Dorieus (Rhodian athlete and naval commander)
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Dorieus (Gr. Δωριεύς) of Ialysos in Rhodes commanded small naval contingents supporting the Spartan fleet during the last decade of the Peloponnesian War and is attributed with a Rhodian revolt from Athens and a synoecism. He was also a renowned Olympic athlete.
Family
Dorieus was the grandson of Damagetos, king of Ialysos. His father,
Athletic victories
Dorieus was even more successful in athletics than these celebrated members of his family. He won the pankration at Olympia in three successive games as well as victories at eight
Activity in the Peloponnesian War
Although Dorieus’ family usually dominated political affairs in Rhodes, their fortunes were not always secure. Dorieus seems to have been exiled and settled at Thurii in Italy some time before 424 BC.[6] In 412 BC he led a contingent of ten ships from Thurii to support the Spartans in the Ionian War.[7] In 411 BC he was probably active in the defection of Rhodes from Athens, as it was at this time that he was condemned to death by the Athenians in absentia.[8] But it was not a matter of being anti-Athenian or pro-Spartan and his actions were always consistent with Rhodian interests. For example, he advocated for Rhodian troops against the Spartan general Astyochus.[9]
In 407 BC he was captured by the Athenians.[13] Despite the death sentence already on his head, he was released as a mark of respect for his esteemed record in panhellenic games.[14]
Death
In 397-396 Rhodian democrats revolted from Sparta, dislodged the Diagoreans from power, expelled the Spartans and admitted the Athenian general, Konon.[15]
Only Androtion records Doreius’ death. He claimed that he had been active in the Peloponnese just after the revolt from Sparta and was executed by the Spartans in 395 BC, despite his high standing. But Pausanias questions the veracity of Androtion’s statement.[16]
References
- ^ I. A. F. Bruce, An Historical Commentary on the Hellenica Oxyrhynchia Cambridge, 1967, pp. 74, 98.
- ^ Olympian Ode vii.
- ^ Pasuanias, 5.6.7-8.
- ^ D. H. Kelly, Xenophon’s Hellenika: a Commentary (ed. J. McDonald), Amsterdam, 2019, p. 68.
- ^ Aristotle, Rhetoric, 1357a. See P. Harding, Androtion and the Atthis, Oxford, 1994, p. 166.
- ^ Pausanias, 6.7.4. See I. A. F. Bruce, An Historical Commentary on the Hellenica Oxyrhynchia Cambridge, 1967, pp. 98-9.
- ^ Thucydides, 8.35.1, 84.2.
- ^ Xenophon, Hellenika, 1.5.19. See D. H. Kelly, Xenophon’s Hellenika: a Commentary (ed. J. McDonald), Amsterdam, 2019, p. 169.
- ^ Thucydides, 8.84.2.
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, 13.38.5, 45.1. Cf. S. Hornblower, Mausolus, Oxford, 1982, p. 104.
- ^ D. H. Kelly, Xenophon’s Hellenika: a Commentary (ed. J. McDonald), Amsterdam, 2019, p. 68.
- ^ Xenophon, Hellenika, 1.1.2; Diodorus Siculus, 13.45.1-6
- ^ Pausanias, 6.7.5-6.
- ^ Xenophon, Hellenika, 1.5.19. D. H. Kelly, Xenophon’s Hellenika: a Commentary (ed. J. McDonald), Amsterdam, 2019, pp. 68-9, 169.
- ^ Pausanias, 6.7.6; Diodorus Siculus, 14.79.6.
- ^ Pausanias, 6.7.6-7