Learchus (regicide)
Encyclopedia
Learchus was an adviser in the government of the Kingdom of Cyrenaica
during the reign of king Arcesilaus II
. Learchus is best known for perpetrating the murder of this very same Arcesilaus II.
's Moralia
and the Histories
by Herodotus
, who mentions him in passing. Learchus appears to have been an early acquaintance of murder, having killed a Cyrenaean noble who was the husband of the Princess Critola
and father of Queen Eryxo
.
died, his son Arcesilaus II ascended the throne, along with his queen, Eryxo. Arcesilaus appointed Learchus as his advisor. Herodotus states that Learchus was his brother, but Plutarch contradicts him in saying that Learchus was an ill-mannered and vicious friend. A further contradiction is presented in that Herodotus speaks of the activities of Learchus as the activities of the "brothers of Arcesilaus" and does not mention Learchus by name until he is identified as the regicide of Arcesilaus. Arcesilaus followed the counsels of Learchus and became increasingly tyrannical. It is in this manner that Arcesilaus gained the epithet "the Oppresor." During this time, Learchus was secretly plotting to overthrow Arcesilaus and become Cyrenaica’s new king, and had manipulated Arcesilaus into ordering the banishment or death of man Cyrenaean nobles.
Learchus and his supporters left the city of Cyrene
and created their own settlement called Barca
, (sometimes known as Meri, Libya). During the construction of Barca, Learchus was able to persuade local Libyans to withdraw their allegiance from Cyrene and encourage them to come with him and to declare war on Arcesilaus. The Libyans were already disgruntled at having been cut off from a large part of their lands. Thus, Learchus gained an army.
, which had been given to him on orders by Learchus, who then succeeden in slipping into their camp, where he strangled Arcesilaus himself. In the interregnum that followed, Learchus declared himself king, and then returned to the capital, Cyrene, in triumph.
to the throne, claimed he was protecting Battus III
, although by then Battus was a young man. Learchus was pretending to be Queen Eryxo’s humble servant, treating Battus and Eryxo in dignity, in hope that Eryxo would marry him. Learchus also promised that he would subsequently make Battus III his co-ruler.
Eryxo was taking counsel with her brothers and in the end asked to see Learchus and gave the impression that she wished to marry him. She sent her maid to Learchus who stated the same him, the instructions being to come to her at night to perform the ceremony.
Learchus was overjoyed by the news that Eryxo wanted to marry him and Learchus came over when Eryxo was ready. This was when it was revealed that Eryxo and her brother, Polyarchus were plotting to kill Learchus in revenge for the deaths of their father, the Cyrenaen noble, and King Arcesilaus. Polyarchus and two other conspirators kept swords ready, waiting and hiding in Eryxo's bedroom.
Eryxo had asked Learchus to come to her bedroom, which he did, unattended. As Learchus entered, the young men fell upon him and ran their swords through his body, killing him. Learchus’ body was throw over the wall. Polyarchus then brought out Battus III and proclaimed him the king of Cyrenaica. Battus reigned from 550 BC-530 BC.
were present. When they reported back to Amasis, the Pharaoh employed the excuse that he was an ally to the late Learchus to attack Cyrenaica, thus "avenging" the death of Learchus. However, though Amasis wanted to declare war on the Cyrenaeans, it was at this time that the mother of Amasis, a certain Tashereniset died, and Amasis became preoccupied in preparing for her funeral. Polyarchus decided to travel to Egypt to state his condolences to Amasis. Eryxo and Critola, feared for his life, and wouldn’t allow Polyarchus to travel alone, finally journeying with him. During the reign of Battus III, Battus realized the instability of his kingdom and brought in a lawgiver named Demonax
to reform the government. Demonax's reforms were disregarded by the successor to Battus, Arcesilaus III, who instigated yet another period of civil strife. On the deaths of Amasis II and Arcesilaus III, both states went under the thumb of Persian rule.
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
during the reign of king Arcesilaus II
Arcesilaus II of Cyrene
Arcesilaus II of Cyrene or Arcesilaus II also known as Arcesilaus II The Oppressor, The Tough, The Severe or The Harsh. Arcesilaus was the fourth Greek Cyrenaean King and was a member of the Battiad dynasty...
. Learchus is best known for perpetrating the murder of this very same Arcesilaus II.
Early life
Little is known about Learchus, besides what is written in PlutarchPlutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
's Moralia
Moralia
The Moralia of the 1st-century Greek scholar Plutarch of Chaeronea is an eclectic collection of 78 essays and transcribed speeches. They give an insight into Roman and Greek life, but often are also fascinating timeless observations in their own right...
and the Histories
Histories (Herodotus)
The Histories of Herodotus is considered one of the seminal works of history in Western literature. Written from the 450s to the 420s BC in the Ionic dialect of classical Greek, The Histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that...
by Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
, who mentions him in passing. Learchus appears to have been an early acquaintance of murder, having killed a Cyrenaean noble who was the husband of the Princess Critola
Critola
Critola was a Libyan Greek Princess of Cyrenaica and its capital Cyrene and was a member The Battiads dynasty. She was the daughter of Arcesilaus I the second king of Cyrenaica, while her mother is unknown. Her paternal grandfather was the first King Battus I and her brother Battus II would be...
and father of Queen Eryxo
Eryxo
Eryxo was a Greek woman, who was a Queen of Cyrenaica and was a member of The Battiads dynasty, the family that ruled Cyrenaica and Cyrene...
.
Rise to Power
When Battus II of CyreneBattus II of Cyrene
Battus II of Cyrene, sometimes called Eudaimon or the Latin equivalent Felix, was the third Greek king Cyrenaica and Cyrene and a member of the Battiad dynasty.-Ancestry:...
died, his son Arcesilaus II ascended the throne, along with his queen, Eryxo. Arcesilaus appointed Learchus as his advisor. Herodotus states that Learchus was his brother, but Plutarch contradicts him in saying that Learchus was an ill-mannered and vicious friend. A further contradiction is presented in that Herodotus speaks of the activities of Learchus as the activities of the "brothers of Arcesilaus" and does not mention Learchus by name until he is identified as the regicide of Arcesilaus. Arcesilaus followed the counsels of Learchus and became increasingly tyrannical. It is in this manner that Arcesilaus gained the epithet "the Oppresor." During this time, Learchus was secretly plotting to overthrow Arcesilaus and become Cyrenaica’s new king, and had manipulated Arcesilaus into ordering the banishment or death of man Cyrenaean nobles.
Exile
When Arcesilaus found out about Learchus’ plotting, they quarrelled over the kingship and Learchus falsely blamed all misdoing on the king. Arcesilaus then ordered Learchus and his supporters to be exiled from Cyrenaica.Learchus and his supporters left the city of Cyrene
Cyrene
Cyrene may refer to:* Cyrene , a Greek mythological figure* Cyrene, Libya, an ancient Greek colony in North Africa* USS Cyrene , a motor torpedo boat tender* 133 Cyrene, an asteroid...
and created their own settlement called Barca
Barca
Barce was an ancient Greek colony and later Roman, Byzantine, city in North Africa. It occupied the coastal area of what is modern day Libya...
, (sometimes known as Meri, Libya). During the construction of Barca, Learchus was able to persuade local Libyans to withdraw their allegiance from Cyrene and encourage them to come with him and to declare war on Arcesilaus. The Libyans were already disgruntled at having been cut off from a large part of their lands. Thus, Learchus gained an army.
Battle with Arcesilaus
News of Learchus and his army preceded them and reached the ears of Arcesilaus, who gathered his forces and marched to meet their opponents. Learchus and the local Libyans were alarmed at the Cyrenaean troops approaching them and hastily withdrew. Arcesilaus and the Cyrenaean troops chased Learchus and his supporters across the country into eastern Libya unto a site called Leucon, the location of which is unknown. Then, Learchus and his supporters decided to attack the king and his army. Arcesilaus and the Cyrenaean troops were defeated and lost up to 7,000 soldiers.Regicide
After his defeat by Learchus, Arcesilaus fell gravely ill after drinking a poisonous drink containing a deadly animal called a sea hareSea hare
The clade Aplysiomorpha, commonly known as Sea hares or Sea Bags , are medium-sized to very large Opisthobranchia with a soft internal shell made of protein...
, which had been given to him on orders by Learchus, who then succeeden in slipping into their camp, where he strangled Arcesilaus himself. In the interregnum that followed, Learchus declared himself king, and then returned to the capital, Cyrene, in triumph.
Return and Death
Learchus, as pretenderPretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the throne, claimed he was protecting Battus III
Battus III of Cyrene
Battus III of Cyrene or Battus III, surnamed The Lame was the fifth Greek Cyrenaean king and a member of the Battiad dynasty....
, although by then Battus was a young man. Learchus was pretending to be Queen Eryxo’s humble servant, treating Battus and Eryxo in dignity, in hope that Eryxo would marry him. Learchus also promised that he would subsequently make Battus III his co-ruler.
Eryxo was taking counsel with her brothers and in the end asked to see Learchus and gave the impression that she wished to marry him. She sent her maid to Learchus who stated the same him, the instructions being to come to her at night to perform the ceremony.
Learchus was overjoyed by the news that Eryxo wanted to marry him and Learchus came over when Eryxo was ready. This was when it was revealed that Eryxo and her brother, Polyarchus were plotting to kill Learchus in revenge for the deaths of their father, the Cyrenaen noble, and King Arcesilaus. Polyarchus and two other conspirators kept swords ready, waiting and hiding in Eryxo's bedroom.
Eryxo had asked Learchus to come to her bedroom, which he did, unattended. As Learchus entered, the young men fell upon him and ran their swords through his body, killing him. Learchus’ body was throw over the wall. Polyarchus then brought out Battus III and proclaimed him the king of Cyrenaica. Battus reigned from 550 BC-530 BC.
Legacy
When Battus was proclaimed King, soldiers that served the Egyptian Pharaoh Amasis IIAmasis II
Amasis II or Ahmose II was a pharaoh of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt, the successor of Apries at Sais. He was the last great ruler of Egypt before the Persian conquest.-Life:...
were present. When they reported back to Amasis, the Pharaoh employed the excuse that he was an ally to the late Learchus to attack Cyrenaica, thus "avenging" the death of Learchus. However, though Amasis wanted to declare war on the Cyrenaeans, it was at this time that the mother of Amasis, a certain Tashereniset died, and Amasis became preoccupied in preparing for her funeral. Polyarchus decided to travel to Egypt to state his condolences to Amasis. Eryxo and Critola, feared for his life, and wouldn’t allow Polyarchus to travel alone, finally journeying with him. During the reign of Battus III, Battus realized the instability of his kingdom and brought in a lawgiver named Demonax
Demonax (lawmaker)
Demonax was an ancient Greek lawmaker of the style of Solon and Lycurgus, known for reforming the constitution of the Cyrenaeans.-Life:Besides what is mentioned in the Histories by Herodotus, close to nothing is known about Demonax...
to reform the government. Demonax's reforms were disregarded by the successor to Battus, Arcesilaus III, who instigated yet another period of civil strife. On the deaths of Amasis II and Arcesilaus III, both states went under the thumb of Persian rule.