< Alcmena, daughter of Electryon >
1 Origin
Alcmena (or Alcmene) was born in Midea, Argolis, in 1293 BC.
Alcmena's father was Electryon, son of Perseus. [Paus.2.25.9, Tzetzes.2.810]
1.1 Alcmena's mother
There are two legends about Alcmena's mother.
1) Apollodoros and Tzetzes, who seems to have quoted Apollodoros, say that Alcmena's mother was Anaxo, daughter of Alcaeus. [Apo.2.4.5, TzeAdLyco.932]
2) Diodorus and Plutarch say that Alcmena's mother was Eurydice (or Lysidice), daughter of Pelops. [Plut.These.7, Diod.4.9.1]
Heracles, son of Alcmena, visited Pittheus, son of Pelops, who lived in Troezen. [Paus.1.27.7]
This is thought to be a visit by Heracles to Pittheus, the uncle of his mother Alcmena, and the legends recorded by Diodorus and Plutarch are believed to be correct.
2 Family
Alcmena married Amphitryon, son of Alcaeus. [Apo.2.4.8, Herod.2.145]
Alcmena and Amphitryon had a son, Heracles. [Herod.6.53, Paus.5.8.3, Apo.2.4.5]
Alcmena and Amphitryon had a daughter, Laonome. [Tzetzes.2.610]
Alcmena married Rhadamanthys, brother of Minos. [Apo.3.1.2, Apo.2.4.11, Plut.Lysand.28]
3 Others
3.1 Brief history
In 1277 BC, her father Electryon died, and Alcmena was taken in by her cousin Amphitryon, who lived in Thebes. [Apo.2.4.8]
In 1256 BC, Amphitryon was killed in battle against Erginus. [Apo.2.4.11]
Alcmena was honored by the Thebans. [Diod.4.58.6]
In 1255 BC, Alcmena remarried Minos' brother Rhadamanthys and emigrated from Thebes to Ocaleae in Boeotia. [Apo.3.1.2, Apo.2.4.11, Plut.Lysand.28]
After Rhadamanthys died, Alcmena emigrated from Ocaleae to Tiryns, where Heracles lived. [Estimated from Diod.4.33.2]
In 1243 BC, Alcmena migrated from Tiryns to Pheneus in Arcadia accompanied by Heracles. [Diod.4.33.2]
In 1238 BC, Alcmena migrated from Pheneus to Calydon in Aetolia accompanied by Heracles. [Diod.4.34.1]
In 1235 BC, Alcmena migrated from Calydon to Trachis near Mount Oeta accompanied by Heracles. [Apo.2.7.7, Diod.4.36.5, Paus.1.32.6]
In 1218 BC, Alcmena migrated from Trachis to Tricorythus in Attica accompanied by the children of Heracles. [Diod.4.57.4, Paus.1.32.6]
In 1215 BC, Alcmena migrated from Tricorythus to Midea in Argolis accompanied by the children of Heracles. [Apo.2.8.2]
In 1214 BC, Alcmena died in Megara on the way from Midea to Attica. [Paus.1.41.1]
3.2 Tomb of Alcmena
Alcmena was buried beside the tomb of Rhadamanthys in Ocaleae, Boeotia. [Plut.Lysa.28]
The tomb of Alcmena was reburied in Sparta in the 4th century BC by Spartan King Agesilaus. [Plut.Mor.577e]
In the tomb of Alcmena was a bronze tablet inscribed with ancient characters (Cretan hieroglyphs) similar to Egyptian characters. [Plut.Mor.577e]
Agesilaus sent a copy of the inscription to King Nectanabis of Egypt, entrusted to Eudoxus of Cnidos. [Diogenes.8.87]
The inscription was deciphered by the Egyptian priest Chonophis. It ordered the celebration of a game in honor of the gods Muses. [Plut.Mor.579a]
