Aristomenes

Family: Messenian · Role: hero · First appears: Book 4 · Chapter 6

In Book 4, Aristomenes took part in the second Messenian war and helped lead the rising at Andania. His parentage was disputed: most Greeks called him the son of Pyrrhus, while Messenians named Nicomedes at libations; his mother was Nicotelea. After an indecisive battle at Deræ, his bravery led the Messenians to elect him king and appoint him commander in chief. He dedicated a shield from Spartan spoils at the temple of Athene Chalciœcus, then routed the force of Anaxander and later recovered the shield at Lebadea through the shrine of Trophonius.

Aristomenes raided Laconian towns, captured maidens at Caryæ and released them for ransom with their honour safe, and was captured during an attack at Ægila before escaping that same night. After the disaster at the Great Trench, he led the fugitives to Eira, where they resisted a siege for eleven years. He led raids for provisions and captives, escaped from Ceadas after the Lacedæmonians threw him in, and attacked the Corinthians’ camp, killing their leaders, including Hypermenides, Achladæus, Lysistratus and Sidectus. Captured again by Cretan bowmen, he was freed by a maiden and killed the men guarding him.

When Eira fell, Aristomenes fought alongside Gorgus, his son, and other leaders, then arranged the retreat, appointing Gorgus and Manticlus to lead the women and children. He refused to lead the departing colonists, saying “as long as he lived he would fight against the Lacedæmonians,” and gave Gorgus and Manticlus as their leaders. He married his sister Agnagora to Tharyx and a third daughter to Damagetus, but died of an illness before carrying out his intention. Damagetus and the Rhodians honored his memory with a monument; later, Epaminondas persuaded Xenocrates to retrieve Aristomenes’ shield, which was displayed and then offered again at Trophonius’s shrine.