< Messapus, son of Argus >

1 Origin

Messapus was born in Argion (later Mycenae) in 1600 BC.

1.1 Father of Messapus

Castor, a chronicler from the 2nd century BC, lists Messapus as the 9th king of Sicyon. [Euseb.Chron.175]

Pausanias gives a genealogy of the kings of Sicyon, but does not mention Messapus.

Pausanias states that Leucippus, the 8th king of Sicyon, was succeeded by Peratus, the son of his daughter Calchinia. [Paus.2.5.7]

Messapus was probably Calchinia's husband, Peratus' father, and Argus' son.

2 Family

Messapus married Calchinia, daughter of Leucippus, and had a son named Peratus (or Eratus). [Paus.2.5.7]

Argus' wife was Ismene, daughter of Thurimachus, the seventh king of Sicyon, and Messapus and Calchinia were cousins.

3 Others

Messapus inherited Argion from his father Argus.

In 1560 BC, there was a great migration of the inhabitants of Argos.

The cause of this migration is presumed to have been an attack by Messapus, for the following reasons:

1) Recent archaeological research has revealed that Mycenae developed into a great power between 1550 BC and 1450 BC.

2) Gelanor, who ruled Argos when Danaus migrated from Egypt in 1430 BC, had a deep connection with Sicyon. [See Gelanor]

Messapus also brought Argos under his control.

As a result, Argion ruled over all the people of the Peloponnesus Peninsula, except for the Pelasgians who lived in Arcadia.

Messapus died around 1540 BC and is believed to be the person associated with the Mask of Agamemnon excavated at Mycenae.