Aristomachus
(Ἀριστόμαχος).
1. A son of Talaus and Lysimache, and brother of Adrastus. (Apollod. 1.9.13.) He was the father of Hippomedon, one of the seven heroes against Thebes. (Apollod. 3.6.3.) Hyginus (Hyg. Fab. 70) makes Hippomedon a son of a sister of Adrastus. (Comp. Paus. 10.10.2.)
2. A son of Cleodemus or Cleodaeus, and greatgrandson of Heracles, was the father of Temenus, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus. He marched into Peloponnesus at the time when Tisamenus, the son of Orestes, ruled over the Peninsula; but his expedition failed as he had misunderstood the oracle, and he fell in battle. (Apollod. 2.8.2; Paus. 2.7.6; Hdt. 6.52.) Another Aristomachus occurs in Paus. 6.21.7. [L.S]
(Ἀριστόμαχος).
1. Tyrant of Argos, in the reign and under the patronage of Antigonus Gonatas. He kept the citizens of Argos in a defenceless condition, but a conspiracy was formed against him, and arms were secretly introduced into the town by a contrivance of Aratus, who wished to gain Argos for the Achaean league. The plot was discovered, and the persons concerned in it took to flight. But Aristomachus was soon after assassinated by slaves, and was succeeded by Aristippus II. (Plut. Arat. 25.)
2. Succeeded Aristippus II. in the tyranny of Argos, apparently towards the end of the reign of Demetrius. (B. C. 240-230.) He seems to have been related to some of his predecessors in the tyranny of Argos. (Plb. 2.59.) After the death of Demetrius, B. C. 229, he resigned his power, as Lydiades had done before, and several others did now, for the influence of Macedonia in Peloponnesus had nearly ceased, and the Aetolians were allied with the Achaeans. Aristomachus had been persuaded to this step by Aratus, who gave him fifty talents that he might be able to pay off and dismiss his mercenaries. Argos now joined the Achaean league, and Aristomachus was chosen strategus of the Achaeans for the year B. C. 227. (Plut. Arat. 35; Plb. 2.44; Paus. 2.8.5 ; Plut. Cleom. 4.) In this capacity he undertook the command in the war against Cleomenes of Sparta, but he seems to have been checked by the jealousy of Aratus, in consequence of which he afterwards deserted the cause of the Achaeans and went over to Cleomenes, who with his assistance took possession of Argos. Aristomachus now again assumed the tyranny at Argos. Aratus tried in vain to recover that city for the Achaean league, and the consequence only was, that the tyrant ordered 80 distinguished Argives to be put to death, as they were suspected of being favourable towards the Achaeans. Not long afterwards, however, Argos was taken by Antigonus Doson, whose assistance Aratus had called in. Aristomachus fell into the hands of the Achaeans, who strangled him and threw him into the sea at Cenchreae. (Plb. 2.59, 60; Plut. Arat. 44; Schorn, Geschichte Griechenl. p. 118, note 1.)
3. The leader of the popular party at Croton, in the Hannibalian war, about B. C. 215. At that time nearly all the towns of southern Italy were divided into two parties, the people being in favour of the Carthaginians, and the nobles or senators in favour of the Romans. The Bruttians, who were in alliance with the Carthaginians, had hoped to gain possession of Croton with their assistance. As this had not been done, they determined to make the conquest by themselves. A deserter from Croton informed them of the state of political parties there, and that Aristomachus was ready to surrender the town to them. The Bruttians marched with an army against Croton, and as the lower parts, which were inhabited by the people, were open and easy of access, they soon gained possession of them. Aristomachus, however, as if he had nothing to do with the Bruttians, withdrew to the arx, where the nobles were assembled and defended themselves. The Bruttians in conjunction with the people of Croton besieged the nobles in the arx, and when they found that they made no impression, they applied to Hanno the Carthaginian for assistance. He proposed to the Crotoniats to receive the Bruttians as colonists within the extensive but deserted walls of their city; but all the Crotoniats, with the exception of Aristomachus, declared that they would rather die than submit to this. As Aristomachus, who had betrayed the town, was unable to betray the arx also, he saw no way but to take to flight, and he accordingly went over to Hanno. The Crotoniats soon after quitted their town altogether and migrated to Locri. (Liv. 24.2, 3.)
4. A Greek writer on agriculture or domestic economy, who is quoted several times by Pliny. (H. N. 13.47, 14.24, 19.26.4.) [L.S]
(Ἀριστόμαχος), a statuary, born on the banks of the Strymon, made statues of courtezans. His age is not known. (Anthol. Palat. 6.268.) [C.P.M]
(Ἀριστομάχος). The son of Cleodemus or Cleodacus, grandson of Hyllus, greatgrandson of Heracles, and father of Temenus, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus. He fell in battle when he invaded the Peloponnesus; but his sons were more successful, and conquered the Peloponnesus.
- Hdt. 6.52, Hdt. 7.204, Hdt. 8.131
- Apollod. 3.6.3
- slain in battle: Apollod. 2.8.2
- fails to return to Peloponnese: Paus. 2.7.6
- father of Aristodemus, Temenus, and Cresphontes: Paus. 2.18.7, Paus. 8.5.6
- his sons lead Dorians to Peloponnese: Paus. 5.3.5, Paus. 5.4.1, Paus. 10.38.10
- Apollod. 1.9.13
- Paus. 6.21.11
- persuaded by Aratus to restore democracy: Paus. 2.8.6