Hellenic Genealogic Tree and Mythology

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"Though the words 'Hellenism', 'Hellenic', 'Hellenes', 'Hellas' are less familiar than the words 'Greece' and 'Greek' to the English-speaking public, they have two advantages. They are not misleading; and they are the words which, in the Greek language, the Hellenes themselves used to designate their civilization, their world, and themselves. 'Hellas' seems originally to have been the name of the region round the head of the Maliac Gulf, on the border between Central and Northern Greece, which contained the shrine of Earth and Apollo at Delphi and the shrine of Artemis at Anthela near Thermopylae (the narrow passage between sea and mountain that has been the highway from Central Greece to Northern Greece and thence to the great Eurasian Continent into which Northern Greece merges). 'Hellenes', signifying 'inhabitants of Hellas', presumably acquired its broader meaning, signifying 'members of the Hellenic society', through being used as a corporate name for the association of local peoples, the Amphictyones ('neighbours'), which administered the shrines at Delphi and Thermopylae and organized the Pythian Festival that was connected with them."
[Arnold J. Toynbee:

Hellenism, The History of a Civilization
Hellenism, The History of a Civilization

; Oxford University Press, 1959]

Hellenes became the name of all Greeks. But in mythical times Hellenes were those who dwelt about Alope and Trachis, and held Phthia and Hellas (territories in Thessaly), land of fair women, as they say. The people from this Thessalian region, called Myrmidons and Hellenes, sailed against Troy under the command of Achilles.

The eponymous ancestor of the Hellenes is Hellen 1, son either of Deucalion 1 (the man who survived the Flood), or of Zeus and Pyrrha 1. Deucalion 1 is one of the Three Main Ancestors, and his descendants founded and ruled mainly Thessalian cities.

The sons of Hellen 1 were Aeolus 1, Dorus 1 and Xuthus 1 [for Xuthus 1 see Achaea, Ionia, and Ion 1]. The descendants of Hellen 1 became kings in several places: his grandson Deion ruled in Phocis (region bordering the Gulf of Corinth, west of Boeotia), and Deion's grandson was Arcisius, king of Ithaca and Odysseus' grandfather. Another grandson of Hellen 1 was Cretheus 1, king of Iolcus and father of Pheres 1, who reigned in Pherae and became father of Admetus 1, husband of Alcestis. Yet another grandson of Hellen 1, Amphictyon, became king of Athens, but this was a short-lived dynasty. A granddaughter of Hellen 1, Pisidice 1, is mother of Actor 1, king of Phthia before the times of Peleus and Achilles. Salmoneus, another grandson of Hellen 1, became king of Elis in the Peloponnessus.

source:
Carlos Parada, Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology

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Argos

Argos is a city in Argolis, or sometimes Argolis itself. The name of the Argives, inhabitants of Argos and Argolis, has been often used to design all Greeks.

Foundation and name
The founder of what was to become Argos, the 'City of Phoroneus', is Phoroneus, son of the river god Inachus, and said to be the first man. Phoroneus was king of what later was named the Peloponnesus [for the dispute over the patronage of Argos between Hera and Poseidon, see the latter].
Phoroneus' daughter Niobe 1, the first mortal woman whom Zeus loved, gave birth to Phoroneus' successor Argus 5, who called the Peloponnesus after himself, Argos.

Invasion and change of dynasty
During the reign of Gelanor, seventh king of this dynasty, the invasion of Danaus 1 took place, and Gelanor surrendered the kingdom of Argos to him.
Danaus 1 had originally been settled in Libya by his father, King Belus 1 of Egypt, while Danaus 1's brother Aegyptus 1 was settled in Arabia. As the brothers later quarrelled, and Danaus 1 feared the sons of Aegyptus 1, he built a ship—being the first to do so—and, having put his 50 daughters (the DANAIDS) on board, he fled to Hellas, where he took the kingdom of Argos from Gelanor, and named the inhabitants Danaans after himself.

Relatives of Danaus 1
The sons of Aegyptus 1, however, came after him, and Danaus 1 had to consent in marrying his daughters to them. It was all pretension, for during their wedding night all the DANAIDS except one murdered their husbands, a terrible deed for which they are still been punished in Hades by having to carry water to fill a leaky jar.
Lynceus 2, son of Aegyptus 1 and the only husband to have been spared during the bloody wedding night, succeeded his father-in-law, being himself succeeded on the throne by his son Abas 2.

Brothers fight each other
The sons of Abas 2—Acrisius and Proetus 1—were twins who already quarrelled while still being in their mother's womb. These were the first to divide the kingdom of Argos. When the time for them to rule came, they decided to divide their inheritance by the sword and, while waging war against each other, they were the first to invent shields. Acrisius won the civil war and drove Proetus 1 from Argos. Proetus 1 then went to Lycia where his father-in-law was king and, having received an army of Lycians, he returned and occupied Tiryns. The Argive territory was then divided between the brothers, and Acrisius reigned over Argos and Proetus 1 over Tiryns.

Exchange of kingdoms
After these events, an oracle declared that Acrisius' daughter Danae would give birth to a son who would kill him. Fearing the prophecy, Acrisius built a brazen chamber and there he guarded Danae. But when his daughter was anyway seduced, he put her and her child Perseus 1 in a chest and cast it into the sea. In time the oracle was fulfilled and Perseus 1 did kill Acrisius, as it seems accidentally, but not wishing to inherit the kingdom of the man he had killed, he exchanged kingdoms with King Megapenthes 2 of Tiryns, son of Proetus 1. So Megapenthes 2 reigned over the Argives, and Perseus 1 reigned over Tiryns and also over Mycenae, which he founded.

Further divison
During the reign of Proetus 1, the king's daughters went mad, and Melampus 1—an excellent seer who understood the language of birds and worms, and the first to devise a cure by means of drugs—healed the daughters of Proetus 1 of their madness, receiving for that the third part of the kingdom of Argos.
But this perhaps happened during the reign of Anaxagoras, the son or grandson of Megapenthes 2; under his reign, it is said, the women went mad and they were healed by Melampus 1, who received two-thirds of Anaxagoras' kingdom in return.

Pedigree of Melampus 1
Melampus 1 was son of Amythaon 1 of Pylos, son of Cretheus 1 (the founder of Iolcus), son of Thessalian Aeolus 1, son of Hellen 1 (eponym of the Hellenes), son either of Deucalion 1 (the man who survived The Flood), or of Zeus. Melampus 1 shared the kingdom with his brother Bias 1, and both are sometimes said to have married the daughters of Proetus 1.

Three kingdoms
In this way three kingdoms of Argos were created, the brothers Melampus 1 and Bias 1 reigning over two of them, and the third being ruled by King Alector 1, son of Anaxagoras. When their descendants Iphis 1 (son of Alector 1), Adrastus 1 (grandson of Bias 1) and Amphiaraus (descendant of Melampus 1) were kings of Argos, it occurred the war of the SEVEN AGAINST THEBES.

War
For Adrastus 1 had promised his son in law Polynices that he would restore him to his native land Thebes, whence he had been banished. As they were consulting their allies, they discovered that Amphiaraus refused to join the coalition. This was so because Amphiaraus, being a seer, knew that all who joined Adrastus 1 would perish. But Iphis 1 knew how to persuade Amphiaraus to go to war; so Polynices went to see him, and Iphis 1 told him that Amphiaraus could be persuaded if Eriphyle (Amphiaraus' wife) got the Necklace of Harmonia 1 [see Robe & Necklace of Harmonia 1 to follow this story].

War again
Through bribes the war of the SEVEN AGAINST THEBES was made possible. The SEVEN perished—as Amphiaraus knew they would—, but their sons, the EPIGONI, took Thebes in a second war ten years after the first. The kings of Argos at the time of the war of the EPIGONI were Sthenelus 2 (son of Iphis 1), Aegialeus 1 (son of Adrastus 1) and Amphilochus 1 (son of Amphiaraus).

And again
Sthenelus 2 is also one of the ACHAEAN LEADERS who sailed against Troy. Amphilochus 1 fought in the Trojan War, but he is said to have been killed by Apollo after the war at Soli, a city in Cilicia (mainland in front of Cyprus).
In addition to these, also Diomedes 2, one of the ACHAEAN LEADERS, fought in Troy. Diomedes 2's wife was Aegialia, daughter of Adrastus 1 (though some say she is his granddaughter). When after the war Diomedes 2 went back to Argos, Aegialia plotted against him, but he took sanctuary at the altar of Hera, and fleeing with his companions by night, he passed into Italy. Some affirm that the Palladium that was in Troy was brought by Diomedes 2 to Argos.

Reunification of Argos
Cylarabes, son of Sthenelus 2, became king of the reunified Argos after the Trojan War, and, being childless, was succeeded by Orestes 2, son of Agamemnon. Orestes 2 ruled over a vast territory including Mycenae, Messenia and Pylos, Laconia and Sparta, and Argos. He was succeded by Tisamenus 2, his son by Hermione (daughter of Menelaus and Helen), but then occurred the return of the HERACLIDES.

source:
Carlos Parada, Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology

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HERACLIDES
Part I

The HERACLIDES are the descendants of Heracles 1. On their return, disturbances took place throughout the whole of the Peloponnesus except Arcadia, so that many cities received additional settlers from the Dorian race, their inhabitants suffering yet more revolutions. The HERACLIDES attacked the Peloponnesus and captured all the cities. It took them three generations to achieve this conquest. The HERACLIDES claimed power in the Peloponnesus because they were descended, through Heracles 1, from Perseus 1, founder of Mycenae, while Tisamenus 2, who at the time ruled the Peloponnessus, was a Pelopid (descendant of Pelops 1) [see also Pelopides].


Death of Eurystheus
After the death of Heracles 1, his sons were pursued by Eurystheus, and having come to Athens, they claimed protection. The Athenians refused to surrender them, and in the war that ensued Eurystheus' sons were killed. Eurystheus himself, who had fled in a chariot, was pursued and had his head cut off by Hyllus 1, son of Heracles 1. Alcmena, Heracles 1's mother, received Eurystheus' head from Hyllus 1, and gouged out the eyes with weaving-pins.

The HERACLIDES capture the Peloponnesus, but retire
After the death of Eurystheus, the HERACLIDES attacked the Peloponnesus, capturing all the cities. But a plague ravaged the country, and an oracle declared that this happened because the HERACLIDES had returned before the proper time. So they retired, and after some unfortunate attempts to return, they made themselves masters of the Peloponnesus three generations later.

Their claims
The HERACLIDES claimed power in the Peloponnesus because they were descended, through Heracles 1, from Perseus 1, the founder of Mycenae, while Tisamenus 2 was a Pelopid, a descendant of Pelops 1 [see also Pelopides]. They also claimed that Tyndareus had been expelled by Hippocoon 2, and they argued that Heracles 1, having killed Hippocoon 2 and his sons, had given the land in trust to Tyndareus.

First attempt


Hyllus 1, son of Heracles 1, sought to effect the return of the HERACLIDES. So he went to Delphi and inquired how they should return, and the oracle declared that they

... should await the third crop before returning ... [Apollodorus 2.8.2]

But Hyllus 1 supposed that the third crop signified three years, and having waited that time, he returned with his army to Peloponnesus, when Tisamenus 2, son of Orestes 2, son of Agamemnon, was ruling the Peloponnesus. However, he failed and was killed by Echemus.

New inquire
As Aristomachus 2, son of Cleodaeus 2, son of Hyllus 1, had been also killed in battle, his son Temenus 2 inquired of the Oracle concerning their return. And the Oracle having given the same answer as before, Temenus 2 blamed it, saying that when they had obeyed the oracle they had been unfortunate. But the Oracle answered that they were themselves to blame, for they did not understand the prophecies, seeing that by 'the third crop' it was meant, not a crop of the earth, but a crop of a generation.

Second attempt
When Temenus 2 now gained insight, he made ready the army and built ships at Naupactus (a harbour in Ozolian Locris). While the army was there, Aristodemus (Temenus 2's brother) was killed by a thunderbolt, leaving twin sons, Eurysthenes 1 and Procles 2.
And something else happened to the army at Naupactus. There appeared to them a soothsayer Carnus reciting oracles, whom they took for a magician sent by the Peloponnesians to be the ruin of the army. So Hippotes 2 (son of Phylas 2, son of Antiochus 1, son of Heracles 1) threw a javelin at him, and killed him. But Carnus was an Acarnanian, seer of Apollo, and the one who established the cult of Apollo Carneus among the Dorians. And when this man had been killed, the naval force was destroyed, and the army suffered from famine, and disbanded.

Yet another inquire
When the HERACLIDES thus had suffered these heavy losses, Temenus 2 inquired of the Oracle concerning the calamity. The Oracle then said that these things were done by the seer, and advised him to banish the slayer Hippotes 2 for ten years, and to take for his guide the Three-Eyed One.

The Three-Eyed One
So the HERACLIDES banished Hippotes 2, and started searching for the Three-Eyed One. And one day they met Oxylus 2, who was sitting on a one-eyed horse. So guessing he was the man described by the Oracle, they made him their guide.
Some say that Oxylus 2 was son of Andraemon 2. But others say he was son of Haemon 2, son of Thoas 2, son of Andraemon 1, the Leader of the Aetolians during the Trojan War. Oxylus 2 had fled from Aetolia to Elis on account of the murder of Thermius, or Alcidocus. It is said that as he was throwing the quoit he missed the mark and committed unintentional homicide. The man killed by the quoit, according to one account, was Thermius, the brother of Oxylus 2; according to another it was Alcidocus. Oxylus 2 became king of Elis after the victory of the HERACLIDES.

Third attempt
So, having Oxylus 2 as guide, the HERACLIDES invaded the Peloponnesus again, and having engaged the Peloponnesians in battle, they defeated them and slew Tisamenus 2, the last of the Pelopides to rule the Peloponnesus.

Kingdoms allotted
The return of the HERACLIDES took place three generations after the end of the Trojan War and the death of Nestor after his return home.
When the HERACLIDES conquered the Peloponnesus, they cast lots for the cities. Argos was then allotted to Temenus 2. In Lacedaemon and Sparta, as the sons of Aristodemus were twins (Procles 2 and Eurysthenes 1), there arose two royal houses. Messenia was allotted to Cresphontes, who drove the descendants of Nestor from Messenia.
It is said that on the altars on which they sacrificed, the HERACLIDES found signs: They who got Argos found a toad; those who got Lacedaemon found a serpent; and those who got Messenia found a fox. These signs were explained by the seers, who declared that those who found the toad had better stay in the city as that animal has no strength when walking. They said that those who found the serpent would be terrible in attack, and that those who found the fox would be wily.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[akritas]

HERACLIDES

The First "Crop"

Alcaeus 6.
Son of Heracles 1 and Omphale. Father of Belus 3 [see also Croesus] [Hdt.1.7].

Antiochus 1.
Son of Heracles 1 & Meda 1. Father of Phylas 2 [Apd.2.8.3; Pau.1.5.2].
Cleodaeus 2.
Son of Hyllus 1 & Iole. Father of Aristomachus 2 and Lanassa [Apd.2.8.2; Hdt.6.52, 7.204, 8.131; Pau.2.7.6, 3.15.10; Plu.Pyrrh.1.2].
Ctesippus 1.
Son of Heracles 1 and Astydamia 2, daughter either of Amyntor 1, son of Ormenus 3, son of Cercaphus 2, son of Aeolus 1, or of Ormenius 1, king of Pelasgiotis or Pelasgia (Peloponnesus) [Apd.2.7.8; Dio.4.37.4].
Ctesippus 4.
Son of Heracles 1 and Deianira 1, and father of Thrasyanor [Apd.2.7.8; Pau.2.19.1].
Hyllus 1.
Son of Heracles 1 by Deianira 1 or Melite 2. Father by Iole of Cleodaeus 2 and Evaechme 2 [see main text above] [Apd.2.7.8, 2.8.1-2; Arg.4.538, 4.551; Dio.4.36.3, 4.58.4; Hdt.6.52, 7.204, 8.131, 9.26; Pau.3.15.10, 4.2.1, 8.5.1; Soph.Tra.61 and passim].
Phaestus 2.
Son of Heracles 1. Father of Rhopalus. He became king of Sicyon after Ianiscus' death and later emigrated to Crete in obedience to an oracle [Pau.2.6.6].



The Second "Crop"


Agamedidas.
Agamedidas was great-grandson of Ctesippus 1 and king of Cleonae, a city northeast of Nemea. He is father of Thersander 3 [Pau.3.16.6].
Antimachus 2.
Son of Thrasyanor and father of Deiphontes [Pau.2.19.1].
Aristodemus.
Aristodemus was son of Aristomachus 2, son of Cleodaeus 2, son of Hyllus 1, son of Heracles 1. By his wife Argia 4 he became the father of the twins Eurysthenes 1 and Procles 2, who are the founders of the two royal houses of Sparta. Aristodemus was killed by a thunderbolt, or by Apollo, although it is also said that he was murdered by the sons of Pylades and Electra 2 [Apd.2.8.2-3; Hdt.6.52, 7.204, 8.131; Pau.2.18.7, 3.1.6].
Aristomachus 2.
Aristomachus 2 failed to understand an oracle, and therefore failed to return to the Peloponnesus, being slain in battle. He was the son of Cleodaeus 2, son of Hyllus 1, son of Heracles 1. His sons were Temenus 2, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus [Apd.2.8.2; Hdt.6.52, 7.204, 8.131; Pau.2.7.6, 2.18.7].
Hippolytus 5.
Son of Rhopalus, son of Phaestus 2, son of Heracles 1. While being king of Sicyon after Zeuxippus, Hippolytus 5 was attacked by the Mycenaeans and agreed to become subject to Agamemnon. He was father of Lacestades [Pau.2.6.7].
Hippotes 2.
Son of Phylas 2 and Leipephilene, and father of Aletes 2. He killed Carnus, a magician he thought to be sent by the Peloponnesians, and for that he was banished [see main text above] [Apd.2.8.3; Pau.2.4.3, 9.40.6].
Phylas 2.
Son of Antiochus 1. Father by Leipephilene of Hippotes 2 and Thero 2. Leipephilene was daughter of Iolaus, the charioteer of Heracles 1. Iolaus was son of Iphicles, son of Amphitryon & Alcmena, mother of Heracles 1 [Apd.2.8.3; Pau.9.40.5-6].
Rhopalus.
Rhopalus, a Sicyonian, was son of Phaestus 2 and father of Hippolytus 5 [Pau.2.6.7].
Thersander 3.
From Cleonae. Son of Agamedidas. Father of Lathria and Anaxandra [Pau.3.16.6].
Thrasyanor.
Son of Ctessipus 4. Father of Antimachus 2 [Pau.2.19.1].

The Victorious Third "Crop"


Agelaus 3.
Son of Temenus 2. Together with his brothers, conspired against his father and murdered him [Apd.2.8.5].
Agraeus 1.
Son of Temenus 2. The youngest of the brothers who disapproved their conspirative plan against Temenus 2 [Pau.2.28.3].
Aletes 2.
Son of Hippotes 2. He led the HERACLIDES against Corinth and took the throne from Doridas and Hyanthidas [Pau.2.4.3].
Anaxandra.
Daughter of Thersander 3. Mother by Eurysthenes 1 of King Agis 1 of Sparta [Pau.3.2.1, 3.16.6].
Callias. Son of Temenus 2 [Apd.2.8.5].
Cerynes.
Son of Temenus 2. During the conspiracy against his father Temenus 2, Cerynes kidnapped his sister Hyrnetho, who was married to the general that Temenus 2 favoured. Cerynes was killed by Deiphontes [Pau.2.28.3-5].
Cisus.
Son of Temenus 2. Father by Araethyrea of Phlias and Medon 8. Plotted against his father as the latter preferred Deiphontes to his own sons. King of Argos after Deiphontes [Pau.2.12.6, 2.19.1, 2.28.3].
Cresphontes.
Son of Aristomachus 2. Father by Merope 2 of Aepytus 2. Cresphontes received the kingdom of Messenia while casting lots with Procles 2 and Eurysthenes 1. His government for the most part was directed in favour of the people, and for this reason the rich rebelled and killed him and all his sons except Aepytus 2. Cresphontes was killed by the usurper Polyphontes 3 [see below] [Apd.2.8.4-5; Hyg.Fab.137; Pau.2.18.7, 4.3.7-8].
Deiphontes.
Son of Antimachus 2. Deiphontes, who was married to Hyrnetho, daughter of Temenus 2, was openly employed as general in war and as adviser on all occasions by his father-in-law, who favoured his daughter instead of his sons. This was disliked by the sons of Temenus 2, who in the course of a conspiracy killed their father. However the army decided that the kingdom belonged to Hyrnetho and Deiphontes. Deiphontes had children by Hyrnetho: Antimenes, Xanthippus 1, Argeus 2, and Orsobia [Apd.2.8.5; Pau.2.19.1, 2.28.3ff.].
Eurypylus 5.
Son of Temenus 2. Together with his brothers he hired some fellows to murder his father [for this conspiracy see Deiphontes] [Apd.2.8.5].
Eurysthenes 1.
Son of Aristodemus & Argia 4. Father by Anaxandra of King Agis 1. Eurysthenes 1 and his twin brother Procles 2 were bitter enemies, but they won by lot the kingdom of Lacedaemon. They decided to institute two royal houses in Lacedaemon (Sparta) [Apd.2.8.2-5; Hdt.4.147, 6.52, 7.204; Pau.3.1.5-7, 4.3.4ff., 3.2.1, 3.16.6].
Hyrnetho.
Daughter of Temenus 2. In the course of the coup d'état that her brothers conceived Hyrnetho refused to conspire with them against her father Temenus 2 and her husband Deiphontes and was kidnapped by them. Some say she was killed by her brother Phalces 2 while she was pregnant [Apd.2.8.5; Pau.2.28.3ff.].
Isthmius 1.
Son of Temenus 2. King Isthmius 1 helped Aepytus 2. Aepytus 2 was the sole survivor of his house. He was in time able to punish the murderers of his father Cresphontes after becoming King of Messenia [Pau.4.3.7].
Lacestades.
Son of Hippolytus 5, son of Rhopalus, son of Phaestus 2, son of Heracles 1. King of Sicyon. Lacestades was spared by Phalces 2 when Sicyon was taken by the HERACLIDES because he too was one of the them [Pau.2.6.7].
Lathria.
Daughter of Thersander 3. Mother by Procles 2 of King Sous of Sparta [Pau.3.7.1, 3.16.6].
Phalces 2.
Son of Temenus 2. During the invasion Phalces 2 surprised Sicyon by night and spared King Lacestades because he too was one of the HERACLIDES, and made him partner in the kingdom [Pau.2.6.7, 2.13.1, 2.28.3].
Procles 2.
Son of Aristodemus & Argia 4. Father by Lathria of Sous and Eurypon. Procles 2 and his twin brother Eurysthenes 1 were bitter enemies, but they won by lot the kingdom of Lacedaemon and decided to institute two royal houses in Lacedaemon (Sparta) [Apd.2.8.2-5; Pau.3.1.5-7, 3.7.1, 3.16.6, 4.3.4ff.; Strab.8.5.5].
Temenus 2.
Son of Aristomachus 2. Father of Agelaus 3, Eurypylus 5, Callias and Hyrnetho. According to another version his children were: Cisus, Cerynes, Phalces 2, Agraeus 1, Isthmius 1 and Hyrnetho. Temenus 2 made the HERACLIDES masters of the Peloponnesus and received Argos as his part. Temenium, in Argive territory, was named after him. He favoured in all matters his daughter Hyrnetho and her husband Deiphontes, and for this reason he was conspired against by his own sons who had him murdered [Apd.2.8.4-5; Pau.2.18.7, 2.28.3, 2.38.1, 4.3.7].


Also the following have been called 'HERACLIDES' (Macedonians):

Agron 2.

Agron 2 is said to be the first of the HERACLIDES to become king of Sardes (Lydia) [see also Croesus]. He is son of Ninus, the Assyrian who founded Nineveh. Ninus was son of Belus 3, son of Alcaeus 6, son of Heracles 1 and Omphale [Hdt.1.7].
Archelaus 5.
Archelaus 5 was driven into exile by his brothers, came to the court of Cisseus 4 in Macedonia and was promised both the kingdom and the king's daughter, but was almost treacherously killed by the king. His father was Temenus 4, son of Heracles 1 [Hyg.Fab.219].
Belus 3.
Son of Alcaeus 6, son of Heracles 1 & Omphale. Belus 3, who is counted among the HERACLIDES, is also called father of Ninus, the founder of Nineveh and husband of Semiramis [see also Croesus] [Hdt.1.7].
Boeus.
Founder of Boeae, a city in the easternmost Peloponnesian promontory [Pau.3.22.11].
Ninus.
Son of Belus 3. Father of Agron 2. King of Assyria and founder of Nineveh. He was murdered by his wife Semiramis, founder and Queen of Babylonia [see also Croesus] [Dio.2.7.1; Hdt.1.7; Hyg.Fab.240; Ov.Met.4.88; Strab.2.1.31].
Polyphontes 3.
Counted as one of the HERACLIDES. Parentage unknown. He came to the throne of Messenia after Cresphontes, and took to wife, against her will, the wife of the murdered man, Merope 2. He was killed by Aepytus 2, son of Cresphontes [Apd.2.8.5].

source:
Carlos Parada, Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology

[zefs]

FEATURE - Greek shipbuilders bring mythical Argo to life
Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:28 AM IST
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By Deborah Kyvrikosaios

VOLOS, Greece (Reuters) - Shipbuilders in this small Greek port are struggling with handmade tools and methods used millennia ago to recreate the Argo, the legendary vessel of Jason and the Argonauts.

The absence of modern resources such as electricity and machine tools makes it an exhausting task, but authenticity is an essential part of this experiment in ancient shipbuilding.

"It's extremely laborious work," said builder Stelios Kalafatidis. "We don't have large, proper, modern tools, only our hands and wooden mallets and chisels."

In one of the most popular tales of Greek mythology, Jason and his handpicked crew of Argonauts sailed from Volos, named Iolcos in ancient times, on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece from the ancient city of Colchis in modern Georgia.

Aided by heroes such as Hercules and Orpheus, Jason overcame monsters and hostile kings on his lengthy mission to snatch the fleece of the sacred golden ram from the dragon guarding it and run off with Medea, the sorceress and daughter of Colchis' king.

The Naudomos Institute, a group of shipbuilders and historians heading the project, is using ancient Greek tools and techniques to build the new Argo, and plans to retrace the mythical journey when the ship is ready.

The team had to ignore everything they knew about modern boatbuilding and employ the same wood and iron tools used by Jason's warriors more than 3,000 years ago.

DIVINE INTERVENTION

In Greek myth, 50 Argonauts built the Argo in three months with the aid of the goddess Athena, who placed a magical piece of timber in the prow that could speak and prophesy.

The three modern-day builders say they could use some divine help in recreating the 14th century BC vessel. In 15 months' hard work, they have built only one quarter of the 28-metre (92-foot) ship.

Wooden pegs and wedges hold together the ship's frame and planks. In ancient times, the gaps between the planks were caulked with resin, but the modern builders have mixed the resin with glue to preserve the ship for future generations when it is housed in a museum after its journey.

Whole trees were placed in the hull, said project director Apostolos Kourtis, who searched for days in the same forests as Jason's men to find long, straight trees for the purpose.

"They used whole trees that were bent into shape. We don't do that today," Kourtis said. "Ships were without frames, there was no metal."

Veteran shipbuilder Yannis Perros, one of the team, said he had doubts when he first saw the plans.

"We were saying 'how are we going to build it with entire trees?'" he said. "But it's a durable structure, it will float and travel miles."

In recreating the myth, there were few facts to go on. The story was first written down by Apollonius Rhodius about 11 centuries after the voyage is thought to have taken place.

PICTURING THE ARGO

To design the ship, the modern shipbuilders pieced together images from ancient vase paintings, wall frescoes and references to ships from around the same period, gathered from museums and libraries around the world.

Kourtis said the appearance of the ship was easier to determine than how it was built -- although it helped that shipbuilding methods changed little in ancient times.

"This is experimental archaeology, an investigation, in order to come as close to the original version as possible and say, this is how it most likely was," he said.

The idea of copying ancient ships is not new. A 4th century BC Athenian trireme was replicated by a British scholar in the 1980s, as was the Greek merchant ship Kyrenia, from the same period, by Greek professors.

But their task was easier because the original Kyrenia, very well preserved, was raised from the seabed off northern Cyprus, and ample descriptions of the trireme existed in the literature of the time.

The Naudomos Institute first experimented with ancient shipbuilding in 2004 by completing a smaller Bronze age Minoan transport ship.

Once the Argo is complete, citizens can volunteer to crew the 50-oar ship on Jason's journey across the Aegean, through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea and on to the coast of Georgia.

They face an arduous test, rowing for 10 to 15 hours a day, Kourtis said. "I have no doubt about the ship. The question is whether the rowers will be able to find the strength needed to complete the journey," he said.