Battos

Family: Kyrenian · Role: possible father of Ladike · First appears: Book 2 · §175–182

Life events

• Phronime bore Polymnestos a son, later known as Battos.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Thera)
  • With: Polymnestos Phronime
  • “and in course of time there was born to him from her a son with an impediment in his voice and lisping, to whom, as both Theraians and Kyrenians say, was given the name Battos”
• Battos consulted the oracle about his voice and was told to settle in Libya.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Delphi)
  • “For when he had grown to be a man, he came to Delphi to inquire about his voice; and when he asked, the prophetess thus answered him:”
• Battos returned to Thera without accepting the oracle’s instruction to settle Libya.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Thera)
  • “Thus saying he did not at all persuade her to give him any other reply; and as she was prophesying to him again the same things as before, Battos departed while she was yet speaking, and went away to Thera.”
• The oracle told the Theraians that joining Battos in founding Kyrene would end their troubles.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Delphi)
  • “and the Pythian prophetess gave them reply that if they joined with Battos in founding Kyrene in Libya, they would fare the better.”
• Battos led the Theraians’ expedition to Libya, but they returned to Thera and were refused landing.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Platea)
  • “and then came away back to Thera, for they did not know what else to do: and the Theraians pelted them with missiles when they endeavoured to land, and would not allow them to put to shore, but bade them sail back again.”
• Battos and his companions established a settlement on Platea.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Platea)
  • “They accordingly being compelled sailed away back, and they made a settlement in an island lying near the coast of Libya, called, as was said before, Platea.”
• The oracle rebuked Battos’s companions for settling on an island rather than in Libya itself.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Delphi)
  • “and the Pythian prophetess made answer to them thus:”
• Battos and his companions moved their settlement from Platea to Aziris in Libya.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Aziris)
  • “and having arrived at the island and taken up him whom they had left, they made a settlement in Libya itself at a spot opposite the island, called Aziris”
• Battos and his companions dwelt at Aziris for six years.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Aziris)
  • “In this spot they dwelt for six years”
• The Libyans led Battos and his companions away from Aziris toward Irasa.(Book 4 · §151–158 · 📍 Irasa)
  • “So the Libyans led them from that place making them start towards evening; and in order that the Hellenes might not see the fairest of all the regions as they passed through it, they led them past it by night, having calculated the time of daylight; and this region is called Irasa.”
• Arkesilaos’s brothers left him and founded Barca in Libya, inducing the Libyans to revolt from Kyrene.(Book 4 · §159–166 · 📍 Libya)
  • With: Arkesilaos son of Battos
  • “until they finally departed to another region of Libya, and making the venture for themselves founded that city which was then and is now called Barca; and at the same time as they founded this, they induced the Libyans to revolt from the Kyrenians.”
• Pheretime spared Battos’s innocent household and entrusted them with the city.(Book 4 · §200–205 · 📍 Barca)
  • With: Pheretime
  • “except so many of them as were of the house of Battos and not sharers in the guilt of the murder; and to these Pheretime gave the city in charge.”

Book 2 · §175–182

• child: Ladike “however that may be, he married, some say the daughter of Battos, others of Arkesilaos, and others of Critobulos, a man of repute among the citizens; and her name was Ladike.”

Book 4 · §143–150

• parent: Polymnestos “Battos the son of Polymnestos, who was by descent of the family of Euphemos of the race of the Minyai”
• with Euphemos (interaction) “Battos the son of Polymnestos, who was by descent of the family of Euphemos of the race of the Minyai”

Book 4 · §151–158

• parent: Polymnestos “and in course of time there was born to him from her a son with an impediment in his voice and lisping, to whom, as both Theraians and Kyrenians say, was given the name Battos,”
• parent: Phronime “and in course of time there was born to him from her a son with an impediment in his voice and lisping, to whom, as both Theraians and Kyrenians say, was given the name Battos,”

Book 4 · §159–166

• child: Arkesilaos “Now during the lifetime of the first settler Battos, who reigned forty years, and of his son Arkesilaos, who reigned sixteen years”

Book 4 · §200–205

• married with Pheretime “Such and so great was the punishment inflicted by Pheretime the wife of Battos on the men of Barca.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Histories. Made with Rho MD.