What is "aegialeus"

Aegialeus (also Aegealeus, Aigialeus, Egialeus; ) is the name of several individuals in Greek mythology or literature:

• Aegialeus (King of Sicyon), one of the sons of the river god Inachus
• Aegialeus (King of Argos), elder son of Adrastus, a king of Argos
• Aegialeus (strategos), general of the Achaean league in 242/1 BC
• Aigialeus, an elderly fisherman in Book V of the Ephesian Tale, an ancient Greek novel
• Aegialeus, an alternative name given by some scholars for Absyrtus, the son of Aeëtes who was murdered by Medea

Aegialeus was the fifth strategos (elected general) of the Achaean League in Ancient Greece who served for only a year, 242–241 BC.

Category:Ancient Greek generals Category:3rd-century BC births Category:3rd-century BC deaths Category:Year of birth unknown Category:Year of death unknown Category:Achaean League

Aegialeus 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.

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, a few generations before Inachus founded Argos; that the Peloponessus was called Aegialea after him; and that he was succeeded by Europs. Eusebius further asserts that Aegialeus' reign was said to begin in the 15th year of Belus' reign in Assyria, although his colleague Jerome calculated it slightly later.

The work Bibliotheke ("The Library"), also known as "Pseudo- Apollodorus", also cites Castor, however it presents a distorted account giving the primacy to Argos rather than Sicyon, with an altogether different genealogy making Aegialeus a son of Inachus. According to this variant, Aegialeus died childless, his mother was the Oceanid Melia, and his brother was Phoroneus.

Aegialeus was the elder son of Adrastus, a king of Argos, and either Amphithea or Demonassa. Aegialeus was identified as one of the Epigoni, who avenged their fathers' disastrous attack on the city of Thebes by retaking the city, by both Pausanias and Hellanikos. While his father was the only one of the Seven Against Thebes who did not die in the battle, Aegialeus was the only one of the leaders of the Epigoni who was killed when they retook the city. Laodamas, the son of Eteocles, killed him at Glisas, and he was buried at Pagae in Megaris. Adrastus died of grief after his son's death, and Diomedes, Adrastus' grandson by his daughter Deipyle, succeeded him. Aegialeus' son was Cyanippus, who took the throne following the exile of Diomedes.