Epitadeus was an early 4th-century BC Spartan ephor, who strengthened conservative class distinctions by allowing gifts of land to independent citizens ( Spartiates). This 4th century rhetra allowed the Spartiatai to dispose of their private land at will rather than by conventional hereditary descent. [1] This information is derived from a passage Plutarch's Life of Agis, who describes Epitadeus as headstrong and violent, and changing the rule as the result of a quarrel with his son. Epitadeus is mentioned by no other ancient sources, and may well be a fictional character employed to explain the decline in the alleged equality of Sparta. [2] [3] [4] [5]
References
- ^ Hazel, John. Who's Who in the Greek World, p. 96 (2000)
- ^ Roisman, Joseph & J.C. Yardley. Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander: The Evidence, p. 420-21 (2011)
- ^ Michell, Humfrey Sparta, p. 215-18 (1964)
- ^ Isager, Signe Isager & Jens Erik Skydsgaard Ancient Greek Agriculture: An Introduction, p. 133 (1992)
- ^ Schütrumpf, Eckart. The Rhetra of Epitadeus: A Platonist’s Fiction, Greek, Roman and. Byzantine Studies 28, 441-457 (1987) (“the account in Agis 5 is a mere fiction in a Platonic spirit and is therefore historically useless”.)
 | This Ancient Greek biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Epitadeus was an early 4th-century BC Spartan ephor, who strengthened conservative class distinctions by allowing gifts of land to independent citizens ( Spartiates). This 4th century rhetra allowed the Spartiatai to dispose of their private land at will rather than by conventional hereditary descent. [1] This information is derived from a passage Plutarch's Life of Agis, who describes Epitadeus as headstrong and violent, and changing the rule as the result of a quarrel with his son. Epitadeus is mentioned by no other ancient sources, and may well be a fictional character employed to explain the decline in the alleged equality of Sparta. [2] [3] [4] [5]
References
- ^ Hazel, John. Who's Who in the Greek World, p. 96 (2000)
- ^ Roisman, Joseph & J.C. Yardley. Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander: The Evidence, p. 420-21 (2011)
- ^ Michell, Humfrey Sparta, p. 215-18 (1964)
- ^ Isager, Signe Isager & Jens Erik Skydsgaard Ancient Greek Agriculture: An Introduction, p. 133 (1992)
- ^ Schütrumpf, Eckart. The Rhetra of Epitadeus: A Platonist’s Fiction, Greek, Roman and. Byzantine Studies 28, 441-457 (1987) (“the account in Agis 5 is a mere fiction in a Platonic spirit and is therefore historically useless”.)
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| This Ancient Greek biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |