< Oenotrus, son of Lycaon >

1 Origin

Oenotrus was born in Aegialeia (later Sicyon) in 1660 BC.

Oenotrus' father was Lycaon, son of Pelasgus. [Antiq.1.11, Euseb.Chron.267, Paus.8.3.5]

Oenotrus' mother was Cyllene. [Antiq.1.13.1]

2 Others

In 1635 BC, Oenotrus migrated to the southwestern part of the Italian peninsula and founded Pandosia. [Antiq.1.11.3, Strabo.6.1.5]

2.1 Motivation and starting point of migration

During the time of Oenotrus' grandfather Pelasgus, King Apis of Argos attacked the Telchines who lived in Aegialeia and captured the city. [Orosius.1.7]

Apis left Aegialeia to his nephew Pelasgus. With Pelasgus, many Pelasgians migrated from Argos to Aegialeia.

25 years later, Apis was killed and Aegialeia became independent from Argos. [Euseb.Chron.173]

After that, conflict between the Telchines and the Pelasgians seems to have arisen in Aegialeia.

Oenotrus led the descendants of those who had migrated from Argos with his grandfather and migrated from Aegialeia to the Italian peninsula.

2.2 Oenotrus' settlement

Oenotrus sailed clockwise along the coast of the Italian peninsula, found a suitable place near the Acheron River in the southwestern part of the peninsula, and settled there. [Strabo.6.1.4]

Oenotrus lived on a high place near the Acheron River where three peaks meet, and the people who settled with him expanded their settlement near the coast and founded Pandosia (present-day Mendicino) at its center. [Strabo.6.1.5]

The people who settled with Oenotrus became known as Oenotrians (or Oenotri), and the region was called Oenotria. [Strabo.6.1.4]

2.3 The earliest overseas migration

Pausanias records that Oenotrus' migration was the first Greek overseas migration. [Paus.8.3.5]

But before that, Cres, son of Telchin, who had been defeated in battle by Apis, had emigrated from Aegialeia to Crete. [See Cres]