Theopompus, a king of Sparta, of the family of the Proclidæ, who succeeded his father Nicander, and distinguished himself by the many new regulations which he introduced. He created the Ephori, and died, after a long and peaceful reign, B.C. 723. While he sat on the throne, the Spartans made war against Messenia. Plutarch, Lycurgus.—Pausanias, bk. 3, ch. 7.——A famous Greek historian of Chios, disciple of Isocrates, who flourished B.C. 354. All his compositions are lost, except a few fragments quoted by ancient writers. He is compared to Thucydides and Herodotus as an historian, yet he is severely censured for his satirical remarks and illiberal reflections. He obtained a prize in which his master was a competitor, and he was liberally rewarded for composing the best funeral oration in honour of Mausolus. His father’s name was Damasistratus. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 1.—Plutarch, Lysis.—Cornelius Nepos, bk. 7.—Pausanias, bk. 6, ch. 18.—Quintilian, bk. 10, ch. 1.——An Athenian, who attempted to deliver his countrymen from the tyranny of Demetrius. Polyænus, bk. 5.——A comic poet in the age of Menander. He wrote 24 plays, all lost.——A son of Demaratus, who obtained several crowns at the Olympic games. Pausanias, bk. 6, ch. 10.——An orator and historian of Cnidus, very intimate with Julius Cæsar. Strabo, bk. 14.——A Spartan general, killed at the battle of Tegyra.——A philosopher of Cheronæa, in the reign of the emperor Philip.
Theophylactus Simocatta, a Byzantine historian, whose works were edited folio, Paris, 1647.——One of the Greek fathers who flourished A.D. 1070. His works were edited at Venice, 4 vols., 1754 to 1763.
Theorius, a surname of Apollo at Trœzene, where he had a very ancient temple. It signifies clear-sighted.
Theotīmus, a wrestler of Elis, in the age of Alexander. Pausanias, bk. 6, ch. 17.——A Greek who wrote a history of Italy.
Theoxĕna, a noble lady of Thessaly, who threw herself into the sea, when unable to escape from the soldiers of king Philip, who pursued her. Livy, bk. 40, ch. 4.
Theoxenia, a festival celebrated in honour of all the gods in every city of Greece, but especially at Athens. Games were then observed, and the conqueror who obtained the prize received a large sum of money, or, according to others, a vest beautifully ornamented. The Dioscuri established a festival of the same name, in honour of the gods who had visited them at one of their entertainments.
Theoxenius, a surname of Apollo.
Thera, a daughter of Amphion and Niobe. Hyginus, fable 69.——One of the Sporades in the Ægean sea, anciently called Callista, now Santorin. It was first inhabited by the Phœnicians, who were left there under Membliares by Cadmus, when he went in quest of his sister Europa. It was called Thera by Theras the son of Autesion, who settled there with a colony from Lacedæmon. Pausanias, bk. 3, ch. 1.—Herodotus, bk. 4.—Strabo, bk. 8.——A town of Caria.
Therambus, a town near Pallene. Herodotus, bk. 7, ch. 123.
Theramĕnes, an Athenian philosopher and general in the age of Alcibiades. His father’s name was Agnon. He was one of the 30 tyrants of Athens, but he had no share in the cruelties and oppression which disgraced their administration. He was accused by Critias, one of his colleagues, because he opposed their views, and he was condemned to drink hemlock, though defended by his own innocence, and the friendly intercession of the philosopher Socrates. He drank the poison with great composure, and poured some of it on the ground, with the sarcastical exclamation of, “This is to the health of Critias.” This happened about 404 years before the christian era. Theramenes, on account of the fickleness of his disposition, has been called Cothurnus, a part of the dress used both by men and women. Cicero, On Oratory, bk. 3, ch. 16.—Plutarch, Alcibiades, &c.—Cornelius Nepos.