Conspiracy of Cinadon - Discovery of The Plot

Discovery of The Plot

During a sacrifice presided over by king Agesilaus II, the omens proved to be very bad. Xenophon bluntly indicates that the soothsayer assisting the king foresaw "a most terrible conspiracy". Several days later a man denounced the conspiracy of Cinadon to the ephors: he said that Cinadon had brought him to the agora and ordered him to count the Spartans in the crowd, which consisted of nearly 4000. It turned out that only 40 of them were Peers: a king, ephors, Gerousia, and citizens. Cinadon then pointed out that the 40 Spartans were the enemy, and the 4000 others were allies. The informer added that Cinadon had gathered around himself a number of hypomeiones who hated the Spartans:

" for whenever among these classes any mention was made of Spartiatae, no one was able to conceal the fact that he would be glad to eat them raw."(Hellenica, III, 3, 6).

The informer finished by pointing out that some conspirators were armed and the rest had access to implements such as hatchets and sickles.(Hellenica, III, 3, 7)

Panicked, the ephors did not immediately arrest Cinadon. By means of an elaborate ruse they sent him to the Elean frontier, at Aulon in Messenia. His escort was composed of young Hippeis, carefully selected by their commander. An additional detachment of cavalry was available as reinforcements. Cinadon is interrogated in the field; where he revealed the names of the principal co-conspirators who were then arrested. On his return to Sparta, he was further questioned until all his accomplices were named. Cinadon and the conspirators were then bound, flogged and dragged through the city until they were dead.