# Lycurgus — Discourses on Livy character guide

> Lycurgus in Discourses on Livy by Niccolò Machiavelli.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0004-i

## Who they are

Spartan lawgiver whose constitution is praised by Machiavelli.

## In the story

### [Of the various kinds of government; and to which of them the Roman commonwealth belonged.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/ii)

Praised as the wise legislator who gave Sparta a mixed constitution of kings, nobles, and commons, lasting over 800 years.

### [Chapter VI: Whether it was possible in Rome to contrive such a government as would have composed the differences between the commons and the senate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/vi)

His laws established equality of property and a stable government in Sparta, preventing disturbances.

### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/ix)

Spartan lawgiver whose laws Agis and Cleomenes sought to restore; cited as an example of a founder with full power.

### [Of the religion of the Romans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/xi)

Cited as a wise lawgiver who used divine authority to introduce new institutions.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/iii)

Founder of Sparta who restricted citizenship and trade to preserve his laws

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/characters/lycurgus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/characters