1 Introduction
Greeks first settled in Argolis during the Ogygus Flood of 1750 BC. The people who lived upstream of the Cephisus River, which flows from west to east on the north side of Mount Parnassus, and who lost their homes due to floods, set out for new lands.
The people, led by Inachus' two sons, Aegialeus (or Aezeius) and Phoroneus, moved to the Peloponnesus peninsula.
Aegialeus settled on the coast in the northern part of the peninsula, and Phoroneus further south, on the eastern side of a small hill (later Larisa) at the edge of the plain. [1]
Aegialeus founded Aegialus (later Sicyon), and Phoroneus founded Phoroneus (later Argos). [2]
2 Asine
2.1 Founding of Asine
In 1230 BC, some of the Dryopians living near Mount Parnassus were chased by Heracles and fled to Eurystheus of Mycenae. Eurystheus settled them in the land near Nauplia, and the Dryopians founded Asine. [3]
2.2 Destruction of Asine
In 745 BC, King Eratus of Argos, after a battle with the Spartans, attacked and destroyed Asine, which had sided with the Spartans. [4]
The Dryopians who lived in Asine took refuge in Lacedaemon and were given the coastal land of Messenia. [5]
3 Cleonae
3.1 Founding of Cleonae
In 1251 BC, Atreus, son of Pelops, migrated about 20 km north-northwest of Mideia and founded Cleonae. [6]
Atreus founded Cleonae around the time that Heracles migrated from Thebes to Tiryns, the former territory of his father Amphitryon. [7]
The migration of Atreus seems to have been caused by Licymnius, who lived with Heracles in Thebes, emigrating to Mideia, where his father Electryon lived.
3.2 Assistance to Heracles
In 1243 BC, Heracles attacked and killed two sons of Actor, Cteatus and Eurytus, at Cleonae, on their way from Hyrmina in Eleia to Isthmus. [8]
At this time, the Cleonaeans joined Heracles. [9]
The ruler of Cleonae at that time was Atreus, and it is believed that he cooperated with Heracles.
Pelops, the father of Atreus, was the father of Lysidice (or Eurydice), the mother of Alcmena, the mother of Heracles. [10]
So, Atreus was Heracles' grandmother's brother.
3.3 Marriage from Crete
In 1237 BC, Plisthenes, son of Atreus, took as his wife Aerope (or Eriphyle), daughter of Catreus, son of Minos of Crete. [11]
At that time, Atreus and Plisthenes lived in Cleonae. [12]
In Phlius, about 10 km away from Cleonae, lived Phliasus (or Phlias), the son of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos. Phliasus was a cousin of Aerope, and it is assumed that this kinship led to the long-distance marriage between Plisthenes, who lived in Cleonae, and Aerope, who lived in Crete.
3.4 Emigration to Mycenae
In 1217 BC, Eurystheus of Mycenae died in a battle with the Heracleidae, and Atreus succeeded him and migrated to Mycenae. [13]
Cleonae was left in charge of Atreus' brother Cleonymus (or Cleones), and it is assumed that at this time the town's name was changed to Cleonae. [14]
3.5 Emigration to Athens
In 1109 BC, one of the Heracleidae, Agamedidas, great-grandson of Heracles' son Ctesippus, became ruler of Cleonae. [15]
Paralus (or Parphorus) of Colophon founded Clazomenae on the mainland opposite Chios. The inhabitants of the town were those who had fled to Athens from Cleonae and Phlius, pursued by the Heracleidae. [16]
3.6 Exile from Mycenae
In 468 BC, Argos captured Mycenae. [17]
Some of the inhabitants of Mycenae took refuge in Cleonae. [18]
Therefore, it is assumed that Achaeans continued to live in Cleonae even after the return of Heracleidae.
4 Corinth
4.1 Founding of Corinth
Aegialus, to the west of Sicyon, was inhabited by people who had migrated from Thessaly via Attica, led by Xuthus, son of Hellen. [19]
In 1407 BC, Archander and Architeles, the two sons of Achaeus, son of Xuthus, fought against Lamedon of Sicyon and defeated Sicyon. [20]
Sisyphus, son of Aeolus, joined Archander and moved to the lands east of Sicyon, founding Ephyra (later Corinth). [21]
Sisyphus was the son of Aeolus, brother of Xuthus, father of Archander's father Achaeus.
4.2 Emigration to Colchis
In 1390 BC, Corinth was also affected by a huge tsunami in the Aegean Sea.
Aeetes, son of Sisyphus, led the affected people to Colchis, near the Phasis River on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. [22]
The Aeetes were the first Greeks to sail the Black Sea.
4.3 Bunus, son of Alcidamea
Aeetes, son of Sisyphus, was succeeded by Bunus. [23]
Bunus founded the temple of Hera at Corinth. [24]
Sisyphus' family was descended from Deucalion of Thessaly, and had little connection to the cult of Hera.
Bunus' mother, Alcidamea, was probably the daughter of Lamedon, son of Gelanor, who was a priestess of the temple of Hera in Argos and at one time occupied Argos.
It is assumed that after the battle between Sicyon and Argos, Alcidamea married Almus, son of Sisyphus, and had her son Bunus.
4.4 Epopeus, son of Aloeus
Bunus was succeeded by Epopeus. [25]
As King of Sicyon, Epopeus lived in Sicyon and also ruled over Corinth. [26]
Epopeus had many daughters of the Asopus river god, but his only son, Marathon, is known. [27]
4.5 Marathon, son of Epopeus
Marathon moved to Attica. Pausanias attributes the emigration to the tyranny of Epopeus. [28]
However, Marathon was married to the daughter of Erechtheus, the 6th king of Athens, and that marriage was the cause. [29]
Their marriage began in 1352 BC, when Marathon rushed from Sicyon to the battle between Erechtheus and Immaradus, the son of Eumolpus. [30]
Two sons were born to Marathon, Sicyon and Corinthus. [31]
Marathon was succeeded by Corinthus, and Ephyraea became known as Corinth. [32]
4.6 Successors of Corinthus
Corinthus, son of Marathon, inherited Corinth. [33]
Pausanias tells us that since Corinthus had no heir, the Corinthians took Jason's wife Medea. [34]
However, when creating a genealogy, the difference in birth years between Corinthus and Medea is 65 years.
Apollodorus tells us the name of Creon, king of Corinth, father of Medea's contemporary Glauce. [35]
It is likely that Corinthus was succeeded by Creon, and Creon was succeeded by Medea. [36]
Creon, son of Lycaethus, is presumed to be the grandson of Epopeus' brother. [37]
4.7 Age of Medea and Jason
4.7.1 Emigration from Thessaly
In 1247 BC, Medea and Jason migrated from Thessaly to Corinth.
The Corinthians invited Medea because she was a descendant of Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth.
Medea was invited to join the Corinthians, but it was Medea's husband Jason who ruled Corinth. [38]
4.7.2 Emigration to Lycia
In 1243 BC, Bellerophontes (or Hipponus, Bellerophon), son of Glaucus, son of Sisyphus, fled from Isthmus in Corinth to Xanthus in Lycia. He married Philonoe, daughter of Iobates, ruler of Xanthus. [39]
Before this, Pandion's son Lycus had migrated to Lycia. [40]
Iobates was the son of Lycus, son of Pandion, and seems to have summoned Bellerophontes to fight against the surrounding foreign peoples (Solymi). [41]
Nisus, the father of Eurynome, the mother of Bellerophontes, was the brother of Lycus, the father of Iobates. [42]
In other words, Bellerophontes and Philonoe were second cousins.
4.7.3 Emigration to Corcyra
Ten years after Jason and Medea lived in Corinth, Medea died. [43]
In 1237 BC, Jason and Heracles went on an expedition into northwestern Greece and settled in Scheria (later Corcyra). [44]
4.8 Age of Sisyphus, son of Aeolus
Jason was succeeded by Sisyphus, son of Aeolus. [45]
There is no historical record that tells us the name of the wife of Ornytion, the son of Sisyphus.
However, it is assumed that Peirene, the mother of his two sons, Leches and Cenchrias, who gave the name to the outer port of Corinth, was Ornytion's wife. [46]
Pausanias tells us that Peirene's father was Oebalus, and that Peirene was the daughter of the river god Achelous. [47]
In 1237 BC, Ornytion led the Corinthians to accompany Jason in order to ensure that his band of settlers arrived safely. During his campaign, Ornytion married Peirene, the daughter of Oebalus, son of Telon, who lived near the river Achelous in Acarnaia. [48]
4.9 Age of Ornytion, son of Sisyphus
4.9.1 Founding of Lechaeum and Cenchreae
Ornytion founded Lechaeum, on the Corinthian gulf, and Cenchreae, on the Saronic gulf, and named them after his two sons. [49]
The construction of the two towns is estimated to be around 1230 BC.
4.9.2 Emigration to Phocis
In 1230 BC, Phocus, son of Ornytion, migrated from Corinth to Phocis and founded Daulis southeast of Tithorea. [50]
4.10 Age of Thoas, son of Ornytion
Corinth appears in Homer's Catalog of Warships as a town under the command of Mycenae. [51]
However, as a historical fact, it seems that they did not participate in the Troy expedition.
4.11 Return of Heracleidae
4.11.1 Fighting the Dorians
In 1075 BC, Corinth was attacked by the Dorians, led by Aletes, son of Hippotas, a member of the Heracleidae. The two sons of Propodas, son of Damophon, son of Thoas, were on the throne, Doridas and Hyantidas, but they passed the throne to Aletes, and they continued to live in the city.
However, the main inhabitants of Corinth, Aeolis, resisted, and Aletes took up camp on the hill of Solygia and fought, driving the resisting inhabitants out of the city. Corinth became a town of Dorians from a town of Aeolis. [52]
4.11.2 Co-resident Melas
Aletes had Melas, son of Antasus, who had helped conquer Corinth from Gonussa in Achaia, as a co-resident. Cypselus, son of Eetion, who became tyrant of Corinth in 657 BC, was a descendant of Melas. [53]
Melas was also a descendant of Gonussa, daughter of Sicyon, son of Marathon, son of Epopeus. [54]
4.11.3 Founding of Megara
In 1074 BC, the Heracleidae completed their return to Peloponnesus, and fearing the expansion of Athens' power, the Heracleidae invaded Athens. Codrus, son of Melanthus, king of Athens, was killed in battle, but Athens was victorious. [55]
The Heracleidae, on their way back from Athens, drove out the Ionians who lived in Megara and founded Megara of the Dorians. [56]
It is also said that Aletes of Corinth led an expedition against the Dorians at this time. [57]
But Antiochus, the father of Phylas, the father of Hippotas, the father of Aletes, was the progenitor of the Antiochis, one of the ten tribes of Athens. It is unlikely that Aletes led the Dorian expedition.
4.12 Dominion of the Dorians
After Aletes, the Corinthians were dominated by the Heracleidae, who continued from Ixion to Agelas, Prymnis, and Bacchis. [58]
Bacchis was lame but politically gifted and had three daughters and seven sons. [59]
Descendants of Bacchis became known as Bacchiadae rather than Heracleidae. [60]
After Bacchis, Agelas, Eudemus, Aristomedes, Agemon, Alexander, Telestes and Automenes ruled the Corinthians. [61]
After the Automenes, the Bacchiadae were banished by Cypselus at the time of the Prytanes, who chose one person every year for ninety years to entrust the town to them. [62]
4.13 Age of Cypselus, son of Eetion
In 657 BC, Cypselus, son of Eetion, became tyrant of Corinth. [63]
Cypselus was a descendant of Melas, son of Antasus, who lived in Corinth in cooperation with the Dorians led by Aletes.
Melas was also a descendant of Sicyon's daughter Gonussa. [64]
Thus, Cypselus was a descendant of Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth, and was an Aeolis.
4.14 Genealogy with no dropouts
After the return of the Heracleidae to the Peloponnesus, there was a dropout of about four generations in the lineage of rulers such as Argos and Sparta, around the 11th century BC.
However, the line of rulers of Corinth continues without contradiction after Aletes, until the time of Cypselus in the 7th century BC.
Besides the line of the Athenian kings, the line of the rulers of Corinth is the only one that remains intact even after the 11th century BC.
This seems to be influenced by the ruling class that continued from Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth, and by the fact that Melas of Gonussa lived with the Dorians.
Also significant in this complete lineage was the epic poet Eumelus, son of Amphilytus. He belonged to the Bacchiadae, and his grandfather's grandfather was Bacchis, son of Prymnis.
Eumelus was the person who summarized the history of Corinth from its founding in the Corinthian History, and is presumed to have been able to research the genealogy from Aletes to Bacchis.
5 Epidaurus
5.1 Founding of Epidaurus
In 1645 BC, Epidaurus, son of Argus, son of Niobe, migrated from Argos to the east near the sea and founded Epidaurus. [65]
Before that, Epidaurus was a town inhabited by Carians called Epicarus. [66]
5.2 Domination by Tiryns
In 1368 BC, Proetus, son of Abas, fought against Acrisius and gained control of the Primorsky region of Argolis, which may have included Epidaurus. [67]
Until then, Epidaurus had been under the control of Argos, but it appears that it now came under the control of Tiryns.
5.3 Domination by Mycenae
In 1330 BC, Perseus founded Mycenae and surrounded it with strong walls. [68]
Perseus also ruled Tiryns and Midea, but Epidaurus also appears to have been under the control of Mycenae.
However, although Perseus had many sons, none lived in Epidaurus.
5.4 Emigration from Aegina
In 1285 BC, Aeacus, son of Actor, migrated from Dia in Thessaly to Aegina. At this time, Aegina was inhabited by Ionians who had settled the island from the Oenoe of Attica. They migrated to Epidaurus, led by the descendants of Ion, son of Xuthus. [69]
5.5 Birth of Asclepius
In 1263 BC, Asclepius, the god of medicine, was born as the son of Phlegyas and Coronis, daughter of Ischys.
Pausanias writes that Asclepius was born in Epidaurus. [70]
Epidaurus was the ancestral land of Phlegyas. [71]
It is likely that Phlegyas' mother was from Epidaurus, and that later the cult of Asclepius flourished in that town, giving rise to the tradition that Asclepius was born in Epidaurus.
Strabo tells us that Asclepius was born on the banks of the River Lethaeus, which flows through Tricca in Thessaly. [72]
5.6 Trojan War Era
During the Trojan War, Epidaurus was under the control of Argos. [73]
5.7 Founding of Perinthus
In 1148 BC, Perinthus of Epidaurus joined the expedition of Orestes and founded Perinthus. The city was different from Perinthus in Thracia. [74]
Peisander of Amyclae also joins Orestes' expedition and migrates to the island of Tenedos. [75]
5.8 Emigration to Athens
In 1102 BC, Deiphontes, son of Antimachus, led the Dorians from Argos against Epidaurus. Pityreus, a descendant of Ion, son of Xuthus, ceded the city to Deiphontes. [76]
Pityreus led the inhabitants of Epidaurus to migrate to Athens. [77]
Deiphontes settled in Epidaurus the Ionians who had accompanied him from Tetrapolis in Attica. [78]
5.9 Emigration from Tiryns
In 468 BC, Tiryns was attacked by Argos and some of its inhabitants moved to Epidaurus. [79]
6 Heraeum
6.1 Founding of the Temple of Hera
In 1610 BC, Peiras (or Pirantos), son of Argus, son of Niobe, founded the temple of Hera. [80]
Argus, son of Niobe, made a statue of Hera from a pear tree that grew wild in Tiryns. [81]
Peiras made his daughter Callithyia (or Callithias) the first priestess of the temple of Hera. [82]
6.2 Emigration to Eleusis
In 1580 BC, Trochilus, son of Callithyia, migrated from Argos to Eleusis. Trochilus brought to Eleusis the rituals that had been performed at the temple of Hera. [83]
6.3 Age of Iasus, son of Triopas
Io, daughter of Iasus, was also a priestess in the temple of Hera. [84]
In 1560 BC, Io emigrated to Egypt with her father Iasus. [85]
Io was called Isis in Egypt. [86]
6.4 Age of Danaus
In 1430 BC, Danaus, a descendant of Io, immigrated from Egypt and took control of Argos. [87]
Danaus' daughter Hypermnestra became a priestess in the temple of Hera. [88]
6.5 Age of Lamedon, son of Gelanor
In 1408 BC, Lamedon exiled by Danaus, invaded Argos from Sicyon and took control of the city. [89]
Lamedon's daughter Alcidamea became a priestess in the temple of Hera. [90]
Bunus, son of Alcidamea, succeeded as king of Corinth from Aeetes, son of Sisyphus, and built the temple of Hera at Corinth. [91]
6.6 Age of Proetus, son of Abas
In 1368 BC, Proetus made peace with Acrisius and took control of the coastal areas of Tiryns, Heraeum, Mideia, and Argolis. [92]
Proetus founded the temple of Hera near the coast of Sicyon. [93]
6.7 Age of Perseus, son of Danae
In 1332 BC, Perseus returned from the island of Seriphus and occupied Tiryns. [94]
In 1330 BC, Perseus founded Mycenae and surrounded it with strong walls. [95]
From this time on, Heraeum is presumed to have moved from being under the control of Argos to being under the control of Mycenae.
6.8 Age of Sthenelus, son of Perseus
Sthenelus inherited Mycenae from Perseus. [96]
Sthenelus' daughter Alcyone became a priestess in the temple of Hera. [97]
6.9 Age of Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus
Eurystheus inherited Mycenae from Sthenelus. [98]
Eurystheus' daughter Admete became a priestess in the temple of Hera. [99]
Argos and Mycenae fought over the temple of Hera, which remained under Mycenae's jurisdiction at least until the time of Eurystheus. [100]
7 Hermione
7.1 Founding of Hermione
In 1700 BC, Hermion, son of Europs, son of Phoroneus, migrated from Argos to the southeast near the sea and founded Hermione. [101]
Hermione was the oldest town in Peloponnesus, after Sicyon, Argos, and Mycenae.
Before that, it was inhabited by Carians. [102]
7.2 Emigration from near Parnassus
In 1230 BC, some of the Dryopians living near Mount Parnassus were chased by Heracles and moved to nearby Hermione, where they founded a new town. [103]
8 Midea (or Mideia)
8.1 Founding of Midea
The founder of Midea is unknown.
The first ruler of Midea to be identified was Electryon, son of Perseus. [104]
Electryon's first wife was Midea the Phrygian, and Electryon seems to have founded the town and named it Midea after her wife. [105]
However, Pausanias tells us that Midea existed already in the time of Perseus' grandfather Acrisius. [106]
At that time, it was probably called by a different name, not Midea.
If Electryon is the founder of Midea, the town was founded around 1300 BC.
8.2 Exile of Hippodamia
In 1290 BC, Hippodamia, wife of Pelops, exiled by her husband, fled from Pisa to Midea. [107]
Electryon's second wife Lysidice (or Eurydice) was a daughter of Hippodamia. [108]
Hippodamia died in Midea. Later, Hippodamia' remains were buried at Olympia. [109]
8.3 Electryon Clan
In 1277 BC, Electryon, along with his brother Helius and his nephew Amphitryon, led an expedition into northwestern Greece. [110]
On this expedition Electryon and his sons died, leaving behind his son Licymnius and his daughter Alcmena. [111]
Amphitryon summoned his cousins Licymnius and Alcmena to Thebes and made Alcmena his wife. [112]
Sthenelus of Mycenae made Midea ruled by Atreus and Thyestes, two sons of Pelops. [113]
8.4 Return of Licymnius
In 1251 BC, Heracles emigrated from Thebes to Tiryns, the former territory of his father Amphitryon. At this time, it is assumed that Licymnius also returned to Midea, the former territory of his father Electryon. [114]
When Heracles emigrated from Tiryns to Pheneus, Licymnius was not named among Heracles' companions. [115]
Atreus, son of Pelops, who lived in Midea until the return of Licymnius, migrated north and founded Cleonae. [116]
8.5 Return of the Heracleidae
In 1215 BC, after a battle with Eurystheus, the Heracleidae invaded the Peloponnesus peninsula by land through the Isthmus of Corinth, with Hyllus as their commander. [117]
It was a return to Mideia, where Heracles' mother Alcmena and her brother Licymnius had spent their childhoods. [118]
Licymnius died at Midea and was buried at Tiryns. [119]
The Acropolis of Tiryns was called Licymna after Licymnius. [120]
8.6 Midea after Trojan War
Midea does not appear in Homer's Catalogue of Ships. Nor does it appear in the legend of the final return of the Heracleidae. However, Strabo notes that Midea, along with Tiryns, was also destroyed by Argos. [121]
It was in 468 BC that Mycenae was destroyed by Argos. [122]
9 Nauplia
9.1 Founding of Nauplia
In 1405 BC, Nauplius, son of Amymone, daughter of Danaus, founded Nauplia near Tiryns. [123]
The inhabitants of Nauplia were people who migrated from Egypt with Danaus. [124]
9.2 Origin of the town's name
Strabo notes that the name Nauplia was derived from the location of the town, and that Nauplius was a fictional character based on the town's name. Strabo's proof of this is that Homer does not mention Nauplia and Palamedes. Strabo also notes that Nauplius, son of Amymone, could not have been alive during the Trojan War Era. [125]
However, Nauplius of the time of the Trojan War was the son of Clytonaeus, son of Nauplius, son of Amymone, son of Proetus, son of Lernus, which is Strabo's error. [126]
9.3 Trojan War Era
Nauplia does not appear in Homer's Catalogue of Ships. However, in another tradition, Palamedes, son of Nauplius, led 30 ships from Cormos and joined the expedition at the port of Aulis. [127]
Tradition has it that in 1178 BC, when Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, fought against Aegisthus, Nauplius' sons were killed on Aegisthus' side. [128]
9.4 Occupation by Argos
In 669 BC, Nauplia was attacked by the Argives and became part of the Argos. The Nauplians were given Mothone in southwestern Messenia after the Spartans' victory over the Messenians. [129]
10 Nemea
10.1 Founding of Nemea
In 1247 BC, due to internal strife in Argos, Adrastus, son of Talaus, defected to Polybus of Sicyon. [130]
At this time Pronax, the son of Talaus, moved from Argos to the upper reaches of the Nemea River, which ran between Sicyon and Corinth, and founded a city there. [131]
Pronax took as his wife Nemea, the daughter of Sisyphus, son of Aeolus of Corinth, and named the city Nemea. [132]
10.2 Marriage of Hypsipyle
Pronax took Hypsipyle, daughter of Thoas, as his second wife.
Thoas was the son of Ariadne, daughter of Minos of Crete, who had been given Lemnos. [133]
For some reason, Hypsipyle became an orphan, and she was raised by her uncle Phliasus (or Phlias), who lived in Phlius. [134]
10.3 Euneus, son of Hypsipyle
Many historical sources tell us that Hypsipyle's son Euneus was fathered by Jason. [135]
However, in reality, Pronax was Euneus' father, and Euneus was born in Nemea and grew up in that town. Close to Nemea was the town of Cleonae, which influenced its influence. [136]
Euneus was the same age as Atreus' grandson Agamemnon, who lived about 4 km away in Cleonae, and was a childhood friend. [137]
Euneus was restored to his position as ruler of Lemnos with the aid of Agamemnon. [138]
At that time, in addition to those who had migrated with Thoas, Lemnos was inhabited by the Minyans, who had fled Iolcus and fled to the island.
It is assumed that Euneus spread the rumor that his father was Jason in order to force both inhabitants to obey.
11 Orneae
11.1 Founding of Orneae
In 1275 BC, Orneus, chased by Aegeus, migrated from Athens to near Phlius in Argolis and founded Orneae. [139]
Pausanias tells us that Orneus' father was Erechtehus. [140]
If Orneus' father was Erechtehus, the 6th king of Athens, then Menestheus, son of Peteus, son of Orneus, was contemporary with Aegeus, the adopted son of Pandion, son of Cecrops. However, Menestheus's contemporary during the Trojan War was not Aegeus, but his grandson. Therefore, Erechtehus here seems to be another name for Pandion, the 8th king of Athens. Therefore, Orneus was Aegeus' brother-in-law.
11.2 Trojan War Era
During the Trojan War, Orneae was under the control of Mycenae. [141]
Orneae then came under the control of the Argos. [142]
11.3 Fall of Orneae
In 415 BC, the Lacedaemonians populated Orneae with a sect of nobles exiled from Argos. [143]
The Argives then attacked Orneae and completely destroyed the town. [144]
12 Phlius
12.1 Founding of Phlius
Phlius appears in Homer's works under the name Araethyrea. [145]
However, Strabo notes that Phlius was founded about 6 km from Araethyrea, so it was not the same town. [146]
There are also towns that predate Araethyrea, and the first town to be founded was Aras. [147]
The town founded by Aras is thought to have been located 1 km from Phlius, in what later became Celeae. Aras' grave was there. [148]
It is estimated that Aras founded the town around 1350 BC.
12.2 Genealogy of Aras
The wife of Phlias, son of Araethyrea, daughter of Aras, was Chthonophyle, daughter of Sicyon, son of Marathon, son of Epopeus. [149]
Thus, Aras's father was a contemporary of Epopeus, the son of Aloeus.
The father of Aras is probably one of Epopeus's brothers, Hopleus or Nireus. [150]
Their father Aloeus was the son of Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth. [151]
12.3 Marriage from Sicyon
In 1305 BC, Phlias, son of Araethyrea, took as his wife Chthonophyle, daughter of Sicyon, from the town of Sicyon. [152]
12.4 Son-in-law from Naxos
In 1250 BC, a group carrying the rituals of Dionysus visited Peloponnesus. [153]
The visiting party was led by Oenarus, the priest of Dionysus of Naxos, and his wife Ariadne.
It was Melampus, son of Amythaon of Argos, who invited them. [154]
At that time Polybus, the son of Phlias, lived in Sicyon, succeeding his maternal grandfather Sicyon. Phlias had a son who succeeded him, but he had only a daughter, Chthonophyle, so there was no one to succeed Phlius.
Therefore, it is assumed that Melampus married Ariadne's son Phlias (or Phliasus) to Chthonophyle. [155]
Melampus was the uncle of Talaus, the husband of Lysianassa, the daughter of Chthonophyle's uncle Polybus.
In other words, Melampus appears to have introduced Phlias as a son-in-law to Chthonophyle, the cousin of his nephew Talaus' wife.
Phlias and Chthonophyle were also related.
The father of Aloeus, father of Otus (or Ephialtes), father of Oenarus, father of Phlias, was Aloeus, the son of Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth.
The father of Epopeus, father of Marathon, father of Sicyon, father of Chthonophyle, was also Aloeus, the son of Sisyphus. [156]
In other words, Ariadne's son Phlias was able to inherit Phlius because he was a relative of Aras.
12.5 Relationship between Phlius and Naxos
Oenarus, father of Phlias, was the son of Otus, son of Aloeus, who had emigrated from Anthedon in Boeotia to Naxos, or of his brother Ephialtes. [157]
Otus and Ephialtes settled on the island, then called Strongyle, and renamed it Dia. [158]
Dia was another name for Hebe, daughter of the goddess Hera, and was worshiped by Phlius and Sicyon. [159]
12.6 Age of the sons of Phlias
In 1243 BC, Dameon, son of Phlias, took part in Heracles' attack on Elis and was defeated by Cteatus, son of Actor. [160]
Afterwards, Dameon's brother Androdamas seems to have moved to Sicyon. [161]
Pausanias writes that the inhabitants of Phlius before the Heracleidae brought the Dorians to Phlius were the Argives. [162]
Phlius probably came under the control of Argos.
12.7 Return of the Heracleidae
In 1087 BC, Rhegnidas, son of Phalces, son of Temenus, led the Dorians of Argos and Sicyon on an expedition to Phlius, where he was accepted by the inhabitants and became king of Phlius.
Hippasus, the leader of Phlius, who opposed cohabitation with the Dorians, moved to Samos. [163]
Some of the inhabitants of Phlius, together with the Cleonaeans, crossed over to Asia Minor and founded the Clazomenae on the mainland opposite Chios. [164]
12.8 Emigration to Samos
Cleonymus, father of Euthyphro, father of Hippasus, father of Marmacus, father of Pythagoras a philosopher of the 6th century BC, migrated from Phlius to Samos. [165]
Cleonymus' migration occurred around 660 BC.
13 Sicyon
13.1 Founding of Aegialus (later Sicyon)
In 1750 BC, Aegialeus (or Aezeius), son of Inachus, migrated to the northern coast from the upper Cephisus River near Mount Parnassus to the Peloponnesus Peninsula and founded Aegialus. [166]
Aegialeus' brother Phoroneus went further south and founded Phoroneus (later Argos). [167]
13.2 Battle with Argos
Although Aegialeus and Phoroneus were brothers, they fought each other.
The battle between Aegialeus and Phoroneus continued until the generations of their sons. The Telchines, led by Telchin (or Telchis), son of Aegialeus, were sided with the Caryatii, and Apis, son of Phoroneus, was sided with the Parrhasians. [168]
13.3 Emigration to Crete
In 1690 BC, Telchin was defeated by Apis and Telchin's son Cres migrated to Crete. [169]
Some of the descendants of Cres led the Telchines to Ophiussa, and the island became known as Telchines (later Rhodes). [170]
13.4 Control by Apis
Apis took control of Sicyon and Argos, all the towns then on the Peloponnesus peninsula, and Peloponnesus came to be called Apia, after Apis. [171]
It is said that Peloponnesus was called Apia because there were many pears (Apia), but it is thought that the name Apia was derived from Apia, which is named after Apis. [172]
Apis ruled Sicyon for 25 years before being murdered by Thelxion and Telchis. [173]
13.5 Exile from Argos
In 1430 BC, during the time of Orthopolis, son of Plemnaeus, Danaus migrated from Egypt to Argos. [174]
Gelanor, the son of Sthenelas, was driven from Argos by Danaus and fled to Sicyon. [175]
13.6 Return to Argos
In 1408 BC, after the death of Danaus' successor, Lynceus, Lamedon, son of Gelanor, captured Argos with the help of Orthopolis of Sicyon. [176]
Lynceus' son Abas, who succeeded Lynceus, migrated from Argos to Phocis and founded Abae. [177]
13.7 Battle with Argos
In 1407 BC, Achaeus' two sons, Archander and Architeles, expelled Lamedon from Argos. [178]
Orthopolis of Sicyon sided with Lamedon and fought against Archander. Allies to Archander were Marathonius, son of Deucalion of Locris, and Sisyphus, son of Aeolus of Thessaly. [179]
13.8 Results of the battle
Orthopolis made peace with Marathonius, son of Deucalion, as a son-in-law to his daughter Chrysorthe. Sisyphus, son of Aeolus, founded Ephyra (later Corinth) to the east of Sicyon. [180]
Abas, son of Lynceus, who had fled to Phocis, returned to Argos.
13.9 Rule of Ephyra (Corinth)
The chronicler Castor of the 2nd century BC tells the genealogy of the kings of Sicyon. Castor tells us that Sicyon was succeeded in turn by Orthopolis, Marathonius, Marathus, Echyreus, Corax, Epopeus, Laomedon, and then Sicyon, son of Marathon.
However, Pausanias reports that control of Sicyon was succeeded by Aloeus, Epopeus, and Marathon. [181]
According to Castor, the total reign of the kings between Orthopolis and Sicyon was 210 years. [182]
However, when creating a genealogy, the age difference between Orthopolis and Sicyon is only 110 years, making Castor's genealogy of King Sicyon unreliable.
Regarding the genealogy of King Sicyon, the description by Pausanias is reliable.
After Orthopolis, the descendants of Aloeus who lived in Sicyon also ruled Corinth, until Sicyon, the son of Marathon. [183]
13.10 Marriage of Chrysorthe
Pausanias tells us that Chrysorthe, the daughter of Orthopolis, gave birth to a son, Coronus, with Apollo. [184]
This Apollo was Thersander, son of Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth, and Coronus was adopted by Sisyphus' brother Athamas, who lived in Boeotia. [185]
13.11 Sicyon after Orthopolis
After losing the battle with Argos, the ruler of Sicyon became Aloeus, son of Sisyphus, son of Aeolus, who lived in Corinth.
Aloeus was succeeded by his son Epopeus. [186]
Epopeus lived in Sicyon and also ruled over Corinth. [187]
13.12 Metope, wife of Epopeus
13.12.1 Genealogy of Metope
The river Ismenus, which flows from south to north just east of Thebes, was named by Ismenus, son of Melia, and before that it was called the river Ladon. [188]
Also, the river god Asopus of Phlius married Ladon's daughter Metope, and they had a son, Ismenus, who became the godfather of the rivers of Boeotia. [189]
Ladon's daughter Metope (or Melia) had another son, Tenerus (or Pelasgus, Pelagon). [190]
Tenerus was given the gift of divination by his grandfather Ladon and established an oracle on Mount Ptous to the east of Lake Copais. [191]
Teiresias, son of Everes, the seer of Thebes during the siege of Thebes, was a descendant of Udaeus, one of the Sparti during the Cadmus Era. [192]
Historis, daughter of Teiresias, who was present at Thebes at the birth of Amphitryon's wife Alcmena, was also a prophet. Her father, Teiresias, appears to have been the son of Tenerus, son of Metope, and not of Everes. [193]
From the above, it is assumed that Metope's father, Ladon, was the ancestor of Teiresias, the son of Everes, and that Ladon's father was Udaeus, one of the Sparti who settled in Cadmeia with Cadmus. [194]
13.12.2 Metope's husband
Metope's husband is presumed to be Epopeus for the following reasons.
1) Metope's husband was the Asopus river god, which flows from Phlius to Sicyon. Epopeus, son of Aloeus, ruled Sicyon during Metope's marriageable years.
Epopeus is the Asopus river god and presumed husband of Metope. [195]
2) Ismenus, son of Metope, migrated from Phlius, where Epopeus lived, to Boeotia and settled near the river Ismenus. [196]
3) Harpina (or Harpine), daughter of Epopeus, was married to Heraea in western Arcadia, and the name of the river that flowed near that town was Ladon. [197]
In other words, it is assumed that Harpina gave the beautiful river of her marriage the same name as the river of her mother Metope's hometown.
13.13 About Epopeus and Antiope
13.13.1 Appearance of historical materials
Antiope appears in Homer's work as the mother of Amphion and Zethus, but Epopeus does not. [198]
Neither Antiope nor Epopeus appears in Herodotus's writings.
In the works of Apollonius of Rhodes, Antiope appears as the mother of Amphion and Zethus, but Epopeus does not. [199]
The chroniclers Castor and Jerome mention Epopeus, king of Sicyon, but not Antiope. [200]
In the works of Diodorus, Epopeus, king of Sicyon, appears, but Antiope does not. [201]
Hyginus's writings feature Epaphus, not Epopeus, who marries Antiope and is killed by Lycus. [202]
The works of Apollodorus say that Antiope fled to Epopeus of Sicyon and married him, and that Lycus of Thebes attacked Sicyon and killed Epopeus. [203]
Isaac Newton echoes Pausanias. [204]
13.13.2 Description of Pausanias
Pausanias writes of Epopeus of Sicyon and his son Marathon:
When Bunus, king of Corinth, died, Epopeus, king of Sicyon, took control of Corinth as well. [205]
Epopeus kidnapped Antiope, and the Thebans invaded Sicyon. Nycteus was wounded at this time, while Epopeus was wounded, but won.
Nycteus was wounded and on the verge of death asked his brother Lycus for revenge.
Antiope gave birth to Amphion and Zethus while being carried to Thebes by the Thebans. [206]
Marathon, son of Epopeus, son of Aloeus, son of Helius, fled the lawlessness and tyranny of his father and emigrated to the coast of Attica. When Epopeus died, Marathon distributed the kingdom to his sons and returned to Attica. [207]
The tradition of Epopeus and Antiope seems to be a deliberate attempt to link Amphion and Zethus, who laid the foundations of Thebes, to Sicyon.
13.14 Epopeus and Thessaly
Pausanias reports that "Epopeus came from Thessaly and acquired the kingdom." [208]
The genealogy shows that at about the same time, Boeotus, son of Melanippe, daughter of Aeolus, returned from Italy to Arne of Thessaly. [209]
Epopeus was the son of Canace, the daughter of Aeolus, and, like Boeotus, the grandson of Aeolus of Arne. [210]
Epopeus probably grew up in Arne as the heir of Aeolus, and returned from Thessaly to Sicyon because of the return of Boeotus.
13.15 Emigration from Attica
When Epopeus died in 1321 BC, his son Marathon returned to Sicyon from Attica and inherited Sicyon and Corinth.
Marathon's two sons, Sicyon and Corinthus, were given Asopia and Ephyraea, and their cities became known as Sicyon and Corinth. [211]
Marathon's wife was the daughter of Erechtheus, the sixth king of Athens. [212]
13.16 Emigration from Tenea
In 1276 BC, Marathon's son Sicyon was succeeded by his daughter Chthonophyle's son Polybus. [213]
Polybus lived in Tenea of Corinth, but moved to Sicyon, leaving the town to his adopted son Oedipus. [214]
13.17 Marriage to Argos
In 1263 BC, Lysianassa, daughter of Polybus, married Talaus, son of Bias of Argos, and had her son Adrastus.
13.18 Adrastus, son of Talaus
In 1247 BC, Adrastus, son of Talaus of Argos, defected to Polybus of Sicyon in a dispute with Amphiaraus, a descendant of Melampus. [215]
Polybus was the father of Adrastus' mother Lysianassa.
In 1238 BC, Adrastus made peace with Amphiaraus and returned to Argos. [216]
In 1236 BC, Polybus died and his son-in-law Adrastus was invited by the people of Sicyon to rule the city. [217]
In 1232 BC, Adrastus returned to Argos after living in Sicyon for four years. [218]
13.19 Sicyon after Adrastus
There are two possible lineages of kings of Sicyon after the departure of Adrastus.
13.19.1 Description of Castor
Adrastus was succeeded by Polypheides, Pelasgus, and Zeuxippus as kings, and then the priests of Apollo Carneius ruled Sicyon. [219]
Castor gives the total reign of the three kings as 82 years, and says that Dorina's rule began in 1150 BC.
13.19.2 Description of Pausanias
After Adrastus became kings Ianiscus, Phaestus, Zeuxippus, Hippolytus and Lacestades. During the time of Lacestades, they were attacked by Phalces, the son of Temenus, but since Lacestades was also a member of the Heracleidae, they lived together. [220]
Pausanias describes Phaestus as the son of Heracles, but if that's the case, there's no way he couldn't be chased out by Eurystheus of Mycenae. Phaestus is not thought to be the son of Heracles, as his mother's name is also unknown. [221]
Castor found out the Sicyon kings after Adrastus from historical sources and created a genealogy, but it seems that about two people were missing.
Pausanias seems to be based on historical sources that record the genealogy and deeds of King Sicyon, and is therefore reliable.
After Dorinas' rule, priests, rather than kings, ruled Sicyon. [222]
Dorinas came under control in 1109 BC.
The chronicle of Castor records the reign of King Sicyon as 959 years, the chronicle of Jerome as 962 years, and the Dictionary of Suda as 981 years. [223]
However, the actual period was 641 years, from 1750 BC to 1109 BC.
14 Tenea
14.1 Founding of Tenea
The first resident of Tenea was Polybus, son of Phlias. [224]
Polybus' mother was Chthonophyle, daughter of Sicyon, so it seems likely that Phlias was related to Corinth on his paternal side.
Therefore, the founder of Tenea is presumed to be Polybus himself or his paternal ancestor.
14.2 Emigration from Thebes
In 1286 BC, Oedipus, son of Laius, adopted by Polybus, emigrated from Thebes to Tenea. [225]
Possibly Polybus' wife Periboea was the daughter of Laius, and Polybus, who had no heir, adopted his wife's younger brother. [226]
14.3 Emigration to Sicyon
In 1276 BC, Polybus succeeded his grandfather as King of Sicyon and moved from Tenea in Corinth to Sicyon. [227]
Oedipus succeeded Polybus as ruler of Tenea.
14.4 Emigration to Thebes
In 1238 BC, the Sphinx revolt broke out in Boeotia, and Oedipus led the Corinthians to crush the revolt and return to Thebes. [228]
14.5 Emigration from Tenedos
Oedipus' migration to Thebes was probably accompanied by residents of Tenea.
After their departure, Tenea presumably fell under the control of its neighbor to the west, Atreus of Cleonae.
In 1188 BC, Atreus' grandson Agamemnon settled Tenea with the inhabitants of the island of Tenedos off the coast of Troy. [229]
At this time, the town was named Tenea, after Tenes (or Tennes), the son of Cycnus (or Cygnus), ruler of the island of Tenedos. [230]
14.6 Emigration to Sicily
In 733 BC, Archias, one of the Heracleidae of Corinth, migrated to southeastern Sicily, expelled the Sicels, and founded Syracuse. [231]
Most of the immigrants led by Archias were residents of Tenea. [232]
So, the early inhabitants of Syracuse were the Trojans.
15 Tiryns
15.1 Founding of Tiryns
In 1645 BC, Tiryns, son of Argus, son of Niobe, founded Tiryns, south-east of Argos, near the sea. [233]
In 1610 BC, Tiryns' brother Peiras founded the temple of Hera in Argos, where the statue of Hera was made from a pear tree that grew wild in Tiryns. [234]
At this time, Tiryns was under the control of the Argos.
15.2 History of Tiryns residents
In 1387 BC, Proetus, son of Abas, expelled Acrisius from Argos, and Tiryns came under Proetus' control. [235]
In 1370 BC, Acrisius, son of Abas, expelled Proetus from Argos, and Tiryns came under Acrisius' control. [236]
In 1368 BC, Proetus, with the help of his wife Steneboea's father Amphianax, occupied Tiryns. [237]
Proetus and Acrisius then fought, and Tiryns came under Proetus' control. [238]
Proetus invited Cyclopes from Lycia to strengthen the walls of Tiryns. [239]
In 1343 BC, Acrisius' grandson Perseus killed Proetus and fled to the island of Seriphus. [240]
In 1339 BC, Acrisius died and Megapenthes, son of Proetus, moved from Tiryns to Argos. [241]
15.3 Residence of Perseus and his descendants
In 1334 BC, Perseus returned from the island of Seriphus and occupied Tiryns. [242]
In 1330 BC, Perseus founded Mycenae, and Perseus' son Alcaeus lived in Tiryns. [243]
After the death of Alcaeus, his son Amphitryon inherited Tiryns.
In 1287 BC, Amphitryon married Laonome, daughter of Guneus of Pheneus in Arcadia, and they had a son, Iphicles. [244]
In 1278 BC, Amphitryon was invited by the Sparti of Thebes to migrate from Tiryns to Thebes. [245]
In 1251 BC, Amphitryon's son Heracles migrated from Thebes to Tiryns. [246]
In 1243 BC, Heracles migrated from Tiryns to Pheneus in Arcadia. [247]
15.4 Emigration to Rhodes
In 1215 BC, the Heracleidae, led by Heracles' son Hyllus, returned to Peloponnesus, but the following year they withdrew to Tricorythus in Attica. [248]
Licymnius, the brother of Heracles' mother Alcmena, who remained in Peloponnesus, died, and Heracles' son Tlepolemus led the Tirynthians and emigrated to Rhodes. [249]
Since the Acropolis of Tiryns was called Licymna after Licymnius, it is assumed that Licymnius' tomb was located there. [250]
Homer tells us that the Tirynthians, not the Mycenaeans, campaigned against Troy under the command of the Argives. [251]
However, since the time of Perseus, Tiryns has never been under the control of the Argos and should be described as a Mycenaean town.
15.5 Fall of Tiryns
In 468 BC, Tiryns, along with Mycenae, were destroyed by Argos. [252]
The Tirynthians migrated to Epidaurus and Halieis, east of the entrance to the Gulf of Argolis. [253]
16 Trozen
16.1 Founding of Troezen
In 1430 BC, Orus, who along with Danaus migrated from Egypt to Greece, settled in the southeastern part of Argolis, and the region became known as Oraea. [254]
Then Althepus, son of Leis, daughter of Orus, Saron, and the two sons of Alcyone, Hyperes and Anthas, and Aetius, son of Anthas, ruled the city.
In the time of Aetius, two sons of Pelops, Pittheus and Troezen, migrated from Pisa to Aetius and lived with him. [255]
Pittheus gathered the people together and founded a town, which he named Troezen, after his brother. [256]
Pittheus founded Troezen in 1285 BC. [257]
16.2 Exile from Attica
In 1264 BC, Pandion's adopted son Aegeus, exiled from Athens by the sons of Pallas, went into exile with Pittheus of Troezen. [258]
Pittheus was the father of Henioche, the wife of Canethus, brother of Chalcodon, the father of Aegeus' second wife Chalciope. In other words, Aegeus seems to have relied on Pittheus, the father of his step-sisters, through his wife Chalciope. [259]
Also, Alcathous of Megara may have introduced his brother Pittheus. [260]
In 1263 BC, Aegeus and Pittheus' daughter Aethra had a son, Theseus. [261]
Aegeus was estimated to be 55 years old at the time, and it is likely that Aegeus and Aethra were not officially married. [262]
16.3 Emigration to Attica
In 1262 BC, Aegeus returned to Athens with the help of Troezen's two sons, Anaphlystus and Sphettus. [263]
Two sons of Troezen, Anaphlystus and Sphettus, founded Anaphlystus and Sphettus in Attica. [264]
In 1256 BC, Theseus, son of Aegeus, saw Heracles, who had visited Pittheus, at Pittheus's mansion in Troezen. [265]
Pittheus was the brother of Nicippe, the mother of Alcmena, the mother of Heracles.
In 1247 BC, Theseus migrated from Troezen to Athens. [266]
Theseus lived in Troezen as the heir of Pittheus, but it is assumed that Theseus was summoned to Athens when Aegeus had no heir.
16.4 Emigration from Athens
In 1241 BC, Theseus sent his son Hippolytus, born of Antiope, to Troezen in his place to become Pittheus' heir. [267]
Hippolytus is said to have died when the bridle of his chariot got caught in a wild olive tree, causing his chariot to capsize. [268]
However, Hippolytus appears to have joined Epigoni with Diomedes of Argos and died in battle. [269]
Hippolytus and Diomedes were contemporaries, and in Troezen there was a shrine to Hippolytus, founded by Diomedes.
16.5 Colonization of Asia Minor
In 1070 BC, Anthes, a descendant of Aetius, son of Anthas, son of Alcyone, led a group of immigrants from Troezen and migrated to Caria, where he founded Halicarnassus and Myndus. [270]
The Anthes emigrants were included in the emigrants led by Althaemenes, son of Ceisus, son of Temenos of Argos. [271]
After settling in Rhodes, the Althaemene emigrants dispersed to Halicarnassus, Cnidus, and Cos. [272]
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