Megapenthes of Sparta Megapenthes of Sparta In Greek mythology, Megapenthes (; Ancient Greek: Μεγαπένθης "Megapénthēs"), a Spartan prince and son of Menelaus, who ruled after his father's death and sent his mother (or step-mother) Helen into exile. In some legends, Helen was his mother; in most, however, he was Menelaus's son by a concubine, Pieris or Tereis, and was born during the Trojan War. His name means "great sorrow" and he is named that because he was conceived while Menelaus was grieving the loss of Helen. He marries the daughter of Alector in the beginning of Book IV of The Odyssey, whose name
History of Sparta Persians at the battle of Plataea. The decisive Greek victory at Plataea put an end to the Greco-Persian War along with Persian ambition of expanding into Europe. Even though this war was won by a pan-Greek army, credit was given to Sparta, who besides being the protagonist at Thermopylae and Plataea, had been the de facto leader of the entire Greek expedition. In the same year a united Greek fleet under the Spartan King, Leotychidas, won the Battle of Mycale. When this victory led to a revolt of the Ionian Greeks it was Sparta that rejected their admission to the