< Thyestes, son of Pelops >
1 Origin
Thyestes was born in Pisa, Eleia, in 1292 BC.
Thyestes' father was Pelops, son of Tantalus. [Apo.E.2.10, Hyginus.124]
Thyestes' mother was Autochthe, daughter of Perseus. [See Atreus]
2 Family
Thyestes married Laodameia. [Euri.Scho.Or.5.1]
Thyestes and Laodameia had Orchomenus, Aglaus, and Calaus (or Calaeus). [Euri.Scho.Or.5.1, Tzetzes.1.440]
Thyestes married Electra. [Euri.Scho.Or.14.9]
Thyestes and Electra had two sons, Pleisthenes and Tantalus. [Hyginus.88]
Thyestes and Electra had a daughter, Pelopia (or Mnesiphane). [Hyginus.88]
2.1 Aegisthus
Many traditions say that Aegisthus was the son of Thyestes. [Apo.E.2.14, Home.Od.4.512, Hyginus.117, 124, 244, 252, MalaChro.5.133, Tzetzes.1.450]
Some traditions say that Aegisthus' mother was Pelopia, daughter of Thyestes. [Apo.E.2.14, Hyginus.87, 88]
Aegisthus' daughter, Erigone, married Orestes, son of Agamemnon, and bore him a son, Penthilus. [Paus.2.18.6]
The legend that Aegisthus was the son of Thyestes seems to have arisen in conjunction with the legend that Agamemnon was the son of Atreus.
In fact, Agamemnon was the son of Pleisthenes (or Plisthenes), son of Atreus, and Aegisthus was presumably the son of Pelopia, daughter of Thyestes.
3 Other
3.1 Migration to Macistus
In 1287 BC, Thyestes, together with Atreus, emigrated from Pisa to Macistus in Triphylia. [Euri.Scho.Or.5.1]
Thyestes' half-brothers also left the town at the same time, and it is assumed that an important event occurred in Pisa. As the legend goes, it may have been an event related to the death of Chrysippus, the successor of Pelops. [Paus.6.20.7]
3.2 Migration to Midea
In 1277 BC, Thyestes, together with Atreus, emigrated to Midea in Argolis. [Apo.2.4.6]
[FGrH.10.11, Tzetzes.1.460]
After Electryon of Midea died and his son Licymnius and daughter Alcmena left for Thebes, Sthenelus, son of Perseus, left Midea to Atreus and Thyestes. [Apo.2.4.6]
Atreus was the brother of Sthenelus' wife Amphibia (or Nicippe), but he had at least six older siblings. [Pind.Ol.1.89]
It is presumed that Sthenelus left Midea to Atreus and Thyestes because they were the sons of Sthenelus' sister, not because they were the brothers of Sthenelus' wife.
3.3 Migration to Cythera
In 1251 BC, Thyestes migrated from Midea to the island of Cythera. [FGrH.10.11, Tzetzes.1.460, Home.Od.4.512]
Thyestes left Midea probably because Electryon's son Licymnius returned from Thebes to Midea.
3.4 Thyestes and Mycenae
Eusebius, a historian of the 4th century AD, reports that Atreus and Thyestes succeeded Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, and ruled for 65 years. [Euseb.Chron.179]
In 1217 BC, when Eurystheus attacked Heracleidae and was killed in battle, Atreus was estimated to be 73 years old and Thyestes was estimated to be 75 years old. It is completely impossible for them to rule Mycenae for 65 years.
When Atreus succeeded Eurystheus as king of Mycenae, Thyestes was presumably already dead, meaning that he had no connection to Mycenae.