Aegialeus (King of Sicyon)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Aegialeus (mythology).

Aegialeus (Ancient Greek: Αἰγιαλεύς derived from αἰγιαλός aigialos 'beach, sea-shore') also Aegealeus, Aigialeus or Egialeus, in classical Greek semi-mythical historiography was considered the original settler of the Peloponnese and the founder and first ruler of the city-state of Aegialea, later known to history as Sicyon.[1][2][3][4]

Reign and descent

The primary source for the early history of Sicyon was the writing of Castor of Rhodes, known from excerpts cited or utilized in later authors, such as Pausanias, Africanus, Eusebius, Jerome, and George Syncellus. Castor stated that Aegialeus' reign as first king of Sicyon lasted for 52 years,[2] a few generations before Inachus founded Argos; that the Peloponessus was called Aegialea after him; and that he was succeeded by Europs.[3][5] Eusebius further asserted that Aegialeus' reign was said to begin in the 15th year of Belus' reign in Assyria,[6] although his colleague Jerome calculated it slightly later.[7]

The work

Oceanid named Melia, and his brother was Phoroneus. In some accounts, he was the offspring of Phoroneus by his first wife Peitho ("Persuasion") and brother to Apia (Apis).[8][9]

Regnal titles
Preceded by
-
 King of Sicyon
52 years 		Succeeded by

Mythology

Pausanias' account

In his Description of Greece,[10] one of the earliest sources to make use of Castor, Pausanias wrote:

The Sicyonians, the neighbours of the Corinthians at this part of the border, say about their own land that Aegialeus was its first and aboriginal inhabitant, that the district of the Peloponnesus still called Aegialus was named after him because he reigned over it, and that he founded the city Aegialea on the plain. Their citadel, they say, was where is now their sanctuary of Athena; further, that Aegialeus begat Europs, Europs Telchis, and Telchis Apis.

Apollodorus' account

In the work Bibliotheke ("The Library"),[11] whose traditional attribution to Apollodorus of Athens is disputed, we read:

Sarapis. But Niobe had by Zeus (and she was the first mortal woman with whom Zeus cohabited) a son Argus, and also, so says Acusilaus, a son Pelasgus, after whom the inhabitants of the Peloponnese were called Pelasgians. However, Hesiod
says that Pelasgus was a son of the soil.

Notes

  1. ^ Pausanias, 7.1.1; Suda, s.v. Sicyon; St. Jerome, Chronicon B2016 & B1137
  2. ^ a b Malalas, Chronography 4.68
  3. ^ a b Augustine, City of God 18.2
  4. ^ Eusebius, Chronographia 62 & 63, Praeparatio evangelica 10.12.1
  5. ^ Eusebius, Praeparatio evangelica 10.12.1
  6. ^ Eusebius, Chronographia 62 & 63
  7. ^ St. Jerome, Chronicon B2016
  8. ^ Scholiast on Euripides, Orestes 920
  9. ^ St. Jerome, Chronicon B1742
  10. ^ Pausanias, 2.5.6
  11. ^ Apollodorus, 2.1.1

References

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aegialeus_(King_of_Sicyon)&oldid=1188819877"