Ariston
Family: Hellespontian · Role: despot of Byzantion · First appears: Book 4 · §135–142
Ariston, despot of Byzantion, is named among the Ionian leaders who at Ister chose Histiaios’s proposal and resolved to break part of the bridge as a deceptive show of compliance. Later, at Sparta, he dismissed his second wife and married a third; she bore Demaratos before ten months had passed. “as time went on Ariston died, and Demaratos obtained the kingdom”
After a Delphic oracle declared Demaratos was not Ariston’s son, Demaratos’s mother told him that on the night he was conceived she had seen an apparition appearing as Ariston. She left his paternity uncertain: “for either thou art begotten of this hero and the hero Astrabacos is thy father, or Ariston is thy father”
Relationship record
Life events
- The Ionian leaders adopt Histiaios's opinion instead of Miltiades's.(Book 4 · §135–142)
- With: Histiaios Daphnis Hippoclos Herophantos Metrodoros Aristagoras of Kyzicos Strattis Aiakes Laodamas Aristagoras of Kyme
- “forthwith all turned to this opinion, whereas at the first they were adopting that of Miltiades.”
- The Ionians resolve to break part of the bridge as a deceptive show of compliance.(Book 4 · §135–142 · 📍 Ister)
- With: Histiaios Daphnis Hippoclos Herophantos Metrodoros Aristagoras of Kyzicos Strattis Aiakes Laodamas Aristagoras of Kyme
- “they resolved to add to it deeds and words as follows, namely to break up that part of the bridge which was on the side towards the Scythians, to break it up, I say, for a distance equal to the range of an arrow,”
- Ariston married a third wife after dismissing his second wife.(Book 6 · §58–65 · 📍 Sparta)
- “Thus had Ariston brought into his house the third wife, having dismissed the second”
- Ariston’s third wife bore him a son, later named Demaratos.(Book 6 · §58–65)
- “this wife, not having fulfilled the ten months but in a shorter period of time, bore him that Demaratos”
- Ariston died, and Demaratos obtained the kingdom.(Book 6 · §58–65 · 📍 Sparta)
- With: Demaratos
- “as time went on Ariston died, and Demaratos obtained the kingdom”
- A bribed oracle declared that Demaratos was not Ariston’s son.(Book 6 · §66–74 · 📍 Delphi)
- Demaratos’s mother told him he was conceived after an apparition appeared as Ariston, leaving his paternity uncertain between Ariston and Astrabacos.(Book 6 · §66–74 · 📍 Sparta)
- With: Demaratos Astrabacos
- “Thus, my son, thou hast all, as much as thou desirest to learn; for either thou art begotten of this hero and the hero Astrabacos is thy father, or Ariston is thy father, for on that night I conceived thee:”
Book 4 · §135–142
- patron: Dareios “and Ariston of Byzantion”
Book 5 · §70–77
- child: Demaratos “Demaratos the son of Ariston did the same”
Book 6 · §50–57
- child: Demaratos “Demaratos the son of Ariston”
Book 6 · §58–65
- child: Demaratos “and the child grew up and Ariston repented of that which he had said, for he thought Demaratos was certainly his own son”
- friends with Agetos “he had a friend, a man of the Spartans, to whom of all the citizens Ariston was most inclined; and it chanced that this man had a wife who was of all the women in Sparta the fairest by far”
Book 6 · §66–74
- with Demaratos (Ariston is presented as one possible father; the passage does not establish the claim as certain.) “Thus, my son, thou hast all, as much as thou desirest to learn; for either thou art begotten of this hero and the hero Astrabacos is thy father, or Ariston is thy father”
- child: Demaratos (The text presents Ariston's paternity as one of two possibilities.) “for either thou art begotten of this hero and the hero Astrabacos is thy father, or Ariston is thy father”
Book 7 · §1–7
- with Demaratos (Ariston is Demaratos's father.) “Demaratos also, the son of Ariston”
- child: Demaratos “Demaratos also, the son of Ariston”
Book 7 · §100–106
- child: Demaratos “he sent for Demaratos the son of Ariston, who was marching with him against Hellas;”
Book 7 · §207–214
- child: Demaratos “Demaratos the son of Ariston”
Book 7 · §235–239
- child: Demaratos “for Demaratos the son of Ariston after he had fled for refuge to the Medes was not friendly to the Lacedemonians, as I am of opinion and as likelihood suggests supporting my opinion;”
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Extracted from the original text of The Histories. Made with Rho MD.