In Greek mythology, Phorbas[pronunciation?] (Ancient Greek: Φόρβας, gen. Φόρβαντος) or Phorbaceus[pronunciation?] was the sixth king of Argos.[1]
Family
Phorbas was given two different parentage and progeny by various sources. According to scholia on Euripides, his parents were Criasus and Melantho (Melantomice[2]), brother of Ereuthalion and Cleoboea and father of Arestor and Triopas by Euboea.[3] While Pausanias stated that Phorbas was the son of Argus, brother of Peirasus and possibly Tiryns and Epidaurus as they were sons of Argus.[4] His mother in the latter case maybe Evadne, daughter of river god Strymon. In which case, both authors agree that he had a son Triopas who also became a king after him. Another son, Pellen (Pelles) was credited to be the founder of the city of Pellene in Achaea.[5]
Comparative table of Phorbas' family
| Relation
|
Names
|
Sources
|
| Euripides
|
Pausanias
|
| Sch. on PW
|
| Parents
|
Criasus and Melantho
|
✓
|
|
| Argus
|
|
✓
|
| Sibling
|
Ereuthalion
|
✓
|
|
| Cleoboea
|
✓
|
|
| Peirasus
|
|
✓
|
| Tiryns
|
|
✓
|
| Epidaurus
|
|
✓
|
| Wife
|
Euboea
|
✓
|
|
| Children
|
Arestor
|
✓
|
|
| Triopas
|
✓
|
✓
|
| Pellen
|
|
✓
|
Reign
According to Tatiānus, he may have been a king of Argos himself, succeeding either Argus or Criasus.[6] Eusebius included him in the list of kings of Argos, in which he reigned for thirty five years and was succeeded by Triopas. He was a contemporary of Actaeus, the first king of Attica who named the country after himself, Actaea.[7] During Phorbas' reign, Cecrops Diphyes became the first king of the Athenians.[8]
| PHORBAS' CHRONOLOGY OF REIGN ACCORDING TO VARIOUS SOURCES
|
| Kings of Argos
|
Regnal Years
|
Castor
|
Regnal Years
|
Syncellus
|
Regnal Years
|
Tatian
|
Regnal Years
|
Pausanias
|
| Precessor
|
1569.5
|
54 winters & summers
|
Criasus
|
1567
|
54 winters & summers
|
Criasus
|
1575
|
Criasus
|
1600
|
Argus
|
| Phorbas
|
1542.5
|
35 winters & summers
|
Phorbas
|
1539.5
|
25 winters & summers
|
Phorbas
|
1550
|
Phorbas
|
1575
|
Phorbas
|
| Successor
|
1525
|
46 winters & summers
|
Triopas
|
1527
|
36 winters & summers
|
Triopas
|
1525
|
Triopas
|
1550
|
Triopas
|
Notes
- ^ Augustine, City of God 18.8; Eusebius, Chronography 66; Tatian, Address to the Greeks 39
- ^ Augustine, City of God 18.8
- ^ Scholia ad Euripides, Phoenician Women 1116; ad Orestes 932
- ^ Pausanias, 2.16.1
- ^ Apollonius Rhodius, 1.176; Pausanias, 7.26.12
- ^ Tatian, Address to the Greeks 39
- ^ Eusebius, Preparation for the Gospel 10.11.2
- ^ Eusebius, Chronography 66
References
- Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
- Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- William Smith. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology s.v. Phorbas
