Extract

Lycurgus (2), traditional founder of Classical *Sparta's *eunomia (‘good order’). Ancient accounts of his work evolved according to political circumstance. The earliest, in *Herodotus (1) (1. 65–6), reflects official Spartan views: guardian of the early *Agiad king, Leobotes, he was responsible for all Sparta's laws, and military and political institutions, which he brought from *Crete. Most later writers attached him to the *Eurypontid king Charillos, perhaps reflecting that royal house's subsequent prominence. A 5th-cent. bce, non-Spartan version that his measures came from Apollo at *Delphi was later incorporated by making Apollo sanction laws he brought from Crete. The view that the ephorate (see ephors) was post-Lycurgan, probably originated by King *Pausanias (2) in exile post-395, was invoked by *Cleomenes (2) III when abolishing the office in 227 bce. Later accounts became increasingly wide-ranging and detailed as Lycurgus' achievements were expanded to embrace 4th-cent. and Hellenistic philosophical and political programmes. *Plutarch's ‘biography’ reflects the culmination of this trend.