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Cleomenes

Spartan king whose schemes against Athens and Aegina make him a cautionary tale about royal ambition unchecked by law or sanity.

supporting

Also known as Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides, Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian

First appearance: book v terpsichore

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Cleomenes rules Sparta alongside a rival king and meddles relentlessly in the affairs of Athens and Aegina, often against the wishes of his own citizens. His erratic behavior and willingness to bribe oracles and…

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See Cleomenes in book v terpsichore

Character Web

49 connections

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CYCyrusCACambysesMAMaiandriosXEXerxesCRCroesusCLCleomenes

Relationship types

  • Other

Character groups

  • Kings and commanders of the Greco-Persian Wars
  • Protagonist
  • Samian tyrants and their fates

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupEscalationBreaking pointClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Closing

This passage marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of the Hellene…

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In the story

Cleomenes appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See Cleomenes in book v terpsichore