Laconia ((
Greek characters)), nor to have divided
the Laconian temtory into provinces, if that division took
place at or immediately after the conquest, which seems to
be the meaning of Ephorus. Or, if it be objected that the
division was not made at the conquest, but soon after, it may
be answered that the interval must have been considerable,
as Theras is distinctly stated in the story of the Minyae to
have been guardian of the twins, when children, and conse-
quently their minority must have been of some duration. The
fact of this story of the Minyae being recognised both by the
Spartan and Theraean tradition is urged by Dr Arnold him-
self to corroborate another circumstance mentioned in it
(p. 641. n.) ; he cannot therefore refuse to admit the minority
of Eurysthenes and Procles, and the guardianship of Theras.
To another possible objection that Theras may have made
the division, which is attributed to Eurysthenes and Procles,
because it took place in their reign ; it is an obvious answer
that the acts of Lycurgus when guardian of Charilaus are
never attributed to the latter.
Secondly, it appears that these six provinces contained
towns which were not reduced by the Spartans till many
generations after the invasion, and which remained not as
subjects or tributaries, but in a state of absolute independence.
Among these are some particularly mentioned by Ephorus as
belonging to the Spartans and strengthening their power:
such as Aegys, which was not taken till the time of Arche-
laus and Charilaus, more than two centuries, Pharis and
Geronthrae by Teleclus, more than two centuries and a half
after the invasion. (Pausan. iii. 2. 5, 6). "But the period
(says Dr. Arnold) to which Miiller alludes is not that of
their political subjection, but of their destruction, when the
old inhabitants were extirpated, and the town peopled by
Dorians. The expressions in Pausanias are (Greek characters)" p. 648. But from his expressions (Greek characters) and (Greek characters), it it probable that he under-
stood the Achaeans of these towns to have been hitherto
independant. Dr Arnold probably infers from the foliowing
passage of Paus. iii. 22. 6. that these towns received a Doric
population. It seems however very improbable that any of
