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Demaratus (Greek language: Δημάρατος, Demaratos; Doric Greek: Δαμάρατος, Damaratos) was a king of Sparta from around 515 BC to 491 BC. He was the 15th ruler of the Eurypontid dynasty and the firstborn son of King Ariston. During his reign, Demaratus is best known for his opposition to his co-ruler, Cleomenes I of the Agiad dynasty. This rivalry ultimately led to his dethronement around 491 BC, following Cleomenes's accusations of illegitimacy and political maneuvering.
After his removal from power, Demaratus sought refuge in the Achaemenid Empire, where he was welcomed by King Darius I. He was granted land and cities in Anatolia, integrating him into Persian society while retaining his influence. Demaratus served as an advisor to Xerxes I during the Second Persian invasion of Greece, providing strategic insights about Greek military tactics.
Upon King Ariston's death, Demaratus ascended to the throne around 515 BCE. His rise to kingship made him the 15th ruler of the Eurypontid line. His succession appears fairly straightforward, as Ariston eventually claimed Demaratus as his own son.
In retaliation, Cleomenes urged Leotychidas, a relative and personal enemy of Demaratus, to claim the throne on the grounds that the latter was really the son not of Ariston but of Agetus, his mother's first husband. Leotychidas's anger towards Demaratus was due to a dispute over the marriage of Perkalos, the daughter of Chilon, son of Demarmenos. Initially, Leotychidas was arranged to marry Perkalon, but Demaratus seized her as his own. Cleomenes bribed the Delphic oracle to pronounce in favor of Leotychidas, who became king in 491 BC.
After the deposition of Demaratus, Cleomenes visited the island of Aegina for a second time. Accompanied by his new colleague, Leotychidas, he seized ten of the leading citizens and deposited them at Athens as hostages.
Demaratus accompanied Xerxes I on his invasion of Greece in 480 BC and is alleged to have warned Xerxes not to underestimate the Spartans before the Battle of Thermopylae:
Xerxes also asked Demaratus about his knowledge of the Greeks and if they would put up a fight against the Persian army. In response, Demaratus spoke favorably about the Greeks even after he had been deposed and exiled from Sparta:Herodotus. The Landmark Herodotus: the Histories. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007., 6.64, 452
Demaratus's family continued to flourish in Asia as subjects of the Persians, and several of his descendants have been identified. One of them was likely Demaratus, the son of Gorgion, who was restored to Sparta in the early 3rd century BCCartledge, Hellenistic and Roman Sparta, pp. 27, 28. and was, in turn, the putative great-grandfather of Nabis, the last king of Sparta (ruled 207–192).Cartledge, Hellenistic and Roman Sparta, pp. 61, 62.
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