Anaxander

Family: Lacedæmonian · Role: king · First appears: Book 3 · Chapter 3

In Book 3, Anaxander was king of the Lacedæmonians when the Messenians revolted, were defeated, and evacuated the Peloponnese. He had a son, Eurycrates, and was married to Leandris. During the fighting in Messenia, he invaded and captured women, including Cleo, a priestess of Thetis.

In Book 4, Anaxander and the bravest Lacedæmonians faced Aristomenes in battle, but Aristomenes routed Anaxander’s division and defeated the Lacedæmonian force. At Pharæ, Anaxander’s hoplites attacked Aristomenes as he returned from a raid; Aristomenes routed them and pursued Anaxander. Aristocrates later sent Anaxander a letter revealing Aristomenes’ plan. In Book 6, Anaxander was proclaimed the first victor in the chariot-race at Olympia.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Messenians revolted, were defeated, and evacuated the Peloponnese under wartime conditions.(Book 3 · Chapter 3 · 📍 Peloponnese)
  • “the Messenians revolted from the Lacedæmonians, and fought against them for some time, but were eventually conquered, and evacuated the Peloponnese upon conditions of war.”
• Anaxander invaded Messenia and captured Cleo among other women.(Book 3 · Chapter 14 · 📍 Messenia)
  • With: Cleo
  • “their king Anaxander invaded Messenia and took captive some women, and among them Cleo the priestess of Thetis”
• Aristomenes routed Anaxander’s division and defeated the entire Lacedæmonian force.(Book 4 · Chapter 16)
  • With: Aristomenes
  • “They and Aristomenes had the brunt of the battle, being posted opposite to Anaxander and the bravest of the Lacedæmonians. And receiving wounds fearlessly, and rushing on with the greatest recklessness, in time they routed by their boldness Anaxander’s division. As these fled Aristomenes commanded another Messenian regiment to pursue them: and himself rushed into the thick of the fight, and routed the men there, and then again turned to some other part of the field. And having driven these also from their positions he hurried on, charging those that were left, until he had thoroughly beaten all the Lacedæmonian force, allies and all.”
• Aristomenes raided Pharæ, seized booty, and routed Anaxander’s attacking hoplites.(Book 4 · Chapter 16 · 📍 Pharæ)
  • With: Aristomenes
  • “And now Aristomenes on his return from Bœotia, having recovered his shield at the shrine of Trophonius, immediately went in for further action. And, having gathered together a levy of Messenians besides his own bodyguard of picked men, he marched at nightfall to a city of Laconia, whose old name was Pharis as in Homer’s catalogue, but it was called Pharæ by the Spartans and other neighbouring people. Marching there he cut to pieces those who attempted to defend themselves, and after carrying off much booty returned to Messene. And the Lacedæmonian hoplites under Anaxander their king attacking him on the road, he routed them also, and was fain to pursue Anaxander.”
• Aristocrates betrays Aristomenes’ plan by sending it in a letter to Anaxander.(Book 4 · Chapter 22 · 📍 Sparta)
  • With: Aristocrates
  • “For Aristocrates had at once disclosed by letter the design of Aristomenes, and given the letter to his most trusty slave, and sent it to Anaxander at Sparta.”
• Anaxander became the first proclaimed victor in the chariot-race.(Book 6 · Chapter 1 · 📍 Olympia)
  • “Anaxander was the first victor proclaimed in the chariot-race.”

Book 3 · Chapter 3

• child: Eurycrates (son of Anaxander) (Anaxander is the father of the second Eurycrates.) “And Anaxander had a son Eurycrates”

Book 3 · Chapter 14

• married with Leandris “Anaxander’s wife Leandris”
• with Cleo (Anaxander captured Cleo.) “their king Anaxander invaded Messenia and took captive some women, and among them Cleo the priestess of Thetis”

Book 4 · Chapter 15

• parent: Eurycrates (son of Polydorus) “the kings then at Sparta were Anaxander the son of Eurycrates the son of Polydorus”

Book 4 · Chapter 16

• enemies with Aristomenes “They and Aristomenes had the brunt of the battle, being posted opposite to Anaxander and the bravest of the Lacedæmonians.”
• rivals with Aristomenes “They and Aristomenes had the brunt of the battle, being posted opposite to Anaxander and the bravest of the Lacedæmonians.”

Book 4 · Chapter 22

• with Aristocrates (Aristocrates sent Anaxander a letter containing Aristomenes' plan.) “For Aristocrates had at once disclosed by letter the design of Aristomenes, and given the letter to his most trusty slave, and sent it to Anaxander at Sparta.”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.