Leon of Sparta

Leon
King of Sparta

Family tree of Leon
Spouse(s) Unknown

Issue

Father Eurycratides
Mother Unknown
Born Sparta

Leon (Greek: Λέων) was a King of Sparta from 590 to 560 BC.

Name

Leon means "lion".[1][2] Grandson of Leon had a similar name – Leonidas.

Biography

Leon is mentioned in the seventh book of The Histories by Herodotus.[3]

He is said to have, like his father, fought to a draw with the Tegeans.

Family

Leon was the son of King Eurycratides[4] and his Queen and grandson of Anaxander.[5]

He was succeeded on the throne by his son Anaxandridas II, who managed to defeat Tegea.[6]

Family tree

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leon of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
King Anaxandridas II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wife of Leon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
King Cleomenes I of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daughter of Prinetades
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gorgo, Queen of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wife of Cleomenes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pleistarchus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wife of Eurycratides
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leon of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eurycratides of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
King Anaxandridas II of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wife of Leon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leonidas I, King of Sparta
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Niece of Anaxandridas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Notes

  1. Liddell, Henry George Scott, Robert (1980). A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. p. 411. ISBN 0-19-910207-4.
  2. Simpson, John; Weiner, Edmund, ed. (1989). "Lion". Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-861186-2.
  3. Herodotus 7.204, "(Leonides) Anaxandrides’ son, Leon’s son, Eurycratides’ son, Anaxandrus’ son, Eurycrates’ son."
  4. Totius latinitatis lexicon: C-E (1861) by Egidio Forcellini, Vincenzo de Vit and Giuseppe Furlanetto
  5. Ancient History: A Revised Chronology, Volume 1 by Anthony Lyle
  6. Anaxandridas II
Preceded by
Eurycratides
Agiad King of Sparta
590560 BC
Succeeded by
Anaxandridas II