Ancient History Competition 21

This Spartan princess could be mistaken for a prince because of her affinity for horse breeding and horse riding. And did I mention that she was remarkably rich? Who was she?

Economic historian and numismatic consultant

5 Comments

  1. Kyniska, daughter of Arkhidamos II, perhaps, who became the first woman to win an Olympic wreath (and did so twice with her four-horse chariots). Why is it that Spartan princesses seem to attract such flattering names as this, or Gorgo?

  2. Correct! But why is “female puppy” flattering?

    • I was trying for irony: neither Gorgo nor Kyniska seems to me the kind of name one would really like to have.

  3. But this is not specific to ancient Sparta: a Hollywood actress recently named her son “Audio Science”!!!

    • That’s true enough, and it’s actors and performers generally, rather than just Hollywood ones: the children of several British popular music stars of the last forty years also have, or have had until they changed them, some very unusual, if not (necessarily) unflattering names.

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