Biographical dictionary of ancient Greeks

< Orpheus, son of Ismenius >

1 Origin

Orpheus was born in Bisaltia, Thracia, in 1275 BC.

Orpheus' father was Ismenius, son of Charops. [Tze.1.300]

Orpheus' mother was Calliope, daughter of Pierus. [Tze.1.300]

2 Family

Orpheus married Eurydice. [Apo.1.3.2, Tzetzes.1.840]

3 Others

Orpheus was a descendant of Methon, son of Magnes, son of Aeolus. [Plut.QuestGr.11]

Orpheus was an Odrysian. [Cleme.Str.1.15, Photios.186.45, Tzetzes.8.1]

Orpheus was also a Ciconian. [Strabo.7.8.2, Suda.omi.655]

Orpheus appears in the story of the expedition of the Argonauts. [Apollo.1.23]

Orpheus lived two generations before the Trojan War. [Suda.omi.655]

< Orpheus, son of Oeagrus >

1 Origin

Orpheus was born in 1229 BC in Leibethra near Mount Olympus in Macedonia. [Pult.Alex.14, Suda.omi.654]

Orpheus' father was Oeagrus, son of Pierus. [Suda.Omi.251]

Orpheus' mother was Menippe, daughter of Thamyris. [Tze.1.300]

2 Family

Orpheus' descendants included the poet Homer. [Suda.Omi.251, FGrH.4.5]

3 Others

Orpheus was an epic poet and composed poems for the Lycomidae. [Paus.9.27.2]

The Lycomidae sang hymns composed by Orpheus during their rituals. [Paus.9.30.12]

Orpheus wrote the Genealogy. [FGrH.2.T4]

Orpheus was a Ciconian who lived in Pimpleia at the foot of Mount Olympus. [Strabo.7.8.2]

According to legend, Orpheus was killed at Dium by women who feared that their sons and husbands would be taken from them because the men who loved him had joined him in a group. [Paus.9.30.7, Strabo.7.8.2]

The epitaph on Orpheus' tomb at Dium states that he was killed by a thunderbolt. [Diogenes.1.5]

In the 4th century BC, there was a cypress statue of Orpheus at Leibethra, the birthplace of Orpheus. [Pult.Alex.14]

Create:2025.4.16, Update:2025.4.16