LACEDAEMONIANS lăs ə dĭ mō’ nī ənz (Λακεδαιμονίοι). Inhabitants of Lacedaemon, more commonly called Sparta, in southern Greece.

Friendly relations between Sparta and the Jews began early in the third cent. b.c. when Arius (309-265) was king and Onias I was high priest (320-290) in Jerusalem. In 168 b.c. Jason, the high priest, after his unsuccessful attempt to seize Jerusalem, was forced to flee, and went to Sparta “with the idea of finding shelter there among kinsfolk” (2 Macc 5:9). This implies the existence of a Jewish colony in Sparta during the 2nd cent. In about 146 b.c. Jonathan wrote to the Spartans requesting renewal of the ancient friendship (1 Macc 12:6-18) and reminding them of the earlier relations between Arius and Onias, even suggesting that the Spartans and Jews were both of the stock of Abraham and hence kinsmen. After the death of Jonathan his brother and successor, Simon, received a reply to this letter (1 Macc 14:20-22). In 1 Maccabees 15:16-22 there is a declaration of friendship between Rome and the Jews, written by the consul Lucius to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, requesting that kings and nations refrain from fighting against the Jews. The same letter was also sent to many other neighboring countries, including Sparta (v. 23). While some have doubted the authenticity of these letters in 1 Maccabees, there are many scholars who regard them as genuine. There is no doubt that during the second cent. b.c. such declarations of friendship with the Jews were made by both Rome and Sparta.