Tisamenus
- a son of Orestes, and king of Argos, Ov. Ib. 346; Hyg. Fab. 124.
(Τισαμενός).
1. A son of Orestes and Hermione, was king of Argos, but was deprived of his kingdom when the Heracleidae invaded Peloponnesus. (Apollod. 2.8.2; Paus. 2.18.5, 38.1, 7.6.2.) He was slain in a battle against the Heracleidae (Apollod. 2.8.3), and his tomb was afterwards shown at Helice, whence at one time his remains were removed to Sparta by command of an oracle. (Paus. 7.1.3.)
2. A son of Thersander and Demonassa, was king of Thebes, and the father of Autesion. ( Paus. 3.15.4, 9.5.8; Hdt. 4.147.) [L.S]
(Τισαμενός).
1. An Elean soothsayer, of the family of the Clytiadae, who seem to have been a branch of the Iamidae, if the received reading in Herodotus (9.33) is sound, (Comp. Philostr. Vit. Apoll. 5.25; Cic. de Dir, 1.41.) According to the story told by Herodotus, Tisamenus had been assured by the Delphic oracle that he should be successful in five great conflicts. Supposing this to be a promise of distinction as an athlete, he devoted himself to gymnastic exercises, and on one occasion was very near winning the prize for the pentathlum at Olympia. The Spartans, however, understanding the oracle to refer, not to gymnastic, but to military victories, made great offers to Tisamenus to induce him to take with their kings the joint-command of their armies. This he refused to do on any terms short of receiving the full franchise of their city, whereupon the Spartans at first indignantly broke off the negotiation, but afterwards professed their readiness to yield the point. Tisamenus then rising in his demands, stipulated for the same privilege on behalf of his brother Hegias, and this also was granted him. He was present with the Spartans at the battle of Plataea, in B. C. 379, which, according to Herodotus, was the first of the five conflicts referred to by the oracle. The second was with the Argives and Tegeans at Tegea; the third, with all the Arcadians except the Mantineans, at Dipaea, in the Maenalian territory (both between B. C. 479 and 465); the fourth was the third Messenian War (B. C. 465-455); and the last was the battle of Tanagra, with the Athenians and their allies, in B. C. 457. (Hdt. 9.33-36 ; Müller, Dor. bk. i. ch. 9. §§ 9-11.)
2. A descendant apparently of the above, who took part in the plot of Cinadon, and was put to death for it, in B. C. 397. (Xen. Hell. 3.3.11.) [E.E]
(Τισαμενός). (1) A son of Orestes and Hermioné. He was king of Argos, but was deprived of his kingdom when the Heraclidae invaded the Peloponnesus. He was slain in a battle against them, and his tomb was afterwards shown at Helicé, from which place his remains were subsequently removed to Sparta by command of an oracle (Paus. ii.18.5; vii. 1, 3; Apollod. ii.8.2).
(2) An Elean soothsayer, of the family of the Clytiadae. He was assured by the Delphic Oracle that he would be successful in five great conflicts. Supposing this to be a promise of distinction as an athlete, he devoted himself to gymnastic exercises; but the Spartans, understanding the oracle to refer, not to gymnastic, but to military victories, made great offers to Tisamenus to induce him to take with their kings the joint command of their armies. This he refused to do on any terms short of receiving the full franchise of their city, which the Spartans eventually granted. He was present with the Spartans at the battle of Plataea, B.C. 379, which was the first of the five conflicts referred to by the oracle. The second was with the Argives and Tegeans at Tegea; the third, with the Arcadians at Dipaea; the fourth was the Third Messenian War (465-455); and the last was the battle of Tanagra, with the Athenians and their allies, in 457 (Herod.ix. 33-36).
- grandson of Polynices: Hdt. 4.147, Hdt. 6.52
- serves the Spartans as soothsayer in five victorious battles: Paus. 3.11.6-8, Hdt. 9.33-35
- soothsayer to Greeks at Plataea: Paus. 6.14.13
- father of Agelochus: Paus. 3.11.5
- king of Argos and Lacedaemon: Paus. 2.18.6, Paus. 3.1.5, Paus. 7.1.7
- son of Orestes, king of the Peloponnesians: Apollod. 2.8.2, Apollod. 2.8.2, Apollod. 2.7.8
- in his reign Heraclids return to Peloponnese: Paus. 2.18.7, Paus. 3.1.5
- Tisamenus and Achaeans at war with Temenus and Dorians: Paus. 2.38.1
- being expelled by Heraclids settles in Achaia: Paus. 2.18.8
- slain in battle with Ionians: Paus. 7.1.8
- slain in battle by the Heraclids: Apollod. 2.8.3
- his bones brought from Helice to Sparta: Paus. 7.1.8
- his sons: Paus. 7.6.2
- his cousins: Paus. 3.1.6
- king of Thebes: Paus. 3.15.6, Paus. 9.5.15