1 Introduction
One theory about the origin of the name Myrmidons is that it comes from ants, but this is actually a fictional story.
Strabo writes that the islanders were so named because they dug the earth like ants. [1]
However, Myrmidons is actually a collective term for the descendants of Myrmidon, son of Eurymedusa.
Myrmidon's real name was Triopas. [2]
Homer, in his Iliad, refers to the people led by Achilles, son of Peleus, as Myrmidons. [3]
All five of Achilles' generals were descendants of Myrmidon.
Achilles' foster father, Phoenix, who led the fourth legion under Achilles' command, was a Lapiths. [4]
However, Eupolemeia, the mother of Ormenus (or Ormenius), the father of Amyntor (or Armenius), the father of Phoenix, was the daughter of Myrmidon. [5]
2 Myrmidon, the Progenitor
2.1 Myrmidon's Mother's Hometown
Myrmidon's mother is said to have been Eurymedusa, daughter of the river god Achelaus. [6]
However, the river god in question was Cletor (or Clitor). [7]
The following facts suggest that the Achelaus River is not the river that borders Acarnania and Aetolia. [8]
1) Myrmidon married Pisidice, daughter of Aeolus, and they had two children: Antiphus and Actor. [9]
2) Actor's son, Eurytion, participated in the Calydonian boar hunt from Phthia. [10]
3) Antigone, daughter of Eurytion, was the wife of Peleus, son of Aeacus. [11]
Thus, Myrmidon's mother's hometown is presumably near the Achelaus River, which flows through a region called Paracheloitae near Lamia in southern Thessaly and joins the Spercheius River. [12]
Paracheloitae was in Phthia. [13]
2.2 History of Phthia
Phthia, or Phthiotis, is used as both the name of a region and a town.
In 1560 BC, Larissa, daughter of Pelasgus, son of Triopas, and her family led the Pelasgians of Argos and settled around the Dotium Plain in northeastern Thessaly. [14]
The area inhabited by Phthius, one of Larissa's sons, was called Phthiotis. [15]
In 1390 BC, the Pelasgians, led by Larissa's descendants, were expelled from Thessaly by the sons of Deucalion. [16]
Deucalion had four sons: Amphictyon, Orestheus, Marathonius, and Pronous. [17]
Amphictyon founded Antheia near Thermopylae in Locris. [18]
Orestheus (or Oreius) migrated to Ozolian Locris. [19]
Marathonius migrated to Sicyon. [20]
Pronous is believed to have migrated to the Dotium Plain in Thessaly, where the Pelasgians had disappeared. [21]
The name of the Dotium Plain in Thessaly is said to have been given by Dotus, son of Neonus, son of Hellen. This Hellen is believed to have been Pronous' son. [22]
2.3 Father of Myrmidon
Counting backwards from Peleus, the husband of Antigone, daughter of Eurytion, son of Actor, son of Myrmidon, the family tree places Myrmidon's birth in 1345 BC.
Furthermore, a family tree places Neonus, son of Hellen, born in 1370 BC.
It is presumed that Eurymedusa, daughter of Cletor, who lived in Paracheloitae in southern Thessaly, married Neonus, son of Hellen, who lived near the Dotium Plain, possibly in Phthia. [23]
Therefore, it is presumed that Myrmidon's father was Neonus, son of Hellen.
2.4 Mother of Cletor
A family tree places Eurymedusa's father, Cletor, born in 1405 BC.
At that time, the ancestors of the Dryopes (or Dryopians) lived near the Spercheius River near Paracheloitae, where Cletor lived. [24]
Dryops was the son of the river god Peneius and Polydore, daughter of Danaus. [25]
A genealogy suggests that Polydore's son, Dryops, was born in 1410 BC.
Dryops and Cletor were brothers, and it is believed that Cletor emigrated from his father's home to Paracheloitae.
Therefore, Cletor's mother is presumably Polydore, daughter of Danaus.
2.5 Cletor's Father
There are two clues that suggest Cletor's father.
1) First clue
Cletor's father is said to have been the river god Peneius, husband of Danaus' daughter Polydore. [26]
The Peneius River was in Thessaly and Eleia.
The Peneius River in Eleia was named after Aethlius, son of Aeolus, who migrated from Thessaly and founded Elis, sometime after 1385 BC. [27]
During the time of Cletor's father, the Peneius River existed only in Thessaly.
Therefore, Cletor's father is presumed to have lived near the Peneius River in northern Thessaly.
2) Second clue
How was long-distance marriage possible between a man living near the Peneius River in northern Thessaly and a woman living in Argos?
In 1420 BC, Dorus, son of Hellen, who lived near the Peneius River, migrated to near Mount Parnassus due to pressure from Cadmus and a large group of Thracians migrating south from Thracia. [28]
Some people did not migrate with Dorus but remained near the Peneius River.
Among them was Dorus's daughter, Iphthime, and her family. [29]
Iphthime had three sons: Pherespondos, Lycos, and Pronomos. One of them married Danaus' daughter, Polydore, and bore her a son, Dryops. [30]
It is believed that the long-distance marriage between Cletor's parents was made possible by the marriages of Polydore's sisters, Scaea and Automate, and Achaeus' sons. [31]
In 1435 BC, Achaeus, son of Xuthus, emigrated from Aegialus, north of the Peloponnesus, to Melitaea in Thessaly. [32]
In 1420 BC, Achaeus returned to Aegialus due to pressure from Cadmus and a large group of Thracians. Later, Achaeus's two sons, Archander and Architeles, married the daughters of Danaus of Argos. [33]
These marriages likely brought together Polydore and Iphthime's son.
Polydore married Iphthime's son, who lived near the Peneius River in Thessaly, and they had two sons, Dryops and Cletor.
In 1390 BC, the Pelasgians who lived in Thessaly were driven away by the sons of Deucalion and migrated to various places.
Iphthime's family settled near the Spercheius River, near the place where Iphthime's father, Dorus, had settled. [34]
Therefore, Cletor's father is likely one of Iphthime's three sons: Pherespondos, Lycos, or Pronomos.
3 Descendants of Myrmidon
Myrmidon was a branch of the Dorians, since the father of Deucalion, father of Proronous, father of Hellen, father of Neonus, father of Myrmidon, was Dorus.
The father of Iphthime, mother of father of Cletor, father of Eurymedusa, mother of Myrmidon was Dorus, the progenitor of the Dorians. [35]
Myrmidon married Pisidice, daughter of Aeolus. [36]
Aeolus was the son of Lapithus, and Myrmidon's wife was Lapiths. [37]
Myrmidon had three sons: Actor, Antiphus, and Erysichthon, and a daughter: Eupolemeia. [38]
By 1300 BC, when Myrmidon's son Actor inherited Phthia from his father, their race had come to be called the Myrmidons.
3.1 Antiphus (or Antippus), son of Myrmidon
Antiphus had a daughter, Hippea. [39]
Hippea married Elatus, son of Periphas, son of Lapithus, who lived near the Peneius River. [40]
3.2 Actor, son of Myrmidon
Actor had two wives: Aegina, daughter of Sicyon, and Damocrateia. [41]
Actor had many children.
3.2.1 Alope, daughter of Actor
Alope married Erytus (or Echion), son-in-law of her aunt Eupolemeia. [42]
3.2.2 Aeacus, son of Actor
3.2.2.1 Wives of Aeacus
Aeacus had two wives, Psamathe and Endeis (or Endais). [43]
Psamathe and Endeis were sisters, and their father was Scyrius (or Sciron, Chiron, Scirus), the father of Aegeus, king of Athens. [44]
Aeacus and Aegeus were therefore brothers-in-law.
After Pandion's death, Aeacus mediated the dispute between Pandion's son Nisus and Pandion's son-in-law Sciron over the succession to Megara. [45]
Aeacus, Nisus, and Sciron were brothers-in-law through Aegeus.
Aeacus was known for his piety at the time. [46]
3.2.2.2 Migration to Aegina
In 1287 BC, Aeacus migrated from Thessaly to Oenone in the Saronic Gulf, and the island later came to be called Aegina after his mother.
The connection between Aeacus's birthplace, Phthia, and Aegina, far away, is believed to have been established as follows:
Aeacus's mother, Aegina's sister Salamis, married Scyrius, who lived in Salamis. [47]
Aeacus appears to have settled in Aegina, near Salamis, where his aunt lived.
Before migrating to Aegina, Aeacus founded Dia. [48]
Aeacus led a large group of people from Dia to the island, which was also called Myrmidonia. [49]
Aeacus' two wives were the daughters of Scyrius' first wife, and were stepdaughters of Aeacus' aunt, Salamis.
Aeacus' two wives were therefore Aeacus' step-cousins.
Aeacus and Psamathe had a son, Phocus (or Phoeus). [50]
Aeacus and Endeis also had two sons, Peleus and Telamon. [51]
3.2.2.3 Descendants of Aeacus
Aeacus' sons and their descendants are discussed below.
3.2.3 Echecles, son of Actor
Echecles married Polymere, daughter of Phylas, who lived in Dryopia, and had a son, Eudorus. [52]
Eudorus led the second legion under Achilles. [53]
3.2.4 Menoetius, son of Actor
In 1262 BC, Menoetius emigrated from Phthia to Opus in Locris. Opus, son of Locrus, founded a town midway between Thermopylae and the Strait of Euripus, with Menoetius participating. Opus favored Menoetius and gave the town to Menoetius instead of handing it over to his own son, Cynus. Opus' son, Cynus, founded a town near Opus, also named Cynus. [54]
In 1224 BC, Menoetius participated in Heracles' attack on Eurytus. [55]
Eurytus, son of Melaneus, lived in Oechalia in Euboea. [56]
3.2.4.1 Abderos, son of Menoetius
Abderos was a favorite (minion) of Heracles. [57]
3.2.4.2 Patroclus, son of Menoetius
Menoetius married Philomela (or Polymele), daughter of Peleus, from Phthia, and had a son, Patroclus. [58]
Patroclus murdered Clitonymus, son of Amphidamas, and fled from Opus to Phthia to live with his maternal grandfather, Peleus. [59]
In Phthia there was Achilles, son of Peleus. Achilles was slightly younger than Patroclus, but was his uncle. [60]
Patroclus led an expedition to Troy with Achilles and was killed in battle. [61]
3.2.4.3 Myrto, Daughter of Menoetius
Tradition has it that Menoetius' daughter Myrto married Heracles and had a daughter, Eucleia. [62]
Menoetius was a friend of Heracles, but there is no legend that he was his stepfather. [63]
3.2.5 Ceyx, son of Actor
In 1250 BC, Ceyx migrated from Phthia across the Spercheius River toward Dryopia to the foot of Mount Oeta and founded Trachis. [64]
In 1246 BC, the Aenianians, who had long lived in the Dotium plain in northeastern Thessaly, fled to the area around Mount Oeta, pursued by the Lapiths led by Ixion and his son Peirithous. [65]
Later, when Heracles migrated to Trachis, the inhabitants of Trachis under Ceyx's rule were the Malians (or Melians). [66]
It is likely that the daughter of a Malian leader married Ceyx, and Ceyx became the leader of the Malians. [67]
The following suggests that the Malians were a branch of the Aenianians:
1) The Malians also lived in Echinus, at the foot of Mount Othrys, north of the Malian Gulf. [68]
2) The Aenianians expanded their range from Mount Oeta to Echinus at the foot of Mount Othrys. [69]
Ceyx had a son, Hippasus, and a daughter, Themistinoe. [70]
The Myrmidons who accompanied Ceyx from Phthia interbred with the Malians, a branch of the Aenianians, and changed their name to Malians.
The Malians spread their settlement from Trachis eastward around the Malian Gulf.
3.2.5.1 Hippasus, son of Ceyx
Hippasus fought alongside Heracles against Eurytus, ruler of Oechalia in Euboea, and was killed in battle. [71]
Hippasus' son, Hypsenor, participated in the expedition to Troy. [72]
3.2.5.2 Themistinoe, daughter of Ceyx
Some legends say that Themistinoe was the wife of Cycnus (or Cygnus) of Itonus, northwest of the Pagasetic Gulf, but this is likely fiction. [73]
Cycnus was a member of the Lapiths, who had driven out Themistinoe's mother's clan. Cycnus fought against Heracles and was killed in battle. [74]
3.2.6 Daedalion, son of Actor
The 1st-century AD poet Ovidius reports that Daedalion was the brother of Ceyx of Trachis, and Daedalion was likely also Actor's son. [75]
3.2.6.1 Daedalion's sons
The 5th-century BC historian Pherecydes reports that Deion's daughter, Philonis, had two sons, Philammon and Autolycus. [76]
The 1st-century BC theologian Conon reports that Philammon was the son of Heosphoros, who lived in Thoricus in Attica, and Philonis, daughter of Cleoboia. [77]
Heosphoros (or Eosphorus) means Dawn-bringer, and his human name is likely that of Deion, as reported by Pherecydes. [78]
Ovidius and Hyginus report Philammon and Autolycus as the sons of Daedalion's daughter Chione. [79]
However, Pausanias reports Autolycus as Daedalion's son. [80]
Genealogically, it seems more likely that Philammon and Autolycus were the sons of Daedalion himself, rather than the sons of Daedalion's daughter.
3.2.6.2 Daedalion's Wife
From the above, Daedalion's wife, Philonis (or Chione), was the daughter of Deion, who lived in Thoricus.
From the following, it is assumed that Deion, who lived in Thoricus, was Pandion, the eighth king of Athens.
Deion's son, Cephalus, was king of the Athenians. [81]
Cephalus, the son of Deioneus, lived in Thoricus. [82]
Deion's son, Cephalus, married Procris, daughter of Erechtheus, in Thoricus, Attica. [83]
Hyginus states that Nisus, king of Megara, who is said by many traditions to be the son of Pandion, was the son of Deion. [84]
In other words, it is assumed that Cephalus was the son of Pandion, king of Athens, also known as Deion (or Deioneus).
Daedalion's wife was the daughter of Pandion, King of Athens.
3.2.6.3 Autolycus, son of Daedalion
Autolycus lived near Mount Parnassus. [85]
Autolycus married Amphithea and had two children: a son, Aesimus, and a daughter, Anticlia. [86]
3.2.6.3.1 Aesimus, son of Autolycus
Aesimus was Anticlia's brother, and his son, Sinon, was Odysseus's cousin. [87]
Sinon lived in Argos and participated in the Trojan expedition. [88]
In Homer's tale, Sinon was left behind in Ilium with the Wooden Horse after the Achaeans left, and played a role in deceiving the Trojans. [89]
3.2.6.3.2 Antilia, daughter of Autolycus
Anticlia married Laertes, son of Arcesius, who lived in Ithaca. [90]
Anticlia and Laertes' long-distance marriage was made possible by their blood relationship.
Laertes was the son of Arcesius, son of Cephalus, son of Pandion, and Antilia was Laertes' second cousin.
3.2.6.4 Philammon, son of Daedalion
Philammon married Argiope, daughter of Charops, and had a son, Thamyris. [91]
Philammon and his son, Thamyris, were poets and won the hymn-singing contest at the Pythian festival. [92]
3.2.7 Haemon, son of Actor
Alcimedon, son of Laerces, son of Haemon, commanded the fifth legion under Achilles. Maemalus, father of Peisander, who commanded the third legion, is also believed to have been a son of Haemon. [93]
3.2.8 Pyttius, son of Actor
In 1280 BC, Pyttius emigrated from Phthia to Eleia on the Peloponnesus Peninsula and founded Buprasium near Salmone on the Enipeus River. [94]
Automedon, son of Diores, son of Amarynces, son of Pyttius, participated in the Trojan expedition and served as a chariot driver for Achilles. This suggests that Pyttius was also descended from the Myrmidon lineage and was a son of Actor. [95]
3.2.8.1 Amarynces, son of Pyttius
Amarynces succeeded his father as ruler of Buprasium, which was under the rule of Elis. He was appointed commander by Augeas, king of Elis, during Heracles's attack on Elis. [96]
Amarynces had two sons, Hippostratus and Diores. [97]
Hippostratus succeeded his father. [98]
Diores led part of the Eleian army in the expedition to Troy. [99]
Diores' son, Automedon, served as a chariot driver for Achilles. [100]
3.2.9 Eurytion, son of Actor
Eurytion succeeded his father as ruler of Phthia and had a daughter, Antigone.
In 1256 BC, Eurytion gave Antigone in marriage to Peleus, son of Aeacus.
Peleus was Eurytion's nephew. [101]
Antigone married her cousin Peleus and had a daughter, Polydora. [102]
Polydora married Borus, son of Perieres, who lived in Phthia near the Spercheius River. [103]
3.2.10 Ctimenus (or Irus), son of Actor
In 1275 BC, Ctimenus migrated from Phthia to Dolopia near Lake Xynian and founded Ctimene. [104]
Ctimenus and Demonassa's two sons, Eurydamas and Eurytion, appear in the story of the Argonauts' expedition. [105]
It is said that Amyntor of Dolopes fought Peleus, who is also believed to be the son of Ctimenus. Peleus took Amyntor's son Crantor as a hostage and made him his shield-bearer. [106]
However, Amyntor is believed to have been Peleus' cousin, so it is doubtful whether a battle ever took place between them.
3.3 Erysichthon, son of Myrmidon
Erysichthon (or Aethon) had a daughter, Mestra. [107]
Erysichthon lived near Dotium. [108]
In 1272 BC, Mestra married Autolycus, son of Deimachus, who lived in Trica. [109]
In 1260 BC, Autolycus migrated from Trica to Sinope on the southern coast of the Black Sea. [110]
The Myrmidons, who migrated with Mestra from near Dotium to Trica, also participated in the migration to Sinope. [111]
3.4 Eupolemeia (or Eupolemia), daughter of Myrmidon
Eupolemeia married Cercaphus, the brother of her mother, Pisidice. Cercaphus lived in Itonus. [112]
4 Phocus, son of Aeacus
There is a legend that Phocus was killed by his brothers-in-law, Peleus and Telamon, but this is a fabrication.
The tomb of Phocus, which Pausanias described as having seen in Aegina, is also presumably based on this legend. [113]
In 1264 BC, Aegina was involved in Minos's attack on Megara. [114]
Minos won the battle, and the Cretans settled in Aegina, living with Aeacus's family. [115]
In 1256 BC, Phocus, son of Aeacus, led the Myrmidons from Aegina to the area north of Phocus, near Naubolenses (later Drymaea). [116]
The city had been founded some time earlier by Naubolus, son of Ornytus, son of Lynceus, son of Deucalion, son of Abas, son of Lynceus. [117]
Phocus had two sons, Panopeus and Crisus. [118]
4.1 Panopeus, son of Phocus
Panopeus migrated from his father's home to near the border with Boeotia and founded Panopeus. [119]
Panopeus had a son, Epeius (or Epeus), and a daughter, Aegle. [120]
Epeius appears in the Trojan War epic as the builder of the Wooden Horse. [121]
Aegle married Theseus, king of Athens. [122]
4.2 Crisus, son of Phocus
In 1240 BC, Crisus migrated from near Naubolenses to the west of Delphi and founded Cirra (later Crisa). [123]
Crisus married Naubolus' daughter, Antiphateia, and had a son, Strophius. [124]
Strophius married Agamemnon's sister, Kydragora, and had two children: a son, Pylades, and a daughter, Astydameia. [125]
5 Telamon, son of Aeacus
In 1256 BC, Telamon emigrated from Aegina to Salamis and married Glauce, daughter of Cychreus. [126]
Telamon later married Eriboea (or Periboea), daughter of Alcathous. [127]
Telamon had two sons, Ajax (or Aias) and Teucer. [128]
5.1 Ajax, son of Telamon
Ajax married Lysidice, and had a son named Philaeus (or Philius). [129]
Lysidice was a descendant of Caeneus, son of Elatus of Lapiths. [130]
Ajax inherited Megara upon the death of his mother Eriboea's father, Alcathus. [131]
Ajax died during the Trojan campaign and was buried by Achilles' son, Neoptolemus. [132]
Ajax had two sons, Aeantides and Eurysaces, born during the Trojan campaign.
5.1.1 Philaeus, son of Ajax
Philaeus's wife is presumed to have been Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon.
The reasons for this are as follows:
1) There was a hero's mausoleum for Iphigenia in Megara, where Philaeus likely lived with his father, Ajax, king of Megara. [133]
2) Philaeus emigrated to Brauron in Attica. [134]
3) Iphigenia became a priestess of Artemis and is presumed to have died in Brauron. [135]
4) Iphigenia's brother, Hyperion, became king of Megara. [136]
Philaeus' descendants included Miltiades, son of Cypselus, who built the walls of Chersonese in the 6th century BC. [137]
Pausanias describes Miltiades as a general of Marathon, while Herodotus and Pherecydes report him as the son of Cypselus. [138]
5.1.2 Aeantides, son of Ajax
Aeantides was the son of Glauce, daughter of Cycnus (or Cygnus), whom Ajax captured during a battle with Cycnus in Colonae, south of Ilium. [139]
Aeantides is the eponym of Aeantis and likely lived near Marathon. [140]
At the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC, of the 1,360 Greek dead, 52 were Athenians, all of whom were from Aeantis. [141]
5.1.3 Eurysaces, son of Ajax
Ajax attacked Phrygia, across the Hellespont from Chersonese, and killed Teuthras and captured his daughter Tecmessa. [142]
Eurysaces was the son of Ajax and Tecmessa. [143]
Eurysaces lived in Melite, Attica, where he had a sanctuary. [144]
5.2 Teucer, son of Telamon
5.2.1 Migration to Cyprus
In 1225 BC, Teucer emigrated from Salamis to Cyprus and married Eune, daughter of Cinyras. [145]
Cinyras was a descendant of Cinyras, founder of Palaepaphos in Cyprus. [146]
Cinyras's mother was godmother to Amathus, the copper-producing city of Cyprus. Teucer's purpose in migrating there was to trade the precious ores mined in Amathus. [147]
Cinyras, along with King Midas, was synonymous with wealth. [148]
5.2.2 Founding of Salamis
In 1186 BC, Teucer traveled from Cyprus to Ilium to join his brother Ajax on his campaign against Troy. When Teucer arrived in Ilium, Ajax had already been killed in battle and the Achaeans had been defeated. [149]
Teucer returned to Cyprus, bringing with him the defeated Trojans who had wished to emigrate, and founded Salamis. [150]
5.2.3 Ajax, son of Teucer
In 1200 BC, Teucer's son Ajax emigrated to Cilicia Tracheia, north of Cyprus, and ruled the area around Olbe. [151]
In the 6th century BC, Solon of Athens persuaded Philocyprus, a resident of Aipeia, Cilicia, to help him build Soli on the plain below the city. Philocyprus is thought to be a descendant of Teucer's son Ajax. [152]
Aipeia was reportedly a fortified, barren land, and is believed to have been Cyinda (or Quinda), where Alexander the Great used it as a treasure trove. [153]
6 Peleus, son of Aeacus
6.1 Migration to Phthia
In 1256 BC, Peleus emigrated from Aegina to Phthia to live with Eurytion, son of Actor. Peleus married Eurytion's daughter Antigone, and had a daughter, Polydora. [154]
Antigone's father, Eurytion's father, Actor, was the father of Peleus's father, Aeacus, and Antigone was Peleus's cousin.
After Eurytion's death, Peleus succeeded him. [155]
6.2 Location of Phthia
The 5th-century BC historian Pherecydes reports that Peleus lived in Pharsalus and Thetideion. [156]
Pharsalus is likely the ancient town Strabo refers to as Palaepharsalus. Strabo states that Thetideion, named after Peleus' wife Thetis, was located near Pharsalus and Palaepharsalus. [157]
The 19th-century Royal Society member Leake estimates that Palaepharsalus was located half a mile east of the Pharsalus' acropolis. [158]
The Enipeus River flows along the east side of Pharsalus. Palaepharsalus, or Phthia, is believed to have been located near the Enipeus River east of Pharsalus.
6.3 Battle against the Centaurs
The first-century AD poet Ovidius reports that Peleus fought and conquered Amyntor, son of Ctimenus, of Dolopia, west of Phthia. [159]
However, Amyntor is thought to have been Peleus' cousin, and the actual battle is questionable.
In 1247 BC, Peleus took Amyntor's son Crantor as his shield-bearer. [160]
In 1246 BC, when the Lapiths and the Centaurs fought, Peleus sided with the Lapiths and fought against the Centaurs. [161]
Pisidice, the mother of Actor, father of Peleus's father Aeacus, was a Lapiths. [162]
6.4 Civil War in Iolcus
In 1236 BC, a civil war broke out in Iolcus, resulting in the death of Pelias' son Acastus. Peleus expelled the rebellious Minyans from Thessaly. [163]
During this battle, Peleus rescued Thetis and brought her back to Phthia. Thetis was presumably the wife of Acastus' son. [164]
Peleus married Thetis and had a son, Achilles. [165]
6.5 Phoenix
In 1230 BC, Phoenix, son of Amyntor, fled from Ormenium to Peleus in Phthia. Peleus gave him Dolopia. [166]
Phoenix fled to his father Amyntor's second cousin Peleus for refuge.
6.6 The Lineage of Thetis
6.6.1 Traditions about Thetis
Two traditions are available for speculating on the lineage of Thetis.
1) Pausanias reports that the mother of Phocus, Peleus's half-brother, was Thetis's sister. [167]
Pausanias also reports that Phocus's mother was Psamathe, daughter of Nereus. He seems to be referring to them as sisters through the sea god Nereus. [168]
2) Dictys of Crete reports that Thetis's father was Chiron.
Dictys does not identify Chiron as a centaur, but rather as the same as Nereus. [169]
6.6.2 Chiron, the Centaur
No historical source indicates that Thetis was the daughter of the centaur Chiron.
Nevertheless, the association of Thetis's father, Chiron, with the Centaur likely owes its origins to the influence of the 5th-century BC lyric poet Pindar and the 3rd-century BC epic poet Apollonius of Rhodes.
Pindar records that Peleus and Thetis held a feast on Mount Pelion. [170]
Apollonius tells us that the wife of Chiron, son of Philyra of Mount Pelion, bearing Peleus' son Achilles on her arm, making Chiron the Centaur was the grandfather of Achilles. [171]
However, the Centaurs were expelled from Thessaly by the Lapiths in 1246 BC, and the destruction of Iolcus and the marriage of Peleus and Thetis occurred in 1236 BC.
The Centaurs did not reside on Mount Pelion at the time of the events described by Pindar and Apollonius.
6.6.3 Father of Thetis
Thetis is said to be the daughter of the "Old Man of the Sea" or "Nereus." [172]
If Chiron, whom Dictys reports as Thetis's father, was a centaur living on Mount Pelion, then there is no connection to the "sea."
Hyginus reports that Chiron was the father of Endeis, the mother of Peleus and Telamon. [173]
Apollodoros, Pausanias, and Plutarch refer to "Chiron" as "Sciron." [174]
6.6.4 Nereus, Sea God
Plutarch reports that Menesthes, the son of Scirus' daughter in Salamis, was of the same generation as Theseus, the son of Aegeus. [175]
This means that Peleus and Theseus, members of the Argonauts, were of the same generation, and that a man named Scirus lived in Salamis during their grandfather's generation.
This person is presumed to be the same Scyrius, Aegeus's biological father, who gave his name to Scyros, a island north of Euboea. [176]
It is said that the Athenians in Aegeus' time lacked the skills to steer ships, so the Salaminians steered them. The Salaminians of that time were a sea people. [177]
Therefore, Scyrius of Salamis is presumed to have been the father of Thetis and the sea god Nereus.
In other words, Chiron, the father of Thetis, was Scyrius, the father of Aegeus and the maternal grandfather of Peleus and Telamon.
6.6.5 Father of Scyrius
Since Pandion, son of Cecrops, adopted Aegeus, son of Scyrius, and Aegeus succeeded Pandion as king of Athens, the following is inferred. [178]
In addition to Pandion, Cecrops had two sons: Cychreus and Scyrius (or Sciron, Chiron, or Scirus).
Cecrops and his sons were banished from Athens due to a dispute with his half-brother Metion. [179]
Cychreus emigrated to Salamis. [180]
Cychreus was a figure in Athens who was revered on an equal footing with the gods. [181]
Scyrius emigrated from Athens to Scyros. [182]
Scyrius was the husband of Chariclo, daughter of Cychreus, and their daughter, Endeis (or Endais), was the wife of Aeacus. [183]
When Cychreus of Salamis died without an heir, Scyrius left Scyros to his son and emigrated to Salamis. [184]
Scyrius's son, Aegeus, was adopted by Pandion. [185]
Theseus fled Athens to Scyros because of his father Aegeus's estate there. [186]
6.7 Death of Peleus
There is a legend that Peleus was driven out of Thessaly by Acastus after the Trojan War. If Peleus or Acastus were alive at the time, they would have been around 100 years old. [187]
In 1230 BC, Phoenix, son of Amyntor, emigrated to Peleus, who gave him Dolopia. [188]
This is likely the last reliable news of Peleus.
In 1227 BC, Heracles began a war against the Lapiths at the request of Aegimius.
Peleus, estimated to have been 53 years old at the time, does not appear in this battle. It is presumed that he died some time after accepting Phoenix. [189]
When Peleus died, his son Achilles was around 7 years old and was raised by Phoenix. [190]
Achilles was Phoenix's third cousin.
6.8 Philomela (or Polymele), daughter of Peleus
Philomela, daughter of Peleus and Polydora, daughter of Perieres, married Menoetius, son of Actor, of Opus, and had a son, Patroclus. [191]
Patroclus was older than Achilles, but was his nephew. [192]
6.9 Polydora, daughter of Peleus
Polydora, daughter of Peleus and Antigone, daughter of Eurytion, married Borus, son of Perieres, who lived near the Spercheius River, and had a son, Menesthius. [193]
Menesthius commanded the first legion under Achilles. [194]
6.10 Achilles, son of Peleus
Achilles was born in Phthia, the son of Peleus and Thetis. [195]
Achilles was estimated to have been 47 years old when he was killed in battle at Troy.
Considering that warriors such as Leonidas, a hero of Thermopylae, and Argyraspides, Alexander the Great's most powerful soldier, were over 60 years old, Achilles was a young warrior.
Achilles married Deidamia, daughter of Lycomedes of Scyros. [196]
Achilles had two sons, Neoptolemus (or Pyrrhus) and Oneiros. [197]
6.10.1 Oneiros, son of Achilles
Oneiros was killed in Phocis by Orestes, son of Agamemnon. [198]
Oneiros was likely killed in battle when Neoptolemus was killed in battle against the Delphians. Orestes's best friend, Pylades, lived in Cirrha near Delphi. [199]
6.10.2 Neoptolemus, son of Achilles
6.10.2.1 Trojan War
Neoptolemus was the son of Achilles and Deidamia, daughter of Lycomedes. [200]
After Achilles' death, Neoptolemus was reportedly summoned by an oracle to the battlefield of Troy. [201]
However, a genealogy indicates that Neoptolemus was 26 years old at the time of the fall of Troy.
Neoptolemus, along with his father, Achilles, led the Achaeans in an expedition to Troy to support Hector, son of Priam. After Achilles and Hector were killed in battle, the Achaeans migrated from Troad to various places. Neoptolemus, along with Hector's brother Helenus and Hector's wife Andromache, emigrated to the land of the Molossians. [202]
The Myrmidons changed their name to the Molossians.
6.10.2.2 Neoptolemus's Settlement
Neoptolemus traveled to the land of the Molossians and settled in the Ioannina Plain, near present-day Lake Pamvotis, north of Dodona. [203]
Neither Thucyides's "The History of the Peloponnesian War" nor Arrian's "The Anabasis of Alexander" mentions a specific town where the royal palace of Epirus was located.
It is likely that numerous unknown settlements were scattered there.
6.10.2.3 Neoptolemus's Death
In 1175 BC, Neoptolemus sacked Delphi and was killed in battle against Machaereus, son of Daetas, a Delphian. [204]
Neoptolemus is also said to have been killed by Orestes, who likely fought on the Delphian side with Pylades, who lived in Cirrha. [205]
7 Kingdom of Epirus
7.1 Succession in Epirus
Helenus founded Buthrotum near the coast west of Dodona. [206]
Leake believes Neoptolemus lived in Buthrotum. [207]
However, it is assumed that Neoptolemus lived in Hellopia and Helenus lived in Buthrotum.
After Neoptolemus' death, Helenus inherited the kingship of Epirus. [208]
Helenus then summoned Neoptolemus' son Molossus to Buthrotum and succeeded him. [209]
Helenus' son Cestrinus, born to Andromache, migrated from Buthrotum to a land a little closer to the Ambrasian Gulf and founded Cestria. [210]
After Molossus' death, the kingship of Epirus passed to Pielus, son of Neoptolemus, who lived in Hellopia, and his descendants ruled Epirus for generations. [211]
7.2 End of the Molossians
In the 2nd century BC, Epirus, home to descendants of the Myrmidons, sided with Perseus in the war between Rome and Perseus of Macedonia.
In 167 BC, the Roman army under the consul Aemilius Paullus sacked 70 towns in Epirus and sold 150,000 inhabitants into slavery. Most of the inhabitants of these towns were Molossians. [212]
8 Spread of Myrmidons Settlements
In 1300 BC, the Myrmidons were born in Phthia in Thessaly.
In 1287 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Phthia migrated to Aegina.
In 1280 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Phthia migrated to Eleia.
In 1275 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Phthia migrated to Dolopia.
In 1260 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Phthia migrated via Tricca to Sinope on the southern coast of the Black Sea.
In 1256 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Aegina migrated to Phocis, Phthia, and Salamis.
In 1250 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Phthia migrated to Trachis in southern Thessaly and changed their name to Malians.
Later, the Malians who lived in Trachis expanded their settlement to Echinus, at the foot of Mount Othrys, north of the Malian Gulf.
In 1225 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Salamis migrated to Cyprus.
In 1200 BC, the Myrmidons who lived in Cyprus migrated to Cilicia Tracheia.
In 1186 BC, the Myrmidons, who lived in Phthia, migrated to the area near Dodona and changed their name to the Molossians.
9 Greek Dark Ages
The Molossians, who changed their name from the Myrmidons, lived in Epirus.
The Malians, who changed their name from the Myrmidons, lived around the Malian Gulf.
The Myrmidons also lived in Sinope on the southern coast of the Black Sea, Salamis in Cyprus, and Cilicia Tracheia.
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