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.
A people led by Inachus' two sons, Aezeius (or Aegialeus) and Phoroneus, entered the Peloponnesus peninsula.
Aegialeus settled on the northern coast of the peninsula, and Phoroneus further south, on the east side of a small hill (later known as Larisa) at the edge of the plain. [1]
The town founded by Aezeius was called Aegialus (later Sicyon), and the town founded by Phoroneus was called Phoroneus (later Argos). [2]
Later, Colaenus, chased by Cecrops, the first king of Athens, founded Colonides from Mirinous in Attica to the west of the entrance to the Gulf of Messenia. [3]
The Colonides' settlement of Peloponnesus was about 200 years after that of the sons of Inachus.
2 Age of Phoroneus, son of Inachus
According to the 1st century BC chronicler Castor, the first king of Argos was Inachus. However, the first ruler of Argos was Phoroneus, son of Inachus. [4]
In the time of Phoroneus, there was already a battle with Aegialus.
Telchines and Caryatii are recorded as having fought against Phoroneus and Parrhasians. [5]
The Telchines were the tribe of Telchin (or Telchis), son of Aezeius, and the Caryatii were a tribe that lived in Tegea of Arcadia during the Roman period. [6]
The Parrhasians were a tribe that lived in the southern part of Arcadia during the Roman period.
The Parrhasians were a prestigious tribe to which Lycaon, who sent out many of his sons, and Evander, who migrated to Rome, belonged. [7]
In 1725 BC, Phoroneus' son Car migrated to Megara. [8]
In 1700 BC, Hermion, son of Europs, son of Phoroneus, founded Hermione on the south-eastern coast of Argos. [9]
3 Age of Apis, son of Phoroneus
Apis, who succeeded Phoroneus, also inherited the war against Aegialus and brought the city under his control. According to Castor's chronicle, Apis, the third king of Argos, was also the fourth king of Sicyon. [10]
Apis was killed by Thelxion, son of Telchin, son of Aezeius. [11]
The parent-child relationship from Aezeius to Thelxion was estimated from the relationship with Apis.
Their parentage is unknown in Castor's chronicle. [12]
Pausanias, referring to the Chronicle of Castor, records Apis as the son of Telchin and Thelxion as the son of Apis. However, Apollodoros reports that Apis had no children. [13]
4 Age of Argus, son of Niobe
Argus, son of Apis' sister Niobe, succeeded Apis. [14]
The father of Argus is presumed to be Arcas, son of Themisto, daughter of Phoroneus. [15]
5 Age of Criasus, son of Argus
Argus was succeeded by his son Criasus. [16]
In 1645 BC, Tiryns, brother of Criasus, founded Tiryns. [17]
In 1635 BC, Oenotrus, son of Lycaon, son of Pelasgus, son of Niobe, migrated to southwestern Italy and founded Pandosia. [18]
Pausanias notes that Oenotrus was the first Greek to emigrate to another country. [19]
Oenotrus' brother Peucetius migrated to the southeastern part of the Italian peninsula. [20]
In 1610 BC, Criasus' brother Peiras (or Peirasus, Peranthus) founded the temple of Hera in Argos. [21]
The first priestess was Peiras' daughter Callithyia. The statue of Hera was made by Argus from the pear tree of Tiryns. [22]
6 Age of Phorbas, son of Criasus
Criasus was succeeded by his son Phorbas (or Agenor, Ereuthalion, Piranthus). [23]
7 Age of Triopas, son of Phorbas
Phorbas was succeeded by his son Triopas. [24]
In 1580 BC, Triopas sent an immigrant group to Rhodes. [25]
In 1580 BC, the Mystery priest Trochilus migrated to Eleusis due to a conflict with Agenor, son of Triopas. [26]
Trochilus was the son of Callithyia, a priestess of the temple of Hera in Argos. [27]
8 Age of Iasus, son of Triopas
Triopas was succeeded by his son Iasus (or Inachus). [28]
8.1 Great move from Argos
In 1560 BC, there were migrations from Argos to other areas. During this period, no other tribes entered Argos, and the Pelasgians, the inhabitants of Argos, continued to live in the town. It is thought that the cause of migration was a long-term food shortage caused by climate change, rather than a temporary phenomenon such as river flooding caused by torrential rains.
In recent years, tree ring research on dead trees has revealed that there was a major volcanic eruption in Thera (present-day Santorini) in 1560 BC, which is thought to have caused climate change.
The inhabitants of Argos left the town and migrated to various locations in three major groups.
8.1.1 Emigration to Egypt, Lycia and Lesbos
Iasus sailed from the Peloponnesus peninsula with a group of emigrants, including his brother Xanthus and his daughter Io. Along the way, Xanthus landed in Lycia and colonized it. The emigrant party, including Iasus and his daughter Io, continued their voyage and reached Egypt. [29]
8.1.1.1 Emigration of Xanthus
Xanthus colonized some of the settlers in the basin of the Xanthus River in Lycia. Xanthus himself then sailed further north in search of better land.
Cyrnus, who was accompanying Xanthus, founded Cyrnus on the peninsula opposite Rhodes.
Xanthus himself colonized an uninhabited island called Issa. [30]
The island was called Pelasgia until 200 years later when it was renamed Lesbos after a new settler, Lesbos, son of Lapithes. [31]
8.1.1.2 Emigration of Iasus and his daughter Io
Iasus' daughter Io married Telegonus of Sais. Telegonus was the son of the founder of Sais, who had migrated to Egypt from Boeotia a generation earlier. [32]
The 4th century BC historian Callisthenes of Olynthus and the 3rd century BC historian Phanodemus of Athens state that the inhabitants of Sais were descendants of the Athenians. [33]
Epaphus, son of Io, expanded his power and founded Memphis. [34]
Herodotus states that the inhabitants of Athens at the time of Cranaus were Pelasgians called Cranaans. [35]
Cranaus was the son of Io, and it is thought that the Pelasgians who migrated from Argos to Egypt with Io migrated with Cranaus to Athens. [36]
Io was a priestess of the temple of Hera in Argos, and was called Isis in Egypt. [37]
8.1.2 Emigration to Arcadia
Pelasgus, son of Agenor, brother of Iasus, settled at the foot of Mount Lycaeus (modern Mt. Lykaion, 1,421m above sea level) in Arcadia, 70 km west-southwest of Argos. Pelasgus discovered edible oak nuts and taught them to the people. [38]
8.1.3 Emigration to Thessaly
A group led by the family of Larisa, daughter of Pelasgus, son of Triopas, moved to Thessaly. [39]
The name of Acropolis, west of Argos, and the town of Thessaly, near the river Peneius, were named after Larisa. From this it seems that until the time of Larisa she lived in Argos and moved with her sons to Thessaly. [40]
The Pelasgians, who migrated from Argos with Larisa, lived in the area between Larisa and the southeast coast on the banks of the Peneius in northern Thessaly. [41]
The lands of Larisa's three sons, Achaeus, Phthius, and Pelasgus, came to be called Achaia, Phthiotis, and Pelasgiotis, respectively. [42]
8.2 Argos after the Great Migration
Pausanias tells us that when Danaus appeared in Argos, Gelanor, son of Sthenelas, son of Crotopus, son of Agenor, son of Triopas, ruled the city. [43]
Danaus was the son of Belus, son of Libya, daughter of Epaphus, daughter of Io, son of Iasus, son of Triopas, and there are two missing generations in the genealogy passed down by Pausanias. [44]
This is probably because the person who left behind written records left Argos.
Therefore, no records of Argos remain between 1560 BC and 1430 BC.
The lineage of Linus, son of Psamathe, daughter of Crotopus, remained in Megara folklore as the story of the founding of Tripodiscus. [45]
9 Age of Danaus, son of Belus (1430-1420 BC)
9.1 Genealogy of Danaus
In 1560 BC, Iasus' daughter Io migrated from Argos to Egypt, married Telegonus of Sais, and Epaphus was born. [46]
Epaphus' daughter Libya had three sons, Agenor, Belus, and Lelex. [47]
Cadmus, son of Agenor, was a resident of Thebes in Egypt. [48]
This Thebes is probably a town in the Nile Delta, not Thebes in Upper Egypt.
Danaus, the son of Belus, and Lynceus, the son of Aegyptus, the son of Belus, were residents of Chemmis in the Nile Delta. [49]
So Danaus was the son of Belus, son of Libya, daughter of Epaphus, son of Io.
9.2 Emigration of Danaus
In 1430 BC, Belus' son Danaus emigrated from Egypt to Greece, likely due to pressure from the Egyptians.
At that time, the king of the Egyptians was Pharaoh Thutmose III of the 18th Dynasty. [50]
Thutmose III was the conqueror of Egypt and died in 1425 BC.
Danaus was accompanied by his brother Aegyptus and his father Belus' brothers Agenor and Lelex.
Agenor, the uncle of Danaus, did not go all the way to Greece, but settled on the way at Sidon in Phoenicia. [51]
Danaus emigrated to his ancestral land, Argos. [52]
Aegyptus settled in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesus peninsula. In Patrae was the tomb of Aegyptus, son of Belus. [53]
Lelex settled in the middle reaches of the Eurotas River in the southern part of the Peloponnesus Peninsula. He then left the land to his son Myles, who sought more land himself and settled in Megara. It was the land where Lelex's ancestor, Car, son of Phoroneus, migrated from Argos. [54]
9.3 Danaus' real name
Pausanias writes in five places in his writings that the father of Messene, who married Polycaon, son of Lelex, was Triopas. [55]
Triopas was the leader of the Greeks at the time in fame and power and lived in Argos. [56]
At the time of Polycaon and Messene's marriage, Danaus ruled Argos, and Triopas may have been an alias of Danaus, or perhaps his real name.
In the chronicle of Thutmose III, it is written that he received tribute from the land of Danaya (Tanaju), presumed to be Greeks. [57]
Danaya is the tribal name of Belus, the father of Danaus, and Danaus may have been coined from that tribal name to sound like a human name.
Or maybe Danaus was the father of Belus and the husband of Belus' mother Libya, and his grandson was called by the name of his grandfather.
The name of Danaus's twin brother Aegyptus also appears to be a coined word, made to sound like a human name.
9.4 War against indigenous peoples
Traditions do not agree on the battle between Danaus, who led a group of Egyptian immigrants, and Gelanor, son of Sthenelas (or Stheneleus, Sthenelus), who ruled Argos at the time. [58]
It is estimated as follows.
Danaus asks Gelanor to live with him and is rejected, but when a civil war breaks out in Argos, Gelanor is forced out of town and Danaus is accepted as a co-resident. [59]
Gelanor defected to Sicyon, whose common ancestor was Inachus. [60]
10 Age of Lynceus, son-in-law of Danaus (1420-1408 BC)
The names of 12 daughters of Danaus are known, but the names of his sons are unknown.
Danaus was succeeded by Lynceus, son of Aegyptus and husband of Danaus' eldest daughter Hypermnestra. [61]
10.1 Marriage with Achaeans
Early in the Lynceus era, an event of great importance occurred for what would become Argos.
In 1420 BC, Achaeus, then living in Melitaea of Thessaly, returned to his former home in Aegialus of northern Peloponnesus. [62]
Achaeus was forced to leave Thessaly due to the turmoil associated with the migration of Cadmus and Thracians, but many people who later became known as Achaeans also migrated with him.
Then Achaeus' two sons, Archander and Architeles, married Danaus' two daughters, Scaea and Automate, respectively. [63]
11 Age of Abas, son of Lynceus (1408-1387 BC)
11.1 Capture of Argos by Lamedon
Pausanias tells us that Lamedon of Sicyon fought against the two sons of Achaeus, Archander and Architeles. [64]
However, Lamedon, who appears in the lineage of King Sicyon, is two generations later than Archander.
Lamedon, who fought against Archander, is presumed to have been the son of Gelanor, who was driven from Argos by Danaus and exiled to Sicyon. [65]
In 1408 BC, Lynceus died and Lamedon occupied Argos, taking advantage of the disruption caused by the invasion of Cadmus and the Thracians. [66]
11.1.1 Founding of Abae
Abas, then a young boy, moved to Phocis and founded Abae. [67]
The people who immigrated to Greece with Abas' grandfather Danaus lived in Troezen, Lacedaemon, and Megara. It is unclear why Abas chose Phocis as his destination.
11.1.2 Emigration to Arcadia
Strabo reports that Mantineia in Arcadia was built on the basis of five settlements founded by the Argives. [68]
This Mantineia is thought to have been an old city that later came to be called Ptolis when a new city was built. The city founded by Mantineus, son of Lycaon, was located at the site of Ptolis. [69]
Aglaia, the daughter of Mantineus, married Abas, the son of Lynceus, probably due to their emigration from Argos. [70]
The settlers were led by Amphianax, son of Antimachus, son of Aegyptus, and Midea, daughter of Danaus. The tomb of Maera, daughter of Antaia, daughter of Amphianax, was near Mantineia. [71]
Amphianax's father, Antimachus, was the brother of Abas's father, Lynceus, and Amphianax and Abas were cousins.
The motive for Amphianax's migration, like that of Abas, was the occupation of Argos by Lamedon, and his migration is estimated to have occurred in 1408 BC.
11.2 Battle with Sicyon
In 1407 BC, two sons of Achaeus, Archander and Architeles, fought and won a battle against Lamedon who was occupying Argos and Sicyon. [72]
Also participating in this battle was Marathonius, son of Deucalion of Locris, who married Chrysorthe, daughter of Orthopolis of Sicyon. [73]
Dorus, the father of Deucalion, the father of Marathonius, was the brother of Xuthus, the father of Achaeus, the father of Archander, and Marathonius was a second cousin of Archander.
Additionally, Sisyphus, son of Aeolus, joined Archander and after the battle founded Ephyra (later Corinth) east of Sicyon. [74]
Aeolus, the father of Sisyphus, was the brother of Xuthus, the father of Archander's father Achaeus, and Sisyphus was a cousin of Archander's father.
Archander recalled Abas, son of Lynceus, from Abae to Argos, and became his guardian while he was still a boy. [75]
Archander was the husband of Abas' mother Hypermnestra's sister and Abas's uncle-in-law. [76]
After this battle, many Achaeans came to live in Argos along with Archander.
11.3 Emigration of the Achaeans to Messenia
In 1405 BC, Polycaon, son of Lelex the Lacedaemon, migrated to Messenia and founded Andania. A large number of people from Argos, the birthplace of Polycaon's wife Messene, took part in the construction of the town. [77]
These people were the Achaeans who had migrated with Archander from Thessaly via Aegialus to Argos some time ago.
Later, when the descendants of Polycaon died out, the inhabitants of Andania received successor from Thessaly. [78]
This migration led to the Achaeans settling widely from Corinth to Andania in Messenia.
11.4 Emigration of Archander to Egypt
In 1402 BC, after Abas's guardianship ended, Archander, son of Achaeus, emigrated to Egypt and founded Archandropolis in the Nile Delta. [79]
The town was about 40 km southwest of Chemmis, where Archander's wife Scaea spent her childhood. [80]
Archander was accompanied by his wife Cyrene, whom he had married in Thessaly, and his son Aristaeus. [81]
12 Age of Proetus, son of Abas (1387-1370 BC)
12.1 Expulsion of Acrisius
In 1387 BC, when Abas, son of Lynceus, died, Proetus, son of Abas, exiled his twin brother Acrisius from Argos. [82]
The two were estimated to be 13 years old at the time, and it was not an act of their own volition, but rather a factional dispute between the forces responsible for both.
There were two main groups of people living in Argos at the time.
One was the Achaeans, who migrated from Thessaly to Argos with the two sons of Achaeus, Archander and Architeles.
The other were the ancient inhabitants of Sicyon, who had migrated from Sicyon, where they had been replaced by the rulers of Aeolis, relying on their kin.
Proetus builds the temple of Hera on the shores of Sicyon. [83]
From this it can be assumed that the supporters of Proetus were immigrants from Sicyon, new residents of Argos, and Pelasgians, who had lived in Argos since ancient times.
On the other hand, it was the Achaeans who supported Acrisius.
12.2 Acrisius after exile
Driven from Argos, Acrisius went to live with Archander, the guardian of his father Abas, who had recently immigrated from Argos to Egypt, where he remained for 17 years. [84]
Acrisius married Aganippe, presumed to be the daughter of Archander and Scaea, and they had a daughter, Danae. [85]
Acrisius was in Egypt waiting for an opportunity to return home. It is assumed that Nauplius, the founder of Nauplia, cooperated with Acrisius. [86]
Nauplius' mother was Amymone, daughter of Danaus, and his father was an Egyptian who had emigrated to Argos with Danaus. [87]
Dictys, a descendant of Nauplius, lived in Seriphus and later became a patron of Perseus, grandson of Acrisius. [88]
13 Age of Acrisius, son of Abas (1370-1339 BC)
13.1 Return of Acrisius and battle with Proetus
In 1370 BC, Acrisius successfully returned from Argos 17 years after being forced out and took the city back from Proetus. [89]
There is a legend that Proetus defected to Lycia, but he is confused with Bellerophon, who became Iobates' son-in-law. Later, Proetus invited the Cyclopes, a group of craftsmen who built walls from Lycia, and this seems to have given rise to a confusing tradition. [90]
Proetus' exile was Mantineia in Arcadia, the birthplace of his mother Aglaia. [91]
Amphianaax of Mantineia was the son of Antimachus, brother of Lynceus, father of Abas, father of Proetus. So Amphianaax was a cousin of Proetus' father.
At Mantineia, Proetus married Steneboea, daughter of Amphianax. [92]
Steneboea was a second cousin of Proetus.
In 1368 BC, Proetus, with the aid of Amphianax, captured Tiryns. [93]
Proetus fought against Acrisius of Argos, but was unsuccessful. [94]
The two sides reconciled, with Acrisius holding Argos and Proetus holding Tiryns, Heraeum, Mideia, and the coastal areas of Argolis. [95]
Proetus then invited Cyclopes from Lycia to strengthen the walls of Tiryns. [96]
13.2 Perseus, Successor of Acrisius
Acrisius had a son named Philammon, who was killed in battle with the Phlegyans who ravaged Delpi. [97]
The battle against the Phlegyans was carried out by Acrisius, who had many Achaeans among his inhabitants, as a member of the Amphictyons. Later, Acrisius organized the Amphictyons. [98]
Acrisius also had a son named Apesantus, who became the godfather of a mountain near the Inachus river, but he died in an accident. [99]
In 1349 BC, having lost his heir, Acrisius brought Perseus, the son of Danae from Egypt, back to Argos to succeed him. Some legends say that Perseus was forcibly taken away from his mother, Danae, who had another son, Daunus. [100]
In 1343 BC, Perseus murdered Acrisius' brother Proetus and defected to Seriphus, where he received protection from Dictys and his wife Clymene. [101]
Dictys was the son of Peristhenes, son of Damastor, son of Nauplius, son of Amymone, daughter of Danaus. [102]
Nauplius was the founder of Nauplia, and his father had emigrated from Egypt to the Peloponnesus peninsula with Danaus. Dictys and Perseus were of the same race, descended from the daughter of Danaus. [103]
The 2nd century AD writer Apollodoros, probably referring to Hesiod, tells us that Dictys and Polydectes were the sons of Magnes, son of Aeolus. However, Hesiod does not record their relationship with Perseus and Seriphus. [104]
Seriphus was close to Nauplia and was probably a fishing base and a supply point for routes from Argos to Crete and elsewhere.
13.3 Marriage of Perseus
Perseus went to Cepheus, son of Belus, who lived in the land of the Ethiopians, and married his daughter Andromeda. [105]
The Ethiopians' land was located near the mouth of the Aesepus River in the northwest Anatolia Peninsula. There was the village of Memnon, and the tomb of Memnon, son of Tithonus, who led the Ethiopians to Troy. [106]
It is thought that the people living near the mouth of the Aesepus River were also called Ethiopians because their physique and appearance resembled the Ethiopians who lived south of Egypt.
Cepheus is an immigrant from Egypt, and the marriage of Perseus and Andromeda suggests that.
Cepheus's father Belus was an Egyptian Greek descent who lived in Egypt. Belus' father is believed to be Archander, the son of Achaeus, who emigrated from Argos to Egypt and founded Archandropolis in Nile Delta. The father of Perseus is thought to have been Pilumnus, son of Metanastes, son of Archander. [107]
In other words, Perseus and Andromeda were second cousins.
13.4 Introduction of medical techniques
The Suda Dictionary tells us that the Egyptian Apis brought medicine to Greece and that Asclepius developed the technique. [108]
Aeschylus writes that Apis came from Naupactus on the other side of the land of the Argives and cured the plague. [109]
It seems that both Apis are the same person.
However, Naupactus in Ozolian Locris is a town founded upon the return of the Heracleidae. [110]
Asclepius predates the return of the Heracleidae, and according to Suda, Apis predates Asclepius.
If Naupactus, as written by Aeschylus, is an error in Nauplia, then the relationship between Apis and Asclepius can be inferred as follows.
The founder of Nauplia was Nauplius, son of Amymone, daughter of Danaus, and the town's inhabitants were immigrants from Egypt. [111]
Apis, who had knowledge of medicine, is presumed to have accompanied Acrisius or Perseus from Egypt to Greece. [112]
Acrisius was married to Eurydice, daughter of Lacedaemon, and the wife of Amyclas, Eurydice's brother, was Diomede, daughter of Lapithus, the founder of the Lapiths, who lived in Thessaly. [113]
Asclepius was the son of Ischys, son of Elatus, son of Periphas, Diomede's brother. It is assumed that the knowledge of Apis medicine first passed to the Lapiths, and then Asclepius developed the technique. [114]
13.5 Death of Acrisius
There are many legends about the death of Acrisius, but they are all fiction. [115]
Acrisius died at the age of 61 and was buried in Larissa.
That Larissa was not the Larissa of Thessaly as reported by Pausanias and Apollodoros. [116]
Acrisius' tomb was in the temple of Athena on the Acropolis of Argos. [117]
Acropolis of Argos was called Larissa. [118]
14 Age of Megapenthes, son of Proetus (1339-1310 BC)
14.1 Conflict with Mycenae
After the death of Acrisius in 1339 BC, Megapenthes, son of Proetus, moved to Argos. [119]
Megapenthes was a direct grandson of Abas, king of Argos, and seems to have been more welcomed by the Argives than his collateral great-grandson, Perseus.
In 1334 BC, Perseus returned to the Peloponnesus peninsula with the help of Dictys of Seriphus and the Ethiopians. Perseus, along with the Achaeans who had been driven from Argos, captured Tiryns, founded Mycenae across Argos, and surrounded it with strong walls. [120]
In 1310 BC, Megapenthes killed Perseus to avenge his father Proetus. [121]
The conflict that had been going on since the age of Acrisius and Perseus led to a conflict between Argos of the Argives and Mycenae of the Achaeans.
When Eurystheus of Mycenae attacked the sons of Heracles in Attica in 1217 BC, the Argives did not send any reinforcements to Eurystheus.
Also, when the Argives attacked Thebes in 1215 BC, the Mycenaeans did not participate in the expedition. [122]
14.2 Conflict with Abae
The fate of Abae, founded by Abas, son of Lynceus, is unknown after its founding.
However, there are three clues to its whereabouts.
1) Strabo introduces the theory that the Abantes of Euboea were Thracians who came to the island from Aba of Phocis. [123]
2) Hyginus tells us that "Abas killed Megapenthes because of his father Lynceus." [124]
3) Aristippus mentions Deucalion, son of Abas, in "The history of Arcadia." [125]
Based on the above clues, it is estimated as follows.
Abas, the son of Lynceus, had taken his wife from Mantineia in Arcadia, and was closely related to Arcadia.
The Deucalion mentioned by Aristippus was the son of Abas, son of Lynceus, and inherited the Abae founded by his father.
Abas, who killed Megapenthes, was the father of Chalcodon, and Abas's father was Lynceus, who was killed by Megapenthes.
Lynceus was the son of Deucalion, who inherited Abae, and is thought to have sided with Acrisius in the conflict between Acrisius and Proetus.
Thus, the progenitor of the Abantes of Euboea was Abas, son of Lynceus, son of Deucalion, brother of Acrisius.
In 1310 BC, Abas migrated from Abae in Phocis to Chalcis in Euboea.
15 Age of Anaxagoras, son of Argeus
15.1 Cession of Argos
When Anaxagoras inherited Argos, Mycenae was ruled by Sthenelus, son of Perseus. Sthenelus married Pelops' daughter Nicippe (or Archippe), his two brothers also married Pelops' daughters, and Mycenae was growing in power. [126]
In 1290 BC, Anaxagoras, son of Argeus of Argos, attempted to counter the Mycenae by ceding part of Argos to his aunt Iphianeira's husband Melampus and his brother Bias. [127]
15.2 Emigration to Boeotia
In 1270 BC, Hyettus of Argos murdered Molurus, the son of Arisbas. Hyettus migrated to Boeotia, divided the land north of Lake Copais with Orchomenus, son of Minyas, and founded Hyettus. [128]
Orchomenus, the son of Minyas, belongs to Aeolis, so Hyettus seems to be the son of Bias, who also belongs to Aeolis. Also, Arisbas, the father of Molurus, appears to be the son of Melampus. [129]
15.3 Emigration to Calydon
The Hyettus incident led to a conflict between Melampus' two sons, Abas (or Manto, Mantius) and Mantius (or Antiphates).
In 1264 BC, Mantius fled to Calydon, where his aunt Aeolia was married. [130]
Aetolus, the father of Aeolia's husband Calydon, had been driven from Elis by Salmoneus, the grandfather of Amythaon, the father of Melampus. However, Calydon, the son of Aetolus, who had many residents from Elis, seems to have married Amythaon's daughter Aeolia in an attempt to improve his relationship with Elis.
At the time of Calydon's marriage, King Elis may have been Augeas's father, Eleius, who was also a grandson of Salmoneus and a cousin of Amythaon. [131]
Afterwards Oecles (or Oicles, Oileus, Oecleus), son of Mantius, married Hypermnestra, daughter of Thestius of Pleuron. [132]
Amythaon's daughter Aeolia was the wife of Calydon, brother of Pleuron, the father of Thestius, and Oecles married the daughter of Thestius, the step-nephew of Aeolia, the sister of his grandfather Melampus.
16 Age of Alector, son of Anaxagoras
16.1 Visit of Dionysus (Oenarus)
In 1250 BC, a group carrying the rituals of Dionysus visited Argos. [133]
The group was led by Oenarus, the priest of Dionysus of Naxos, and his wife Ariadne.
In their company were the daughters of Oenarus and the daughters of Leucippus, son of Naxos. [134]
It was Melampus, son of Amythaon, who invited them. [135]
Minos' daughter Ariadne died during this journey and was buried at Argos. [136]
16.2 Return from Calydon
In 1247 BC, Melampus' son Mantius returned to Argos with his son Oecles and his grandson Amphiaraus. [137]
The Mantius family fought against Abas, son of Melampus, who drove them out of Argos, and against the descendants of Bias, who sided with him. Talaus, son of Bias, was killed by Amphiaraus, son of Oecles. [138]
Those who lost the battle migrated from Argos to other places.
16.2.1 Cooperation with Eurystheus
It is assumed that Eurystheus of Mycenae assisted in the return of Mantius for the following reasons.
1) Oecles, son of Mantius, took part in Heracles' later attack on Elis.
2) It seems that Eurystheus, through Oecles' son Amphiaraus, pressured Oeneus of Calydon to force Heracles to leave Calydon.
Mycenae and Argos were in conflict, but Mantius was not a descendant of Megapenthes, son of Proetus, who was the cause of the conflict.
16.2.2 Emigration elsewhere
Polypheides, son of Abas, migrated to Hyperesia in Achaia. [139]
Coeranus (or Cleitus), son of Abas, migrated to Corinth. [140]
Thestor, the son of Idmon, the son of Abas, migrated to Megara. [141]
Abas himself moved to Phyllus, near Larissa in Thessaly. [142]
Phyllus was the town where Melampus, the father of Abas, was born. [143]
And Adrastus, son of Talaus, son of Bias, defected to Polybus of Sicyon. [144]
Adrastus' mother Lysianassa was the daughter of Polybus, who was Adrastus' grandfather. [145]
Furthermore, Melampus himself left Argos, migrated to Megara, and died at Aegosthena, near Mount Cithaeron. [146]
16.3 Heracles' attack on Elis
When Heracles attacked Augeas of Elis in 1241 BC, the Argives were also present. [147]
The leader of the Argives was Oecles, son of Mantius, son of Melampus. At that time, due to internal conflict in Argos, only the Oecles family remained in Argos, the descendants of Melampus and Bias. [148]
Oecles is said to have gone on an expedition to Troy with Heracles and was killed by Laomedon. [149]
Pausanias doubts that Oecles' tomb was in Arcadia. However, it was Elis, not Troy, that Oecles went on an expedition with Heracles. [150]
It is presumed that the reason Heracles chose Calydon as his next migration destination after the attack on Elis was because he had heard about it from Oecles. [151]
Oecles fled from Argos with his father Mantius and lived in Calydon for over twenty years. [152]
17 Age of attack on Thebes
17.1 Return of Adrastus to Argos
In 1238 BC, Adrastus, who had been exiled to Polybus of Sicyon, made peace with Amphiaraus and returned to Argos. [153]
The death of Amphiaraus' father Oecles while participating in Heracles' attack on Elis, and the increased threat from Mycenae, were factors that made Amphiaraus' return possible. [154]
Amphiaraus married Adrastus' sister Eriphyle. [155]
Amphiaraus and Eriphyle were of the same race, with Amythaon as their common ancestor.
17.2 Succession of Sicyon by Adrastus
In 1236 BC, Adrastus was invited by Sicyon to succeed his grandfather Polybus. [156]
In 1232 BC, Adrastus returned to Argos, ceding the throne to Ianiscus, a descendant of Clytius. [157]
17.3 Exile of Tydeus
In 1226 BC, Tydeus, son of Oeneus, defected from Calydon to Adrastus and married Adrastus' daughter Deipyla. [158]
Aeolia, the mother of Oeneus, the father of Tydeus, was the sister of Bias, the father of Talaus, the father of Adrastus. Thus, Tydeus and Adrastus were second cousins, having a common great-grandfather, Amythaon. [159]
17.4 Exile of Polyneices
In 1225 BC, Polyneices, son of Oedipus, defected from Thebes to Adrastus and married Adrastus' daughter Argia. [160]
The adoptive father of Polyneices' father, Oedipus, was Adrastus's maternal grandfather, Polybus, and it is likely that Polyneices and Adrastus knew each other. [161]
17.5 Funeral of Oedipus
In 1223 BC, the funerary games of Oedipus were held at Thebes, in which Adrastus' brother Mecisteus took part. [162]
Polyneices, in exile with Adrastus, sent his wife Argea to attend Oedipus's funeral. [163]
Polybus, the father of Mecisteus' mother Lysianassa, was Oedipus' adoptive father, and Mecisteus and Oedipus were related.
Amphiaraus, son of Oecles, also accompanied Argea and took part in the burial of Oedipus. [164]
Polyneices' wife Argea's condolence calls lead to Polyneices being invited by Eteocles to return to Thebes, but their relationship becomes irreparable.
17.6 Adrastus Attacks Thebes
Adrastus went on an expedition to Thebes to bring back Polyneices. Participants from Argos are as follows. [165]
Tydeus, husband of Deipyla (or Deipyle), daughter of Adrastus.
Capaneus, son of Astynome, sister of Adrastus.
Eteoclus, brother of Evadne, wife of Capaneus, son of Astynome, sister of Adrastus.
Hippomedon, son of Metidice, sister of Adrastus.
Amphiaraus, husband of Eriphyle, sister of Adrastus.
Mecisteus, brother of Adrastus.
Parthenopaeus, brother of Adrastus.
In 1215 BC, Adrastus led the Argives overland from Argos, over Mount Cithaeron, and defeated the Thebans, who waited outside the Electran gate. [166]
17.7 Epigoni's attack on Thebes
In 1205 BC, ten years after Adrastus' attack on Thebes, the Argives, commanded by Alcmaeon, son of Amphiaraus, again campaigned against Thebes. [167]
The Argives, led by Alcmaeon, reached Aulis by sea, and from there set out for Thebes. [168]
Laodamas, the son of Eteocles, went out from Thebes and encamped in Glisas. [169]
There was a battle in Glisas, and the Argives were victorious. Many people were killed in this battle, including Aegialeus, son of Adrastus, and Promachus, son of Parthenopaeus. [170]
Thersander, son of Polyneices, became king of Thebes. [171]
17.8 Emigration of Alcmaeon
In 1204 BC, Alcmaeon, son of Amphiaraus, went on an expedition at the request of the Thebans, whom he had captured. They headed for Illyria, where Laodamas, son of Eteocles, had migrated, but on the way some of the captives founded Astacus near the mouth of the Achelous River. [172]
After Alcmaeon sent his remaining captives to Illyria, Alcmaeon himself founded Argos (later Argos-Amphilochicum) near the Gulf of Ambracia. [173]
17.9 Diomedes' Aetolia Expedition
In 1202 BC, Diomedes, son of Tydeus, went on an expedition to Aetolia to retake the territory of his grandfather Oeneus, who had been driven from Calydon. [174]
Diomedes is said to have enlisted Alcmaeon, the son of Amphiaraus, who led the Epigoni, as a partner in this expedition. [175]
But the exiles of Oeneus were Agrius, son of Parthaon of Pleuron, and his sons.
They were cousins and grandsons to Alcmaeon through Hypermnestra, daughter of Thestius of Pleuron, wife of Alcmaeon's grandfather Oecleus. [176]
It is unlikely that Alcmaeon took part in battles against his kin.
Hygnius tells us that Sthenelus, son of Capaneus, went on an expedition to Aetolia with Diomedes. Judging from the friendship between Diomedes and Sthenelus, it seems that Diomedes' collaborator was Sthenelus. [177]
Diomedes left Aetolia in charge of Andraemon, the husband of Oeneus' daughter Gorges, who lived in Amphissa. [178]
17.10 Royal Tombs of Argos
Pausanias tells us that there was a burial ground for the Argos royal family at a place called "Delta". [179]
There were the tombs of Hypermnestra, the daughter of Danaus, Hypermnestra, the mother of Amphiaraus, and Talaus, the son of Bias.
In other words, the tombs of the three Argos royal families were located in one place.
18 Trojan War Era
18.1 Participants from Argos
In addition to Achaeans, Homer's Iliad also features many Argives and Danaans.
However, there is no evidence that any of the participants from Argos participated in the Troy expedition, such as having a grave in Troy or emigrating to Asia Minor.
It is also said that the following person emigrated to another country after participating in the expedition, but this does not apply.
It is presumed that the Argives had nothing to do with the Trojan War.
18.1.1 Calchas, son of Thestor
Idmon, the father of Thestor, the father of Calchas, was the son of Abas, the son of Melampus, and lived in Argos. [180]
In 1247 BC, due to internal conflict in Argos, Melampus' son Abas' family migrated to various places.
Thestor, the son of Idmon, the son of Abas, migrated to Megara. [181]
Calchas, son of Thestor, took part in the expedition to Troy with Ajax, son of Telamon, rather than with the Argives. [182]
18.1.2 Amphilochus, son of Amphiaraus
In many historical sources, Amphiaraus' son Amphilochus is said to have participated in the expedition to Troy. [183]
However, it has been confused with Amphilochus, which was born in Colophon of Asia Minor and died in Mallus in Cilicia. [184]
This Amphilochus was not Amphilochus, son of Amphiaraus, but the son of his brother Alcmaeon and Manto, daughter of Tiresias. [185]
Amphilochus, son of Amphiaraus, migrated with his brother Alcmaeon to northwestern Greece and did not live in Argos during the Trojan War.
19 Era after the Trojan War
19.1 Emigration of Diomedes
Legend has it that Diomedes, son of Tydeus, learned of his wife's infidelity after returning home from Troy and left Argos. [186]
However, Diomedes did not go to Troy, and the cause of his migration seems to have been pressure from Mycenae.
Diomedes went to Aetolia, the old territory of his grandfather Oeneus, but in 1184 BC he moved across the sea to Apulia, on the eastern coast of the Italian peninsula. [187]
19.2 Disappearance of the three royal families of Argos
The three royal families of Argos disappeared from Argos in the following way.
The Melampous royal family gradually emigrated from Argos due to internal conflicts, the last being the emigration of the sons of Amphiaraus in 1204 BC.
In 1184 BC, Diomedes, son of Tydeus, migrated to Aetolia. [188]
Diomedes' mother, Deipyla (or Deipyle), was the daughter of Adrastus, son of Talaus, son of Bias, and Diomedes was a member of the royal family of Bias.
Afterwards, Cyanippus, the son of Aegialeus, died without leaving any heirs, and the royal family of Bias became extinct. [189]
In 1176 BC, Cylarabes, son of Sthenelus, died childless, ending the Anaxagoras royal family. [190]
Argos was captured by Orestes, son of Agamemnon of Mycenae. [191]
20 Age of the return of the Heracleidae
20.1 Capture of Argos
In 1110 BC, Tisamenus, son of Orestes, lost a battle with the Heracleidae and was exiled to Argos. [192]
Temenus, son of Aristomachus, who led the Heracleidae, built a fort in Temenium, south of Argos, and besieged Argos. [193]
At this time, Erginus, a descendant of Diomedes, stole the statue of Palladium, the patron god of Argos, and cooperated with Temenus. [194]
After the death of Diomedes, his son Amphinomus migrated from the Italian peninsula to Aetolia, and his son Erginus lived in Argos. [195]
Erginus and Temenus had a common ancestor, Oeneus of Calydon.
In 1107 BC, Tisamenus surrendered Argos to Temenus and moved to Sparta.
20.2 Mycenae and Tiryns
Orestes of Mycenae, after capturing Argos, moved to Tegea, also taking most of Arcadia under his control. [196]
The subsequent movements of Mycenae and Tiryns are unknown.
It is likely that the two well-defended Achaeans were besieged and the Dorians were unable to attack.
This is evidenced by the fact that Argos, which became a city of Dorians, later destroyed two other cities. [197]
20.3 Capture of Epidaurus
In 1102 BC, Temenus' son-in-law, Delphontes (or Deiphontes), son of Antimachus, attacked Epidaurus and took the city from Pityreus, a descendant of Ion, son of Xuthus. [198]
Pityreus led the inhabitants of Epidaurus to migrate to Athens. [199]
Delphontes settled in Epidaurus the Ionians who had accompanied him from Tetrapolis in Attica. [200]
20.4 Capture of Phlius
In 1087 BC, Rhegnidas, son of Phalces, son of Temenus, attacked Phlius and captured the city. [201]
Hippasus of Phlius migrated to Samos. [202]
21 Age of Dorians's Argos
21.1 Age of Ceisus, son of Temenus
In 1100 BC, Temenus was killed by his sons for favoring his daughter Hyrnetho and her husband Deiphontes. [203]
Temenus was succeeded by his son Ceisus. [204]
Ceisus built a new Argos, gathering together the people who had lived in scattered places. [205]
In 1073 BC, Isthmius, son of Temenus, assisted Aepytus, son of Cresphontes, in returning to Messenia. [206]
21.2 Emigration to Rhodes
In 1070 BC, Althaemenes, son of Ceisus, son of Temenos, led Dorians and Pelasgians from Argos to colonize Crete. [207]
Later, Althaemenes hisself moved to Rhodes and founded three towns: Lindos, Ialysos, and Kameiros. [208]
In 1213 BC, Tlepolemus migrated from Tiryns to Rhodes and founded the same three towns, so Althaemenes seems to have co-dwelled with them. [209]
Althaemenes's emigrants also included the Dorians living in Megara. [210]
The rulers of Rhodes changed to the Telchines, Heliadae, Phoenicians, Carians, and then the Dorians ruled Rhodes. [211]
Cleobulus of Lindos in Rhodes, one of the seven sages of Greece, is presumed to be a descendant of Althaemenes. [212]
The Dorians of Rhodes later migrated to Halicarnassus, Cnidus, and Cos. [213]
21.3 Battle with Sparta
In 870 BC, Echestratus, son of Agis of Sparta, expelled men of prime age from Cynuria, near the border of Laconia and Argolis. [214]
In 860 BC, Merops, son of Thestius of Argos, fought against Labotas, son of Echestratus, for Cynuria, but the battle was unsuccessful. [215]
21.4 Golden Age of Dorians's Argos
In 760 BC, Pheidon, son of Aristodamis, established weights and measures and coined silver coins. [216]
Pheidon even had control over Corinth. [217]
In 748 BC, Pheidon also exerted influence over Eleia, and Pisa, which had friendly relations with Argos, hosted the Olympiad. [218]
21.5 Caranus, founder of Macedonia
In 750 BC, Pheidon's son Caranus led a group of immigrants to Edessa (later Aegaeae) near Mt. Bermius. [219]
It is thought that Pheidon's silver coin minting was closely related to Caranus' selection of a place to settle.
At that time, it was said that Paeonia could find nuggets of gold by digging in the ground. [220]
Caranus first expelled the inhabitants of Pieria. The expelled Pierians migrated across the Strymon River to near Mt. Pangaeus. [221]
Caranus fought against Cisseus, ruler of an adjacent region, and was victorious. [222]
Cisseus is presumed to be a descendant of Iphidamas' grandfather Cisseus, who was killed by Agamemnon at Troy. [223]
21.6 Last Argos king of the Heracleidae
In 745 BC, Pheidon died and was succeeded by his son Eratus.
In 745 BC, Nicander, son of Charillus, king of Sparta, ravaged Argolis. [224]
Eratus attacked and destroyed Asine, who had joined forces with Sparta. [225]
In 720 BC, Eratus, son of Pheidon, was succeeded by Meltas, son of Leocedes (Lacedas), son of Pheidon. Meltas was the last Argos king of the Heracleidae. [226]
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