Cynortas (Ancient Greek: Κυνόρτας, Kynortas) was a legendary king of Sparta in Greek mythology, a figure in the foundational lineage of the Spartan royal house. He is typically described as a descendant of Lacedaemon, the mythical founder of the city-state of Laconia, which later became Sparta.
Genealogy Cynortas was the son of Amyclas, who was the king before him, and Diomede (or Leaneira, depending on the source). His paternal grandfather was Lacedaemon. He succeeded his father Amyclas on the throne of Sparta. Cynortas was the father of Oebalus, who in turn succeeded him as king. Through Oebalus, he was the grandfather of Tyndareus, Icarius, and Hippocoon, figures prominent in later Spartan mythology and the Trojan War cycle (Tyndareus being the father of Clytemnestra and Helen).
Reign and Significance As a member of the early Lacedaemonian dynasty, Cynortas's reign is generally depicted as peaceful and unremarkable in specific events, serving primarily to maintain the royal succession. His importance lies in his position within the genealogical chain that connects the mythical origins of Sparta to later, more historically grounded figures. Ancient Greek writers like Pausanias, in his Description of Greece, mention Cynortas when tracing the lineage of the Spartan kings. He is a part of the mythical prehistory that establishes the divine or heroic ancestry of the Spartan ruling families, linking them to figures like Zeus (through Lacedaemon) and other prominent mythological characters.