List of kings of Argos

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Before the establishment of a democracy, the Ancient Greek city-state of Argos was ruled by kings. Most of them are probably mythical or only semi-historical. This list is based on that largely given by Eusebius of Caesarea.

An alternative version supplied by Tatian of the original 17 consecutive kings of Argos includes Apis and Argios between Argos and Triopas.

Inachid Dynasty

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Inachos, the supposed son of Oceanos and Tethys, is affirmed to have been the founder of this kingdom. He married his sister Melissa, by whom he had two sons, Phoroneus and Aegialeus: he is supposed to be the father of Io, and therefore the Greeks are sometimes called "Inachoi" after him (see also the names of the Greeks).

Argos named the kingdom after himself.

Danaid Dynasty

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  • Danaos. Son of Belus, a mythical king of Egypt. Danaus had fifty daughters, the Danaides.
  • Lynceus. Son of Aigyptos. Killed Danaus and married Danaus's daughter Hypermnestra.

Lynceus means "lynx-eyed".

Abantiad Dynasty

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  • Abas. Son of Lynceus.
  • Proetos. A son of Abas.
  • Acrisios. A son of Abas. Twin brother of Proetos; they were rivals since the womb. Acrisios defeated and exiled Proetos and later shared the kingdom with him, surrendering to him Tiryns and eastern Argolis.
  • Perseus Eurymedon. Son of Zeus and Danaë (the daughter of Acrisios). Perseus never reigned at Argos, traded the kingdom of Argos for that of Tiryns (which had been ruled by Megapenthes) and established the city and kingdom of Mycenae.
  • Megapenthes. Son of Proetos.
  • Argeos. Son of Megapenthes.

Lineage of Anaxagoras

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  • Anaxagoras. A descendant of Megapenthes. The kingdom of Argos was divided into three parts. One third was given to Melampos and another to Bias (brother of Melampos) while Anaxagoras and his lineage continued to rule the central region.
  • Alector. Son of Anaxagoras.
  • Iphis. Son of Alector.
  • Sthenelos. Regained the portion of the kingdom given to Melampus upon the death of Amphilochus.
  • Cylarabes, or Cylarabos, or Cylasabos. Son of Sthenelos. Regained the portion of the kingdom given to Bias upon the death of Cyanippus.

Lineage of Melampus

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Lineage of Bias

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  • Bias
  • Talaus or Talaon. Son of Bias. One of the Argonauts.
  • Adrastos. Son of Talaos. Name is translated traditionally as "nonparticipant" or "uncooperative". Reigned during the war of the Seven Against Thebes.
  • Diomedes. According to legend, Cometes, son of Sthenelos, had an affair with Diomedes's wife Aegiale while Diomedes was away for the Trojan War.
  • Cyanippus. Son of Aegialeus and grandson of Adrastus. Upon his death, Cylarabes assumed control of his kingdom, thus reuniting Argolis.

Pelopid Dynasty

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  • Orestes. King of Mycenae and son of Agamemnon of the Trojan War. Orestes gained the throne of Argos and Sparta upon the death of Cylarabes.
  • Tisamenos. Son of Orestes. He was the final king of Argos, Mycenae and Sparta before the kingdom was conquered by the Heracleidae.

Heraclid Dynasty

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  • Temenus. Son of Aristomachos. Ancestor of the royal Macedonian dynasty, the Temenids.
  • Pheidon I. Son of Temenus.
  • Deiphontes. Son-in-law of Temenos.
  • Cisos or Ceisos. Temenos had left his kingdom to his son in law Deiphontes even though he had natural sons of his own. In consequence of this, Deiphontes was slain by the stratagems of the sons of Temenos, the eldest of whom, Cisos, became king.
  • Medon. Son of Ceisos.
  • Maron. Son of Ceisos.[1]
  • Thestros(also known as thestios). Son of Maron.[1]
  • Akoos(or Acous)[1] or Merops. Sons of Thestros.
  • Aristodamidas(or Aristodamis). Son of Akoos or Merops.[1][2]
  • Eratos(Eratus).[3]
  • Pheidon II. Son of Aristodamidas.
  • Damocratidas(dated by G.Huxley at around 600 B.C[4]).[5][6]
  • unknown
  • Leokedes (also known as Lacidaus,[7] or Lacidamos in some Italian versions or Lacedas). Son of Pheidon.[8]
  • Meltas. Son of Lacidamos.

After the death of Temenos, the royal prerogative began to decrease. To Cisos succeeded Lacidamos, who had little else than the title of king. His son Meltas, impatient of such restraint, endeavored, when it was too late, to restore it to its ancient dignity; but the people were by that time so powerful that, as soon as they discovered his plan, they ended the royal power, converted the government to a democracy, and condemned Meltas to death.[7]

After Meltas, the kingship survived into historical times but rarely had any political power, one exception being the tyrant king Pheidon.

Non-Heraclid Dynasty

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This is the king after the heraaclids fell out.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Theophilus of Antioch, Apology to Autolycus,2.7
  2. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Library,fragments of Book 7,17
  3. ^ Pausanias,2.36
  4. ^ 1958, G.Huxley "Argos et les derniers Temenides", BCH 82
  5. ^ How Argive Was the "Argive" Heraion? The Political and Cultic Geography of the Argive Plain, 900-400 B. C. Jonathan M. Hall American Journal of Archaeology American Journal of Archaeology Vol. 99, No. 4 (Oct., 1995), pp. 577-613 (37 pages) Published by: The University of Chicago Press
  6. ^ Pausanias,4.35.2
  7. ^ a b History, Universal (1779). An universal history, from the earliest accounts to the present time, 5.
  8. ^ Herodotus, Histories 6,127,3 Pausanias, Travels in Greece 2,19,2
  9. ^ Ephoros Book I and the Kings of Argos Author(s): A. Andrewes Source: The Classical Quarterly, Jan. - Apr., 1951, New Series, Vol. 1, No. 1/2 (Jan. - Apr., 1951), pp. 39-45 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Classical Association
  10. ^ Plutarch.On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander, Moralia

Further reading

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  • Felix J., "Die Attische Königsliste," Klio 3 (1902), 406–439.
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