< Polyneices, son of Oedipus >

1 Origin

In 1248 BC, Polyneices (or Polynices) was born in Tenea, Argolis.

Polyneices' father was Oedipus.

Polyneices' mother was Euryganeia, daughter of Hyperphas.

2 Family

Polyneices' wife was Argia (or Argea), daughter of Adrastus.

Polyneices had a son, Thersander.

Polyneices had two sons, Adrastus and Timeas.

3 Others

3.1 Emigration to Thebes

In 1238 BC, a Sphinx rebellion broke out in Boeotia; Oedipus led the Corinthians to support the Thebans and put down the Sphinx rebellion.

Polyneices emigrated with his father Oedipus from Tenea to Thebes.

3.2 Exile to Argos

In 1225 BC, Polyneices and his brother Eteocles exiled their father Oedipus from Thebes.

Polyneices was driven out of Thebes by Eteocles and went into exile with Adrastus of Argos.

Adrastus was the son of Lysianassa, daughter of Polybus, the foster father of Polyneices' father Oedipus.

In other words, Polyneices defected to his cousin-in-law Adrastus.

While Polyneices was living in Tenea, Adrastus fled Argos and went into exile in Sicyon.

It is likely that Polyneices and Adrastus had known each other since that time.

In Argos, Polyneices married Adrastus' daughter Argia.

3.3 Death of Father Oedipus

Polyneices' father Oedipus died in Athens.

Polyneices had his wife Argia attend Oedipus' funeral in Thebes.

Adrastus accompanied his brother Mecisteus and Amphiaraus, husband of his sister Eriphyle, to Thebes as Argia's escort.

3.4 Argives' attack on Thebes

Polyneices then returned to Thebes at the invitation of Eteocles.

However, the conflict between Polyneices and Eteocles deepened, and Polyneices begged his father-in-law Adrastus for reinforcements to attack Thebes.

In 1215 BC, Adrastus, at Polyneices' request, led his own expeditionary force against Thebes.

In this battle, Polyneices was killed.