< Aegeus, son of Scyrius >

1 Origin

Aegeus was born in 1318 BC in Scyros, an island north of Euboea.

Aegeus' father was Scyrius, also called Sciron, Scirus, Chiron, or Cheiron.

Scyrius was the first Greek ruler of Scyros, and gave his name to the island.

Aegeus had a territory in Scyros.

2 Family

Aegeus married Meta, daughter of Hoples.

Aegeus married Chalciope, daughter of Chalcodon (or Rhexenor).

Aegeus had daughters with Autocthe.

Aegeus had a son, Theseus, with Aethra, daughter of Pittheus.

3 Others

3.1 Grandfather

Aegeus was the eldest son of Pandion, but was adopted.

Pandion had many sons after adopting Aegeus.

It is believed that Aegeus became king of Athens because his father, Scyrius, was the son of Cecrops, the seventh king of Athens.

3.2 Internal conflict

The seventh king of Athens, Cecrops, emigrated to Euboea.

The conflict between Cecrops and his brother Metion is believed to have been the cause of this migration, and conflict continued among their descendants for several generations.

In 1295 BC, the family of Pandion, including Aegeus, was driven out of Athens by the sons of Metion and fled to Megara.

3.3 Return to Athens

In 1285 BC, Aegeus returned from Megara to Athens and expelled the sons of Metion.

3.4 Conflict with stepbrothers

In 1277 BC, a conflict arose between Aegeus and his stepbrothers.

Pandion's sons, driven out by Aegeus, emigrated to various places.

3.5 Battle with Minos

In 1264 BC, a battle broke out between Athens and Minos of Crete.

According to legend, the cause of the battle was the murder of Minos' son Androgeus.

In fact, it is assumed that there was a dispute between the sons of Aegeus and Pallas, the son of Pandion, and Androgeus, who sided with the latter, was killed in battle, which led to the battle between Aegeus and Minos.

3.6 Minos' Attack on Megara

This was a battle between Aegeus, the king of Athens, and Minos, and the battle took place in Megara.

Aegeus fled to Megara, where he had lived in exile with his father Pandion, and Nisus, the son of Pandion of Megara, who sided with Aegeus, died in the battle with Minos.

3.7 Exile in Troezen

After his defeat in battle, Aegeus went into exile with Pittheus, son of Pelops, who lived in Troezen in Argolis.

In Troezen, in 1263 BC, Aegeus had a son, Theseus, born to Pittheus' daughter Aethra.

3.8 Return to Athens

In 1262 BC, Aegeus returned to Athens with the help of Anaphlystus and Sphettus, the sons of Troezen, brother of Pittheus.

Two towns named after Anaphlystus and Sphettus were founded in Attica.

Aegeus improved his relationship with Minos by promising him tribute, but the conflict with Pallas's sons continued.

3.9 Summoning Theseus

In 1247 BC, Aegeus, who was old and had no heir, summoned Theseus to Athens.

Theseus was 16 years old at the time.

Aegeus probably had other sons besides Theseus, but they were killed in battles with Pallas's sons and Minos.

Theseus' mother, Aethra, was not the legal wife of Aegeus, and it is assumed that Theseus was raised as the heir to his grandfather Pittheus.

3.10 Marriage alliance with Crete

In 1241 BC, Aegeus brought Minos' daughter Phaedra to Athens as a wife for Theseus.

Shortly before this, Minos died, and his eldest son Deucalion, who succeeded him, gave his sister Phaedra in marriage to Theseus in order to forge an alliance with Aegeus.

By the marriage alliance of Theseus and Phaedra, abolished Athens' tribute to Crete.

3.11 Death of Aegeus

In 1239 BC, Aegeus died and Theseus became king of Athens.

Aegeus is estimated to have been 79 years old at the time of his death.

Aegeus became one of the eponyms of the 10 tribes of Athens.