a disease of the digestive organs. Although they removed the black mark against his name, they did not award him any special honors for his valour because he had fought with suicidal recklessness; the Spartans regarded as more valorous those who fought while still wishing to live. A character slightly based on Aristodemus named Dilios appears in and partly narrates Frank Miller's 1998 graphic novel 300, which retells the events of the Battle of Thermopylae. pp. He removed the male descendants of the exiled nobles from the town, compelling them to perform servile labour in the countryside. Unlike Aristodemus, Dilios is not ordered home because of infection, although he does lose an eye in combat. [1][2][3], The Greek historian Herodotus believed that had both Aristodemus and Eurytus returned alive, or had Aristodemus alone been ill and excused from combat, the Spartans would have ascribed no blame to Aristodemus. In the 2006 movie adaptation of the same name, Dilios was portrayed by David Wenham. Aristodemus of Miletus (Greek: Ἀριστόδημος; lived 4th century BC) was one of the oldest and most trusted friends of Antigonus Monophthalmus.He is described by Plutarch as an arch-flatterer of Antigonus. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aristodemus_of_Sparta&oldid=981127388, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 September 2020, at 13:00. "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology". [1], https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aristodemus_of_Cumae&oldid=761793654, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 January 2017, at 20:56. Aristodemus charged, berserker-like, out of the phalanx and fought, in the opinion of Herodotus, with the most bravery of all the Spartans before falling in battle.[6]. The character also appears in the sequel, where he follows Queen Gorgo into battle and fights alongside her and Themistocles. Before the fighting on the third day, Aristodemos is mentioned along with Eurytus to have been evacuated to the village of Alpenoi after eye-inflammation rendered them both sightless. Understandably, Aristodemus sought to attain a glorious death at the very next opportunity presented to him. He was then successful in overthrowing the aristocratic faction, yet became a tyrant himself. 304. The Greek historian Herodotus believed that had both Aristodemus and Eurytus returned alive, or had Aristodemus alone been ill and excused from combat, the Spartans would have ascribed no blame to Aristodemus. As a strategos, he twice defeated Etruscan armies. It was so that he can use his oratorial skills to tell the story of his comrades in order to inspire the rest of Sparta, and then all of Greece. [5], At the Battle of Plataea, Aristodemus fought with such fury that the Spartans regarded him as having redeemed himself. Along with a comrade, Eurytus, Aristodemus was stricken with a disease of the eye (they were "ὀφθαλμιῶντες" as Herodotus wrote), causing King Leonidas to order the two to return home before the battle, but Eurytus turned back, though blind, and met his end charging into the fray. Aristodemus (Greek: Αριστόδημος) was a Spartan warrior, one of the many sent to the Battle of Thermopylae. Slaves were freed and were given citizenship, the citizenship was disarmed and de-politicized. Scholars assume that his death preceded the end of the 5th century, since he was not present during Socrates' final days in 399 despite being a devoted student. Aristodemus had a major influence on the political and social life of the city. As such, he faces no prejudice from his comrades on his return, and is later seen leading the Spartan army into battle at Plataea. At the Battle of Plataea, Aristodemus fought with such fury that the Spartans regarded him as having redeemed himself. At the Hot Gates before the battle is begun, a Persian herald is sent to convince the Greek allies to submit; the herald turns out to be Tommie, who calls out by name for each man of the envoy he had met at Rhodes (all four of whom are among the three hundred), before requesting to speak with Leonidas directly. [1] However, because Eurytus did turn back and died in combat, Aristodemus was regarded as a coward and subjected to humiliation and disgrace at the hands of his compatriots; in the words of Herodotus, "no man would give him a light for his fire or speak to him; he was called Aristodemus the Coward. However, because Eurytus did turn back and died in combat, Aristodemus was regarded as a coward and subjected to humiliation and disgrace at the hands of his compatriots; in the words of Herodotus, "no man would give him a light for his fire or speak to him; he was called Aristodemus the Coward."