< Amphiaraus, son of Oecles >
1 Origin
Amphiaraus was born in Calydon, Aetolia, in 1263 BC.
Amphiaraus' father was Oecles (or Oicles, Oecleus), son of Mantius (or Antiphates). [Home.Od.15.220, Hyginus.70, Paus.6.17.6, Diod.4.68.5]
Amphiaraus' mother was Hypermnestra, daughter of Thestius. [Hyginus.70, Diod.4.68.5]
2 Family
Amphiaraus married Eriphyle, daughter of Talaus. [Apo.1.9.13, Diod.4.65.6, Hyginus.71]
Amphiaraus and Eriphyle had a son, Alcmaeon. [Home.Od.15, Paus.2.20.5, Strabo.10.2.25]
Amphiaraus and Eriphyle had a son, Amphilochus. [Apo.3.10.8, Home.Od.15, Paus.3.15.8, Strabo.10.2.26]
Amphiaraus and Eriphyle had a daughter, Demonassa. [Paus.3.15.8, Paus.9.5.15]
Amphiaraus and Eriphyle had a daughter, Alexida. [PlutQuestG.23]
Amphiaraus and Eriphyle had two daughters, Alcmena and Eurydice. [Paus.5.17.7-8]
3 Others
Amphiaraus appears in the story of the expedition of the Argonauts and the story of the Calydonian Boar Hunt. [Apo.1.8.2, Apo.1.9.16]
3.1 Emigration to Argos
Amphiaraus was born during the exile of his grandfather Mantius and his father Oecles to Calydon in Aetolia.
Mantius' aunt Aeolia was married to Calydon. [Apo.1.7.7]
In 1247 BC, Amphiaraus returned to Argos from Calydon with his grandfather and father.
Amphiaraus fought against those who had driven his grandfather and father out of Argos, and expelled them from Argos. [Pind.Ne.9.10]
3.2 Attack on Elis
In 1240 BC, Heracles attacked Augeas in Elis and captured the city. [Apo.2.7.2, Diod.4.33.4, Paus.5.3.1]
From the following, it is assumed that Amphiaraus also participated in the battle against Augeas.
1) The tomb of Oecles, father of Amphiaraus, was located on the road along the Helisson River in southern Arcadia. [Paus.8.36.6]
Amphiaraus and Oecles led the Argives in Heracles' attack on Elis, and Oecles is presumed to have died of illness on the way back.
The Argives participated in the attack on Elis, but Oecles was the one who ruled Argos at the time. [Paus.5.3.1]
2) After Heracles captured Elis, he moved from Pheneus in Arcadia to Calydon in Aetolia. [Diod.4.34.1]
Heracles had no connection with Oeneus, the ruler of Calydon.
Amphiaraus was born in Calydon and lived with Oeneus until he returned to Argos.
It is assumed that Amphiaraus introduced Oeneus of Calydon to Heracles during the siege of Elis.
3) Hyginus reports that Amphiaraus came from Pylos to participate in the siege of Thebes. [Hyginus.70]
At the time of Adrastus' siege of Thebes, Pylos near Elis had been destroyed by Heracles and was in ruins. [Apo.2.7.3, Paus.6.22.5]
Also, Pylos in Messenia had not yet been built. [Paus.4.3.1, Paus.4.3.7]
The only Pylos that existed at that time was the Lepreatic Pylus in southern Eleia.
Amphiaraus' great-grandfather Melampus lived in Triphylia in southern Eleia before migrating to Argos. [Strabo.8.6.10]
The founder of the Lepreatic Pylus is presumed to be Melampus, the son of Amythaon.
Amphiaraus was probably entrusted with the Lepreatic Pylus by Heracles after the battle with Augeas and Neleus.
3.3 Reconciliation with Adrastus
In 1238 BC, Amphiaraus made peace with Adrastus, the son of Talaus, who had fled to Sicyon, and Adrastus returned to Argos. [FGrH.Nr12.F29, Dic: Amphiaraus]
The condition for the reconciliation was that Amphiaraus married Adrastus's sister Eriphyle. [Pind.Ne.9.15]
Amphiaraus married Talaus' daughter Eriphyle. [Apo.1.9.13, Diod.4.65.6, Hyginus.71]
It seems that Amphiaraus made peace with Adrastus because he lost his father after many people left Argos and could no longer compete with the growing power of Mycenae.
3.4 Visit to Thebes
In 1223 BC, Laius' son Oedipus died, and his funeral was held in Thebes. [Home.23.676, Paus.1.28.7]
Amphiaraus was one of the people who buried Oedipus. [Hesiod.CW.F99]
Oedipus was the adopted son of Polybus, grandfather of Adrastus, brother of Amphiaraus' wife Eriphyle.
3.5 Attack on Thebes
In 1215 BC, Amphiaraus participated in the attack on Thebes by the Argives led by Adrastus. [Paus.10.10.3]
Amphiaraus was Adrastus's brother-in-law.
In this battle, Amphiaraus is said to have died when his chariot was swallowed up by the earth. [Paus.1.34.2]
Croesus of Lydian King was impressed by Amphiaraus's performance in the story of the attack on Thebes by the seven generals, and donated a golden shield and spear to the Ismenian sanctuary. [Herod.1.52]
3.6 Death of Amphiaraus
In reality, the Thebans, who outnumbered Adrastus' expeditionary force, waited in front of the Electran Gate, and it is assumed that the Argives were annihilated in the first battle. [Paus.9.9.2]
The bodies of the Argives' soldiers who died in battle were buried at Eleutherae, beyond Mount Cithaeron, and the bodies of their generals at Eleusis. [Paus.1.39.2, Plut.These.29]
Amphiaraus is presumably buried at Eleusis.
3.7 Genealogy of the prophets
Amphiaraus was a prophet in the blood of Melampus. [Ammian.14.1.7, Apo.3.6.2, Diod.4.65.5, Pind.Ol.6.1, TzeAdLyco.1066]
The descendants of the prophets of Amphiaraus continued to live in Elis and Acarnania.
Megistias, who died fighting the Persians with Leonidas, king of Sparta, at Thermopylae in 480 BC, was a prophet in the blood of Amphiaraus. [Herod.7.221]