Aeimnestus

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Aeimnestus (Gr. Αείμνηστος) was a Spartan Soldier, famous because he killed the leader of a Persian army, Mardonius, at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC, as told in book 9 of the Histories of Herodotus. In the Messenian Wars he fought in a battle with three hundred men against the whole forces of Messenia, both Aeimnestus and his company were killed to the last man.[1][2]

The Spartan who killed Mar­donius, Plutarch calls "Arimnestus" (Αρίμνηστος).[3]

In the modern Greek language, the word aeimnestus has the meaning of "unforgettable".

[edit] References

  1. ^ Herodotus, Histories, ix. 64
  2. ^ Smith, William (1867), “Aeimnestus”, in Smith, William, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 1, Boston, pp. 27 
  3. ^ Plutarch, Aristides 19

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).