Origin of the name 'Mycenae'

Antinous ₂, one of the SUITORS OF PENELOPE, recalled that the city of Mycenae was named after Mycene, a beauty of former times, daughter of the river god Inachus and mother of the all-seeing Argus ₁. However, some have asserted that the city was named after Myceneus, son of Sparton ₂, son of Phoroneus. This Phoroneus has the reputation of being the first man; he was king of what was later called the Peloponnesus. But some say that when Perseus ₁ exchanged kingdoms (Tiryns against Argos), he founded Mycenae and called the city so because on its site the cap (myces) fell from his scabbard, and he regarded this as a sign to found a city. It is also said that Perseus ₁, being thirsty, picked up a mushroom (myces), and drinking the water that flowed from it, named the site Mycenae.

The city wall and the gate, upon which stand lions are said to be the work of the CYCLOPES.

War with the Taphians (Teleboans)

At the beginning, the descendants of Perseus ₁ reigned in Mycenae (see Throne Succession below). However, among Perseus ₁'s many sons was Mestor ₁, who married Lysidice ₂, daughter of Pelops ₁, and had by her a daughter Hippothoe ₃. Hippothoe ₃ was seduced by Poseidon, and Taphius was born. Taphius colonized Taphos (which is in the islands off the coast of Acarnania), called the inhabitants Teleboans, and had a son Pterelaus. So at the time when Electryon ₁, son of Perseus ₁, was king of Mycenae, the sons of Pterelaus came with an army of Taphians and claimed what they called "the kingdom of Mestor ₁," referring to their maternal grandfather. Electryon ₁ rejected this claim, but the Taphians took away the cattle, and in a battle between the sons of Pterelaus and the sons of Electryon ₁, everyone was killed except Lycimnius, Electryon ₁'s youngest son, and Everes ₃, the son of Pterelaus who had guarded the ships during the battle. After the battle, the Taphians sailed away, taking with them the cattle and entrusting them to King Polyxenus ₁ of Elis. Amphitryon, grandson of Perseus ₁, brought the cattle back to Mycenae, and Electryon ₁ decided to entrust the kingdom to him as he purposed to make war on the Taphians to avenge his sons' death. And along with the kingdom, he entrusted to him his daughter Alcmena, on condition that he would keep her a virgin until his return. But when Amphitryon restored the cattle, one of the cows went mad and charged, and Amphitryon threw a club at the cow but it rebounded from the cow's horns, striking Electryon ₁ and killing him. This is the reason why Amphitryon was banished from Mycenae and the whole of Argolis by the successor of Electryon ₁, King Sthenelus ₃, another son of Perseus ₁.

Location of Mycenae, Tiryns and Argos

Amphitryon leaves Mycenae

Amphitryon left for Thebes together with Alcmena, but as she would not marry him until he had avenged her brothers' death, he engaged in war against the Taphians and it was just before his return to Thebes that Zeus, assuming his likeness, consorted with Alcmena, who later gave birth to Heracles ₁.

The Pelopides take over

It was the son of Sthenelus ₃ by Nicippe ₁ (another daughter of Pelops ₁), Eurystheus, who later imposed the LABOURS on Heracles ₁. Eurystheus succeeded his father, and from this moment Mycenae was ruled by the Pelopides (see Pelopides and HERACLIDES to follow the reigns of Atreus, Thyestes ₁, Agamemnon, Aegisthus, Aletes ₁, Orestes ₂, and Tisamenus ₂ until the return of the HERACLIDES).

Agamemnon was king of Mycenae at the time of the Trojan War (for other Mycenaeans who fought in that war see also Map ACHAEANS & TROJANS which also shows the aproximate territory ruled from Mycenae).

Sicyon, vassal state

Sicyon became a vassal state under the rule of Agamemnon during the kingship of Hippolytus ₅, who himself was a descendant of Heracles ₁. When Lacestades, son of Hippolytus ₅, succeeded to the throne of Sicyon, it occurred the return of the HERACLIDES. Phalces ₂, the general of the HERACLIDES, surprised Sicyon by night but spared Lacestades because he too was one of the HERACLIDES, and made him partner in the kingdom. Phalces ₂ was son of Temenus ₂, son of Aristomachus ₂, son of Cleodaeus ₂, son of Hyllus ₁, son of Heracles ₁.

Destruction for all time to come

Mycenae lost importance after the return of the HERACLIDES. Succesive invasions laid waste the city, and what remained of it was finally destroyed by the Argives, who were jealous of the Mycenaean participation in the famous adventure at Thermopylae during the Persian wars in historical times.

Remains

Perseus 1 (here rescuing Andromeda) founded Mycenae

In the ruins of Mycenae could be seen a fountain called Persea, and underground chambers belonging to Atreus and his descent, in which they stored their treasures. There are as well the graves of Atreus, Agamemnon and others, who after their return from Troy, were murdered by Aegisthus at a banquet.

Throne Succession: