Chapter 32 - Bronze Age History of Locris and Doris

home English
Create:2023.7.19, Update:2024.4.10
Locris

1 Introduction
1.1 Locris and Doris
Across Doris are Epicnemidian Locris to the east and Ozolian Locris to the west. [1]
In ancient times, the former was divided into Epicnemidis and Opus. [2]
In between was the town of Phocis, Daphnus, which was destroyed and became part of Opus. [3]
The reason Locris was divided into three regions was due to its formation.
That is, from Doris they settled Opus, and from there they settled Ozolian Locris and Epicnemidis. [4]
The Locrians were the Dorians, who changed their names, but the regional names were not standardized. There is a long history that makes it impossible to give the same regional name.
In addition to Locris and Doris, this chapter also describes Malis and Dryopia, which have vague boundaries.

1.2 Malis
The 2nd century AD writer Apollodoros describes the inhabitants of Trachis as Melians. [5]
However, Herodotus refers to the people living on Melos Island as Melians. [6]
Herodotus refers to the inhabitants of Trachis as Malians. [7]
Herodotus states that Doris adjoins Phocis, and on the other side, Malis. [8]
In other words, the inhabitants of Trachis were actually Malians, who gradually expanded their influence to the eastern gulf, giving the name Malian Gulf. [9]

1.3 Dryopia
Ancient descriptions of Dryopia's location are also ambiguous.
However, the following shows that Dryopia was between Trachis and Doris.
1) By Heracles, the land after the expulsion of the Dryopians was given to the Malians. [10]
2) In the time of Herodotus, Doris was adjacent to Phocis and Malis. [11]
3) The inhabitants of Trachis were the Malians. [12]

2 Age of Dorus, son of Hellen (1420-1415 BC)
2.1 Emigration from Thessaly
In 1420 BC, a group led by Cadmus moved south from Thracia and invaded Thessaly.
Dorus, the son of Hellen, who lived on the north side of the river Peneius near the mountains Ossa and Olympus, led the people to move to the land between Mount Oeta and Mount Parnassus. [13]
Dorus founded Pindus by gathering the people who had migrated into one place. [14]

2.2 Emigration to Crete
In 1420 BC, Tectamus, son of Dorus, led a group of immigrants from Doris to Crete. In addition to Dorians, the emigrant group included Pelasgians and Aeolians. [15]
Tectamus' settlement was in eastern Crete. [16]

3 Age of Deucalion, son of Dorus (1415-1400 BC)
3.1 Emigration near Opus Bay
In 1415 BC, Deucalion, son of Dorus, migrated from Pindus to near the Gulf of Opus. [17]
Deucalion was the first Greek to settle Epicnemidian Locris.

3.2 Marriage to Thessaly
In 1413 BC, Deucalion's daughter Protogenia was married from near the Gulf of Opus to Aeolus, son of Hippotes, who lived in Arne, Thessaly. [18]
Aeolus was the son of Hippotes, son of Mimas, son of Aeolus, brother of Dorus, father of Deucalion, father of Protogenia. In other words, Aeolus was the son of Protogenia's second cousin.

3.3 Founding of Antheia
In 1410 BC, Deucalion's son Amphictyon migrated from near Opus Bay to near Thermopylae and founded Antheia (or Anthela). [19]
The Epicnemidian Locris was inherited from Amphictyon to Aetolus, Physcius, and Locrus, the regional center of which was Antheia. [20]

3.4 Emigration to Ozolian Locris
In 1410 BC, Orestheus, son of Deucalion, migrated to Ozolian Locris from near the Gulf of Opus. [21]
It is assumed that Orestheus settled in Amphissa, since Oineus, son of Phytius, son of Orestheus, lived in Amphissa. [22]

4 Age of Amphictyon, son of Deucalion (1400-1385 BC)
4.1 Emigration to Thessaly
In 1392 BC, Itonus, son of Amphictyon, migrated from Antheia to the west coast of the Pagasetic Gulf at Thessaly and founded Itonus. [23]
Near Itonus was Halus, founded by Athamas, the son of Aeolus, the son of Hellen. [24]
In other words, Itonus seems to have immigrated with the help of his grandfather's cousin Athamas.
Itonus took as his wife Melanippe (or Arne), daughter of Hippotes' son Aeolus who lived in Arne of Thessaly. [25]
Aeolus was married to Protogenia, the sister of Itonus' father Amphictyon, and Itonus and Melanippe were cousins. [26]

4.2 Fighting the Pelasgians
In 1390 BC, the Pelasgians, who lived on the coast of Thessaly, were displaced by a great tsunami and attacked the town of Itonus, taking away Itonus' wife Melanippe. [27]
Amphictyon, the father of Itonus, rallied his people in Locris and Thessaly and expelled the Pelasgians from Thessaly. [28]

4.3 Founding of Amphictyons
The tribes Amphictyon brought together were the Ionians, Dolopes, Thessalians, Aenianians, Magnesians, Malians, Phthiotians, Dorians, Phocians, and the Locrians, who bordered Phocis and lived at the foot of Mount Cnemis. [29]
Their representatives gathered at Antheia and were called Amphictyons. [30]
In 1352 BC, Acrisius of Argos organized the Amphictyons to fight the Phlegyans who had ravaged Delphi. [31]
Among the inhabitants ruled by Acrisius were many Achaeans who had migrated from Thessaly to Argos. [32]

4.4 Emigration to Thessaly
In 1390 BC, Amphictyon's brother Pronous migrated from near the Bay of Opus to Thessaly, where the Pelasgians had evacuated. [33]
Dotus, son of Neonus, son of Hellen, son of Pronous, became the godfather of the plain of Dotium in Thessaly. [34]

4.5 Emigration from Thessaly
After Hellen's son Dorus moved from Thessaly to near Mount Parnassus, Dorus' daughter Iphthime's family remained in Thessaly. [35]
Iphthime's husband, believed to have been a Pelasgian, was driven from her residence by Amphictyon.
In 1390 BC, the Iphthime family settled near the Spercheius River near Pindus, where Iphthime's father Dorus had migrated. [36]

4.6 Marriage to Thessaly
In 1387 BC, Deucalion's daughter Thyia was married from Locris to Aeolus, son of Hippotes, who lived in Arne of Thessaly. [37]
Aeolus was the son of Hippotes, the son of Mimas, the son of Aeolus, the brother of Dorus, the father of Deucalion, the father of Thyia. In other words, Aeolus was the son of Thyia's second cousin.
Aeolus was already married to Thyia's sister Protogenia. [38]

5 Age of Aetolus, son of Amphictyon (1385-1365 BC)
5.1 Marriage from Corinth
In 1366 BC, Physcius, son of Aetolus, married Maera, daughter of Proetus, who lived in Corinth. [39]
Proetus was the son of Thersander, son of Sisyphus, the founder of Corinth. [40]
Physcius and Maera were a kindred spirit whose common ancestor was Hellen, son of Deucalion.

6 Age of Physcius, son of Aetolus (1365-1345 BC)
6.1 Marriage from near the Spercheius River
In 1361 BC, Andraemon married Dryope, the daughter of Dryops, who lived near the Spercheius River, and they had a son, Amphissus. [41]
Andraemon was the son of Phytius (or Oxylus), son of Orestheus, son of Deucalion, and lived in Amphissa in the Ozolian Locris. [42]

6.2 Marriage from Lesbos
In 1356 BC, Oineus, son of Phytius of Amphissa, took as his wife Amphissa, daughter of Macar, who lived in Lesbos. [43]
Earlier, in 1389 BC, the Macar had migrated from Olenus in Achaia to Lesbos. [44]
Macar was the son of Protogenia, sister of Orestheus, father of Phytius, father of Oineus. [45]
In other words, Amphissa was the second cousin of Oineus.
Pausanias tells us that Amphissa was named after Amphissa, the daughter of Macar, son of Aeolus. [46]
However, there is also a theory that this is because the town was located in a place surrounded by hills. [47]

7 Age of Locrus, son of Physcius (1345-1315 BC)
7.1 Marriage to Boeotia
In 1340 BC, Thebe, daughter of Physcius, married Zethus, son of Antiope, who lived in Eutresis of Boeotia.
Although there are no historical sources that clearly state that Thebe was the daughter of Physcius, it is presumed that this is the case, as Locrus, the son of Physcius, assisted Zethus in conquering Thebes. [48]
According to tradition, Thebe is the daughter of the river god Asopus, but the Asopus river is located near Antheia, where Physcius lives, and it is assumed that the river god is Physcius. [49]
Physcius' wife was Maera, the daughter of Proetus, and it is assumed that the Proetidian gate of Thebes was named after Proetus, the grandfather of Thebes. [50]

7.2 Founding of Oeta
In 1335 BC, Amphissus, son of Andraemon, founded Oeta near Mount Oeta. [51]
Amphissus was the son of Dryope, the daughter of Dryops. [52]
Dryops was the son of Iphthime's son and Danaus' daughter Polydore. [53]
The people ruled by Amphissus were called the Dryopians. [54]
Andraemon, the father of Amphissus, was the son of Phytius (or Oxylus), son of Orestheus, son of Deucalion, and lived in Amphissa. [55]

7.3 Exile from Boeotia
In 1326 BC, Zethus and Amphion fled to Physcius, pursued by Lycus, son of Hyrieus of Thebes. [56]
Lycus was the guardian of Laius, son of Labdacus, king of Thebes. [57]
Laius was the grandson of the sister of Antiope, the mother of Zethus. [58]

7.4 Expedition to Boeotia
In 1325 BC, Locrus took part in an expedition by Zethus and Amphion against Thebes, leading the Leleges. [59]
After this expedition, some of the Leleges of Locris migrated to Boeotia. Aristotle tells us that Leleges took control of Boeotia. [60]

8 Age of Opus, son of Locrus (1315-1260 BC)
8.1 Marriage from Boeotia
In 1272 BC, Theiodamas (or Theodamas) married Menodice (or Mecionica), daughter of Orion, who lived in Boeotia, and they had two sons, Euphemus and Hylas. [61]
Theiodamas is presumed to be the son of Cragaleus, son of Dryops, who lived in Dryopia. [62]

8.2 Marriage from Aetolia
In 1266 BC, Andraemon, son of Aetolus, married Protogenia, daughter of Calydon, who lived in Aetolia, and they had a son, Oxylus. [63]
Calydon was the son of Aetolus, who migrated from Elis to Aetolia. [64]
Calydon lived in Calydon and was in conflict with Pleuron and the native Curetes. [65]
Calydon had taken as his wife Aeolia, his daughter from Amythaon, who was growing in power in Eleia. [66]
It is assumed that Calydon's decision to marry his daughter to Andraemon of Amphissa was an attempt to bring the Ozolian Locrians to his side.

8.3 Founding of Opus
In 1262 BC, Opus, son of Locrus, migrated from Antheia to the middle of the Thermopylae and Euripus straits and founded Opus. [67]
Opus recruited participants from all over the world to help build the town. Many people from Argos, Thebes, Pisa, Arcadia, and Thessaly attended and became residents of Opus.
The inhabitants of Opus became interbreeding and no longer belonged to a specific race, so they became known as Leleges. [68]

8.4 Emigration from Thessaly
Menoetius, son of Actor, who lived in Phthia of Thessaly, took part in the construction of Opus. Opus trusted Menoetius and gave the town to him rather than to his own son Cynus. [69]

9 Age of Cynus, son of Opus (1260-1250 BC)
9.1 Founding of Cynus
In 1260 BC, Opus' son Cynus founded Cynus near Opus. [70]

9.2 Marriage from Thebes
In 1252 BC, Euphemus, son of Theiodamas (or Theodamas), took as his wife Laonome, daughter of Amphitryon of Thebes. [71]
Laonome was the sister of Heracles, and her father Amphitryon had been killed some time earlier in a battle with Erginus, king of the Minyans. [72]
Hylas, brother of Euphemus, was a page of Heracles and was a native of Oechalia, near Trachis. [73]

10 Age of Hodoedocus (or Odoedocus), son of Cynus (1250-1240 BC)
10.1 Founding of Narycus
In 1250 BC, Oileus (or Oeleus), son of Hodoedocus, founded Narycus west of Cynus. [74]

10.2 Founding of Calliarus
In 1245 BC, Calliarus, son of Hodoedocus, founded Calliarus near Cynus. [75]

11 Age of Oileus, son of Hodoedocus (1240-1220 BC)
11.1 Battle between Heracles and the Dryopians
11.1.1 Cause of the battle
In 1230 BC, the Dryopians were expelled from their settlements by Heracles and Malians. [76]
Diodorus writes that the Dryopians were forced from their homeland because they disrespected the temple of Delphi. However, the reason why the Malians, who lived in Trachis far from Delphi, drove out the Dryopians is weak. [77]
The Dryopians and Malians lived near Mount Oeta and their settlements were close to each other, so it is assumed that the Dryopians were forced out of their settlements by the Malians as a result of a power struggle.
Or perhaps it was due to Heracles' own problems.
Heracles' page Hylas, who appears in the story of the Argonauts' expedition, was a native of Oechalia. [78]
Theiodamas (or Theodamas), father of Hylas, lived in Dryopia. [79]
The wife of Euphemus, brother of Hylas, was Laonome, sister of Heracles. [80]

11.1.2 Place of residence of the Dryopians (as described by Pausanias)
Pausanias tells us that the Dryopians of Asine initially lived next to the Lycoritae around Mount Parnassus. [81]
However, Lycoreia was a town of Delphians. [82]
It is doubtful whether the Dryopians, who arose near the Spercheius River, could cross the land of the Dorians and establish a town on the land of the Phocians. [83]
About 100 years ago, during the time of Amphissus, son of Andraemon, the Dryopians lived mainly in Oeta, which Amphissus founded.
After that, the Dryopians do not seem to have expanded beyond the lands of the Dorians and into the lands of the Phocians, so Pausanias's description appears to be incorrect.

11.1.3 Dryopians migration destination
11.1.3.1 Argolis
The Dryopians fled to Eurystheus of Mycenae, who gave them land, and founded Asine, Hermione, and Eion in Argolis. [84]

11.1.3.2 Euboea
Diodorus is wrong when he writes that the Dryopians, chased by Heracles, founded Carystus in Euboea. [85]
Carystus was founded in 1260 BC by Chiron's son Carystus. [86]
The Dryopians lived in Styra, near Carystus, where they had migrated before being chased by Heracles. [87]

11.1.3.3 Phocis
There were also Dryopians who lived near Cirrha in Phocis. Cragalidae, who blasphemed Delphi, appear in Aeschines' speech to Ctesiphon in the 4th century BC. [88]
The Cragalidae appear to be descendants of Cragaleus, father of Phylas, who died in battle with Heracles. [89]

11.1.4 Genealogy of Dryopians
The genealogy from Amphissus, son of Dryope, daughter of Dryops, son of Polydore, daughter of Danaus, who founded Oeta, to Phylas, who died in battle with Heracles, is as follows:
Phylas, son of Cragaleus, son of Dryops, son of Amphissus. [90]
The genealogy of the Dryopians is more detailed than the genealogy of Aegimius, king of the Dorians, which will be discussed later.
The cause of this seems to be Antiochis, which Meda, the daughter of Phylas, bore to Heracles. Antiochis was one of the eponyms of the ten tribes of Athens, and after the death of Hyllus he remained in Athens without going to the land of the Dorians. [91]
Presumably, the lineage of Antiochis' ancestors, the Dryopians, was recorded in Athens.

11.2 Battle with Lapiths
11.2.1 Joining Heracles
In 1227 BC, Aegimius, son of Dorus, who lived in Doris, received a request for help from the Dorians who lived in northern Thessaly. After Dorus, the son of Hellen, migrated near Mount Parnassus, some Dorians remained in northern Thessaly.
Driven from their settlements by the increasingly powerful Lapiths, they appealed to Aegimius for help. Aegimius rushes to the rescue, but is driven back by Coronus, son of Caeneus, who lived in Gyrton. Aegimius asked for help from Heracles of Trachis, promising him land, and Heracles fought against the Lapiths and was victorious. [92]

11.2.2 Genealogy of Aegimius
Aegimius' lineage can only be traced back to his father Dorus. [93]
However, considering that Aegimius was the king of the entire Dorians, including northern Thessaly, I can infer the following.
Dorus, son of Hellen, founded Pindus in the land between Mount Oeta and Mount Parnassus. [94]
Since the people living in Pindus were called Macedni, it is assumed that there was a person named Macednus among the people who succeeded Dorus, the son of Hellen, and ruled Pindus. [95]
Dorus, son of Hellen, had a son, Tectamus, who emigrated to Crete. [96]
Also, Deucalion, presumed to be the son of Dorus, migrated to Locris. [97]
Therefore, it seems that Macednus, son of Dorus, succeeded Dorus as ruler of Pindus. [98]
The lineage from Macednus to Aegimius' father Dorus is unknown.

11.3 Marriage from Aetolia
In 1222 BC, Andraemon (or Andrawmon) married Gorges (or Gorge), daughter of Oeneus of Calydon, and they had a son, Thoas. [99]
Oeneus' sister Protogenia was married to Andraemon, father of Oxylus, father of Andraemon, of Amphissa. Oeneus is presumed to have married off his daughter in an attempt to solidify ties with the Ozolian Locrians in the east to counter Pleuron in the west. [100]

12 Age of Ajax, son of Oileus (1220-1186 BC)
12.1 Emigration from Attica
In 1211 BC, the children of Heracles migrated from Tricorythus in Attica to Aegimius, son of Dorus, who lived in Doris. [101]
The Heracleidae had lost Heracles' son Hyllus in an unsuccessful return to Peloponnesus. [102]
After Heracles' death, Aegimius adopted Hyllus and ceded the Dorian lands as promised to Heracles. [103]
The tribes of Aegimius' two sons, Pamphylus and Dymas, were called Pamphyli and Dymanes, and the tribe of Hyllus was called Hylleis. [104]

12.2 Expedition to Aetolia
In 1202 BC, Diomedes, son of Tydeus, went on an expedition from Argos to recover the former territory of his grandfather Oeneus, who had been driven from Calydon in Aetolia. [105]
It is assumed that Andraemon, the husband of Oeneus' daughter Gorges, also participated in this expedition from Amphissa. [106]
After restoring Oeneus' old realm, Andraemon was entrusted with Aetolia by Diomedes. [107]

12.3 Trojan War Era
Ajax, son of Oileus, led the Epicnemidian Locrians on an expedition to Troy. [108]
The Ozolian Locrians, together with the Aetolians, led an expedition to Troy led by Thoas, son of Andraemon. [109]
Doris, home to the Heracleidae, who were hostile to Mycenae, did not participate in the expedition to Troy.

13 Era after the Trojan War
13.1 Expedition to Peloponnesus
In 1173 BC, Cleodaeus, son of Hyllus, son of Heracles, led the Dorians into Peloponnesus, attacked Mycenae, and destroyed the city. [110]
Recent archaeological research has confirmed traces of destruction by the Mycenae in the 12th century BC. [111]
Cleodaeus also destroyed Tiryns and Midea and occupied Argos. [112]
Agamemnon's successor, his son Orestes, emigrated from Mycenae to Tegea in Arcadia. [113]
Orestes then assembled an army and expelled the Dorians who had occupied Argos.
Cleodaeus appears to have returned safely to Pindus in Doris, and afterwards a son, Aristomachus, was born to him. [114]

13.2 Emigration to Asia Minor
In 1126 BC, the Aeolis living around Mount Phricium in the Epicnemidian Locris migrated to Asia Minor, led by the great-grandsons of Agamemnon, Cleues, son of Dorus, and Malaus. [115]
They settled near Larisa in the Aeolis region, driving out the native Pelasgians and founding Phryconian Cyme. [116]
The Pelasgians, led by the descendants of Teutamus, fled to Pisae on the west coast of the Italian peninsula, where they were accepted and lived with the Tyrrhenians. [117]
Most of the settlers to Phryconian Cyme were Aeolis who had been driven from Thessaly by the Thesprotians. [118]

13.3 Emigration from Thebes
In 1126 BC, Autesion, the last Theban King, descendant of Cadmus, migrated to Doris. [119]
Autesion immigrated to Pindus with the help of Aristomachus, son of Cleodaeus, son of Hyllus, son of Heracles. [120]
Aristomachus' ancestor Heracles was born and raised in Thebes, and lived there for about half of his life. [121]
Autesion's daughter Argeia married Aristodemus, son of Aristomachus, and gave birth to twin sons Eurysthenes and Procles, who became the first kings of the two royal families of Sparta. [122]
Theras, son of Autesion, became the guardian of Eurysthenes and Procles, and took part in the return of the Heracleidae to Peloponnesus. [123]

13.4 Expedition to Peloponnesus
In 1126 BC, Aristomachus, son of Cleodaeus, led the Dorians in an attempt to return to Peloponnesus, but was defeated and killed in battle by Tisamenus, son of Orestes. [124]
Aristomachus seems to have accepted immigrants from Thebes and attempted to return amidst the confusion caused by the return of the Boeotians from Thessaly and the resulting movement of people.
A group of descendants of Agamemnon immigrating to Asia Minor stayed near Locris for a long time, keeping an eye on Aristomachus' movements. [125]

13.5 Emigration to Peloponnesus
Temenus, the son of Aristomachus, succeeded his father as king of the Hylleis, one of the three tribes of the Dorians. [126]
Rather than return to Peloponnesus by land, Temenus planned to invade Peloponnesus by crossing the strait from Aetolia. He therefore sent Oxylus, son of Haemon, son of Thoas, to join him in the expedition, and he was well versed in those matters.
According to legend, the sons of Aristomachus happened to meet Oxylus and took him as their guide, but they were related. [127]
Oxylus was the son of Haemon, son of Thoras, son of Gorge, sister of Deianeira, mother of Hyllus, father of Cleodaeus, father of Aristomachus, and Oxylus and Aristomachus were third cousins.

13.5.1 Death of Aristodemus
In 1115 BC, Aristodemus, son of Aristomachus, was killed at Delphi by Medon and Strophius, cousins of Tisamenus, son of Orestes. [128]
Strophius, son of Pylades, lived in Cirrha, and his brother Medon lived in Medeon. [129]

13.5.2 Founding of Naupactus
In 1115 BC, Temenus, son of Aristomachus, built a fleet near the border between Aetolia and Ozolian Locris. [130]
A town was founded there, and it became known as Naupactus, because of the construction of ships there. [131]
Strabo tells us that Naupactus was a town in the Ozolian Locris, but it became Aetolia after King Philip of Macedonia gave it to the Aetolians. [132]
In 459 BC, the Ozolian Locrians living in Naupactus were driven out by the Athenians. [133]

13.5.3 The final return of the Heracleidae
In 1104 BC, Temenus led the Dorians back to Peloponnesus. [134]

13.5.3.1 Departure Point of Dorians
Herodotus tells us that the Dorians migrated from Erineus, Pindus, and Dryopis to Peloponnesus. [135]
Pindar reports that the Dorians departed from Pindus and captured Amyclae. [136]
The 7th century BC poet Tyrtaeus tells us that they migrated from Erineus. [137]
Strabo reports that the Dorians returned to Peloponnesus from a region centered around four towns, including Pindus. [138]
Thucydides tells us that Boion, Kitinion, and Erineus were the mother cities of the Lacedaemonians at the time of the Peloponnesian War. [139]
From the above, it is presumed that Temenus led the Dorians and departed from Doris, which was centered around Tetrapolis and was sandwiched between Epicnemidian Locris and Ozolian Locris.

13.5.3.2 Doris after return of Heracleidae
In the 5th century BC, the Lacedaemonians sent a large force to rescue the Dorians of Boion, Kitinion, and Erineus, who were attacked by the Phocians. [140]
Even after nearly 650 years of migration to Peloponnesus, the Lacedaemonians did not forget where their ancestors came from.

End