With Aristomenes of Messene, Daniel Ogden identifies
yet another fertile and undervalued topic in Ancient History. He has
previously studied illegitimacy in the ancient Greek world (Greek
Bastardy, OUP, 1996), Greek ideas about the relationship between deformity
and power (Crooked Kings of Ancient Greece, Duckworth, 1997), the
nature and causes of dynastic murder in the Hellenistic world (Polygamy,
Prostitutes and Death, Classical Press of Wales, 1999) and the techniques
of calling up the dead in the ancient world (Greek and Roman Necromancy,
Princeton UP, 2001). Among his other books is a volume edited for
the Classical Press of Wales, The Hellenistic World: New perspectives
(2002).
The legends of Aristomenes, hero of the Messenian resistance to
Sparta, were designed to excite, gratify and amuse. Yet they remain
almost unknown even to specialist ancient historians. This book,
the first monograph to be devoted to Aristomenes, redirects attention
to his adventures, which at times resemble those of King Arthur,
Robin Hood and even Sinbad the Sailor. The book goes beyond the
question of the historicity of Aristomenes, and examines the meaning
and symbolism of the stories in their own right. The study will
be welcomed by those with an interest in the history of Sparta,
in Pausanias (our principal source for the tales), and in Greek
traditional narrative. Famously, Sparta tried to suppress the identity
and self-confidence of its Messenian helots. Yet here are stories
which give access to the imagination of this long-muted but ultimately
liberated people.
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