Cleonymus of Sparta

Who is Cleonymus of Sparta?

Cleonymus was a member of the Spartan royal family of the Agiads. He was the second son of Cleomenes II and a pretender to the Spartan throne. He did not succeed his father, allegedly because he was violent and tyrannic. His nephew Areus I became new king instead. Hence, he nursed a grudge against his fellow Spartans.

To help Taranto against the Lucani, Cleonymus went as mercenary leader to southern Italy with the backing of the Spartan administration. There are two different accounts of his Italian expedition; one were written by Diodorus Siculus and one by Livy. But the relations between the two sources are unclarified. The historian Thomas Lenschau supposes that they describe two different campaigns of Cleonymus: that one described by Diodorus Siculus would have taken place in 303 BC and that one described by Livy in 302 BC.

According to Diodorus Siculus Cleonymus raised such a large army that the Lucani immediately concluded peace. Then the Spartan prince took the city of Metaponto and sailed to Corcyra which island he also quickly captured.