Gorgo, the Wise Queen of Sparta

Queen Gorgo of Sparta was the daughter of King Cleomenes I and the wife of the legendary hero of Thermopylae, King Leonidas I. Even at the young age of 8 or 9, she demonstrated remarkable intelligence and foresight.

Gorgo’s early life and influence

During her young age, the future queen of Sparta Gorgo observed the negotiation between her father and Aristagoras of Miletus. Aristagoras sought an alliance with Sparta. He presented a map to illustrate the geostrategic challenges facing the Ionian cities.

That was the first known instance of a geographical map the Greeks used in the Aegean region. He proposed that Cleomenes send Spartan forces deep into Persian territory, aiming to advance as far as the Persian capital, Susa.

Cleomenes asked for time to consider the proposal and inquired about the distance from the Ionian coast to Susa three days later. Upon learning that the journey would take at least three months, Cleomenes weighed the facts and rejected the offer. Aristagoras, desperate, attempted to bribe Cleomenes.

At this critical moment, young Gorgo intervened, exclaiming the now-famous words: “Father, the stranger will corrupt you if you don’t drive him away!” Her quick wit and firm stance reinforced her father’s decision and foreshadowed her future role as a strong and influential figure in Spartan political life.

Following these events, Cleomenes faced accusations from Spartan officials and they put him in prison. While some sources claim he committed suicide, the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear.

Gorgo as the wife of king Leonidas

Leonidas, Cleomenes’ half-brother and Gorgo’s uncle, married Gorgo around 490 BC. She likely married him shortly after her father’s death and when she had reached marriageable age. For Spartan women, the age for marriage was at the end of puberty. Leonidas’ reasons for marrying her were somewhat pragmatic. Gorgo had inherited Cleomenes’ entire estate. Leonidas, as his eldest surviving half-brother, succeeded him on the throne of the Agiads.

Marriages between close blood relatives, particularly between uncles and nieces, were common in many Greek cities at the time to preserve property within the family’s male lineage.

We do not know how Gorgo herself felt about this marriage, especially given the circumstances surrounding her father’s fate. Cleomenes had been imprisoned by the Ephors and his half-brothers, including Leonidas. They found him dead in prison a few days after his incarceration. The official explanation was that “in his madness, he had killed himself,” but there is no record of Gorgo’s opinion on this matter.

Historical references to Queen Gorgo of Sparta

Gorgo is credited with the well-known phrase “Come back with your shield or on it”(I tan i epi tas). She addressed it to Leonidas before he left for the battle of Thermopylae.

This statement emphasized the national duty expected of her husband. It reflected the courage with which ancient Greek women faced the prospect of losing their male relatives. Spartan women demanded that their men either return with their shields, having fought bravely, or the other men should bring their bodies back upon the shields if they fell in battle.

Additionally, Gorgo, seeing Leonidas’ death in battle as inevitable, asked him what she should do next. He replied, “Marry a good man and give birth to good children.”

In his work Laconian Quotes, ancient Greek historian Plutarch attributes to Queen Gorgo several statements that highlight her dynamic personality. One of them refers to her father’s alleged problem with alcoholism. Gorgo reportedly warned that the more wine people consumed, the more wasteful and depraved they became.

Another anecdote involves a stranger offering her a costume adorned with many ornaments. Gorgo rejected it, saying, “Get out of here! You are not worthy to do even what women do.” This response reflects the Spartans’ disdain for materialism and their perception that men who wore luxurious clothing were effeminate.

Queen Gorgo’s legacy and role in the history of Sparta

About fifteen years after the incident with Cleomenes and Aristagoras, when her father had already died, Queen Gorgo played a decisive role in the history of Sparta and Greece. By this time, she had married her father’s half-brother and successor, Leonidas, and they had a son, Pleistarchus, the future king.

A messenger arrived in Sparta carrying two seemingly blank wooden tablets, covered with wax and folded together. None of those present could discern their hidden message—except Gorgo. She suggested scraping off the wax to reveal the writing on the wood. She was correct: the exiled ex-king Demaratus had sent the message to warn the Spartans of Xerxes’ impending campaign against Greece.

This incident demonstrates Gorgo’s intelligence and perceptiveness. It also shows her ability to intervene in public matters. Such privilege typically was reserved for men in most other Greek cities.

Gorgo exemplifies the Spartan ideal of a strong woman. She also exemplifies a capable woman who was deeply involved in the civic and military ethos of the state. Spartan women were renowned for their independence, education, and ability to influence public life, and Gorgo stood as a prime example of these qualities.

One quote attributed to Gorgo highlights her wit. When a woman from Attica asked why Spartan women were the only ones who could rule men, Gorgo famously replied, “Because we are the only ones who give birth to (real) men.”