Chapter 32 - Bronze Age History of Euboea
Create:2025.10.30, Update:2025.10.30
1 Introduction
1.1 Name of Island
Strabo writes that Euboea was named after heroine. [1]
The heroine was probably Euboea, daughter of Macareus, son of Aeolus, but her relationship to Euboea is unclear. [2]
Euboea was also called Chalcodontis, Macris, Macra, Chalcis, Abantias, and Asopis. [3]
1.2 First settlers
The first settlers in Euboea mentioned in documents were Arabians, who were part of Cadmus' colony in 1420 BC. [4]
The Arabians appear to have subsequently interbred with the indigenous people who lived on the island.
Before the settlement of Pandorus, son of Erechtheus, in 1360 BC, the inhabitants of the island were called Leleges. [5]
Leleges was the name given to people of mixed race who did not belong to any particular tribe. [6]
This chapter describes the history of the towns of Euboea:
Aedepsus, Carystus, Cerinthus, Chalcis, Dium, Ellopia, Eretria, Hestiaea, Oechalia, Orobia, Styra, and Tamynae.
2 History of Aedepsus
In 1085 BC, Ellops, son of Xuthus, annexed Aedepsus to Ellopia. [6-1]
Aedepsus was famous for its hot springs, which were also used by the Roman general Sulla. [6-2]
3 History of Carystus
The geographer Pomponius Mela, who lived in the 1st century BC, reports that Chalcis and Carystus were the richest towns in Euboea. [7]
Carystus was a source of marble and asbestos. [8]
3.1 Founding of Carystus
In 1280 BC, Carystus, son of Scyrius (or Chiron, Cheiron), migrated from Salamis to southeastern Euboea and founded Carystus. [9]
Scyrius was the biological father of Aegeus, the ninth king of Athens, and presumably the son of Cecrops, the seventh king of Athens. [10]
3.2 Migration to Delos
In 1245 BC, Zarex, son of Petraeus, son of Carystus, migrated from Carystus to Delos. [11]
The temple of Apollo in Delos was built by Erysichthon, son of Cecrops, the first king of Athens. [12]
Zarex was of the same lineage as the kings of Athens, and it is believed that he was a priest at the temple of Apollo in Delos.
In 1241 BC, the tenth king of Athens, Theseus, stopped in Delos on his way back from Crete, and it is believed that his cousin Zarex was on the island at the time. [13]
3.3 Migration from Dryopis
In 1230 BC, the Dryopians, driven out by Heracles and the Malians, migrated from Dryopis to Carystus. [13-1]
The Dryopians had been living in Styra, near Carystus, for some time. [13-2]
3.4 Relationship with the Hyperboreans
Carystus was a stopover for the Hyperboreans to deliver offerings to Delos. [14]
Diodorus writes that the Hyperboreans had a long and deep relationship with the Athenians and Delians. [15]
Herodotus writes that offerings passed from Carystus to Delos via Andros and Tenos, but Andros was omitted. [16]
Andros was omitted because the people of the island rebelled and drove out Andros, son of Anius. [17]
4 History of Cerinthus
4.1 Founder Cothus
There is a tradition that Cothus of the Athenians founded Cerinthus. [18]
This Cothus is thought to be the son of Xuthus (or Ion), who founded Chalcis after the Trojan War. [19]
However, Cerinthus is mentioned in Homer's Catalog of Ships, and was already in existence at the time of the Trojan War. [20]
Also, Cothus' brother Ellops is said to have captured Cerinthus, so Cothus is unlikely to have founded Cerinthus. [21]
4.2 Founder Canethus
The following suggests that the founder of Cerinthus was Canethus, son of Abas.
1) In 1310 BC, Abas, son of Lynceus, emigrated from Abae in Phocis to Chalcis. [21-1]
2) Canthus, son of Canethus, son of Abas of Cerinthus, appears in the story of the Argonauts' expedition. [21-2]
The founding of Cerinthus by Canethus is estimated to have occurred in 1280 BC.
The inhabitants of Cerinthus were Abantes, who had migrated from Chalcis.
4.3 Annexation by Ellopia
In 1085 BC, Ellops, son of Xuthus, annexed Cerinthus to Ellopia. [21-3]
5 History of Chalcis
5.1 First inhabitants
In 1420 BC, Curetes, who migrated with Cadmus to Boeotia, discovered copper deposits in Chalcis. [22]
Curetes was a Telchines of Sicyon origin, and is thought to have joined Cadmus' migration from Rhodes or Samothrace. [23]
5.2 Migration from Athens
In 1360 BC, Pandorus, son of Erechtheus, the sixth king of Athens, traveled from Athens to Euboea and founded Chalcis. [24]
Pandorus' migration is believed to have been due to a dispute between brothers.
5.3 Migration to Dium
In 1335 BC, Pandorus' son Dius migrated to the vicinity of Cape Cenaeon, about 80 km northwest of Chalcis, and founded Dium (or Dion, Dios). [25]
5.4 Migration from Athens
In 1320 BC, Cecrops, son of Erechtheus, the seventh king of Athens, emigrated to Euboea. [26]
Cecrops' migration was due to a dispute with his brother Metion, and it is believed that he sought refuge with his brother Pandorus, who had previously emigrated to Euboea.
5.5 Migration from Phocis
In 1310 BC, Abas, son of Lynceus, migrated from Abae in Phocis to Chalcis. [27]
Abas was a descendant of Abas, grandson of Danaus of Argos, and became the eponym of the Abantes of Euboea. [28]
The flight of Hyantes from Boeotia to Hyampolis near Abae, is thought to be the cause of Abas's migration.
5.6 Marriage to Athens
In 1282 BC, Chalciope, daughter of Chalcodon (or Calchodon, Rhexenor), was married to Aegeus, adopted son of Pandion, the eighth king of Athens. [29]
As a result of this marriage, the sons of Theseus, son of Aegeus, fled to Chalcodon's son Elephenor when they were driven out of Athens. [30]
5.7 Founding of Cerinthus
In 1280 BC, Canethus, son of Abas, migrated from Chalcis to northern Euboea and founded Cerinthus. [30-1]
5.8 Migration from Thebes
In 1270 BC, the epic poet Linus migrated from Thebes to Chalcis in Euboea. [31]
The tomb of Linus, son of Amphimarus, was in Chalcis. [32]
After this, Chalcis became a literary town, and held the games in which Hesiod participated. [33]
5.9 Invasion of Phocis
In 1262 BC, the son of Crius, who lived in Euboea, ravaged the area around Delphi in Phocis and was killed by Apollo. [34]
The man whom Apollo killed was Tityus, son of Elare, daughter of Orchomenus. [35]
The name of Crius' son was therefore Tityus. Crius is presumed to be the brother of Abas, son of Lynceus.
5.10 Invasion of Boeotia
In 1258 BC, Chalcodon, son of Abas, who lived in Chalcis in Euboea, invaded Boeotia. He was killed in a battle with Amphitryon of Thebes near Teumessus. [36]
The violent acts of Chalcodon and Crius' son were probably caused by a famine caused by a drought in Euboea. [37]
5.11 Exile from Nauplia
In 1225 BC, Nauplius, son of Clytonaeus, who lived in Nauplia in Argolis, was pursued by the Achaeans and went into exile in Chalcis. [38]
It is believed that Palamedes, son of Nauplius, also settled in Chalcis with his father. [39]
Palamedes learned the Pelasgic letters in Chalcis and added new letters to the alphabet. [40]
5.12 Exile from Athens
In 1210 BC, the two sons of Theseus, Demophon and Acamas, fled from Athens to Elephenor, son of Chalcodon, in Chalcis. [41]
They were exiled by Menestheus, who had taken up arms while Theseus was away in Thesprotis. [42]
Elephenor was the brother of Chalciope, wife of Aegeus.
Elephenor was therefore the brother of the mother-in-law of the father of Theseus' sons.
5.13 Visit from Tanagra
In 1190 BC, Poemander, who lived in Tanagra, accidentally killed his own son and was cleansed by Elephenor, son of Chalcodon, in Chalcis. [43]
5.14 Trojan War
In 1188 BC, Elephenor, son of Chalcodon of Chalcis, led the Abantes in an expedition to Troy. [44]
In 1186 BC, the two sons of Theseus, Demophon and Acamas, returned from Chalcis to Athens. [45]
In 1186 BC, the Achaeans, who had been on an expedition to Troy, were defeated by Ilium, and the Abantes, who had lost Elephenor, migrated to various places.
Some of the Abantes settled in Chios, while the rest migrated to Illyria with the Locrians and founded Thronium. [46]
5.15 Migration from Peloponnesus
In 1126 BC, when Penthilus, son of Orestes, set sail from the port of Aulis for Lesbos, some of the Aeolis immigrants, who were part of the group, settled in Chalcis. [47]
5.16 Migration from Athens
In 1085 BC, Cothus, son of Xuthus (or Ion), migrated from Athens to Chalcis and founded a new city. [48]
5.17 Funeral Games
In 730 BC, the funeral games of Amphidamas were held in Chalcis, and Hesiod won. [49]
5.18 Building of a Bridge
In 411 BC, the Chalcidians and Boeotians worked together to build a bridge from Boeotia to Euboea. [50]
Hesiod describes a boat journey from Aulis to Euboea. The 4th century BC historian Ephorus reports that there was a bridge about 60 metres long. [51]
6 History of Dium
In 1335 BC, Dius, son of Pandorus, founded Dium (or Dion, Dios) near Cape Cenaeon in northwestern Euboea. [52]
The inhabitants of Dium later founded Canae in Aetolia. [53]
7 History of Ellopia
In 1085 BC, Ellops, son of Xuthus (or Ion), led the Ionians from Athens to northern Euboea and founded Ellopia. [54]
Ellops then captured the surrounding Histiaea, Perias, Cerinthus, Aedepsus, and Orobia. [55]
8 History of Eretria
8.1 Founding of Eretria
Strabo reports that Eretrieus, who came from the Triphylian Macistus of Eleia, founded Eretria. [56]
This is probably a myth resulting from the similarity of the names.
The ancient name of Eretria was Melaneis, named after Eurytus' father Melaneus. [57]
It is believed that Eurytus founded Melaneis in 1237 BC when he emigrated to Euboea from Oechalia in Messenia. Eurytus later founded Oechalia near Melaneis. [58]
8.2 Founding of the new Eretria
In 1085 BC, Aeclus, son of Xuthus, led the Ionians in migrating from the Eretria district of Athens to Euboea and founded the new Eretria. [59]
The Ionians included the Gephyraeans (Phoenicians). [60]
The Gephyraeans later resettled in Aphidna, Attica. Harmodius and Aristogeiton, who assassinated Hipparchus, brother of Hippias, tyrant of Athens in the 6th century BC, were Gephyraeans from Aphidna. [61]
8.3 Preventing the landing of refugees
In 734 BC, the Eretrians who had settled in Corcyra were expelled from the island by the Corinthians, who had arrived later, led by Charicrates.
The Eretrians tried to land in their homeland of Eretria but were prevented from doing so and settled in Methone, Macedonia. [62]
9 History of Hestiaea
9.1 Founding of Hestiaea
In 1205 BC, some of the Thebans, who had been driven out of Thebes by the Epigoni, founded Hestiaea (or Histiaea) in northern Euboea. [63]
9.2 Migration to Chios
In 1075 BC, Amphiclus, likely the son of Xuthus (or Ion), migrated from Hestiaea to Chios. [64]
9.3 Expulsion of the inhabitants by the Athenians
In 446 BC, the inhabitants of Histiaea revolted against the Athenians. The Athenian general Pericles expelled the Histiaeans from the city. [65]
9.4 Migration from Ellopia
After the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, Hestiaea's population increased with the migration of inhabitants from Ellopia. [66]
10 History of Oechalia
10.1 Founding of Oechalia
In 1237 BC, Eurytus, son of Melaneus, was expelled from Oechalia in Messenia by Tyndareus, son of Oebalus of Sparta. [67]
Eurytus emigrated to Euboea and founded Oechalia. [68]
Before founding Oechalia, Eurytus founded Melaneis (later Eretria). [69]
10.2 Destruction of Oechalia
In 1224 BC, Eurytus of Oechalia was attacked by Heracles and killed in battle along with his sons. [70]
It was a battle between Heracles, who sided with the Dorians, and Eurytus, who sided with the Lapiths. The Lapiths, defeated by Heracles, fled to Oechalia, where Oechalia was destroyed in a fierce battle. [71]
11 History of Orobia
Orobia had an oracle unparalleled in its authenticity. [71-1]
11.1 Annexation by Ellopia
In 1085 BC, Ellops, son of Xuthus, annexed Orobia to Ellopia. [71-2]
11.2 Great Earthquake
In 426 BC, a great earthquake occurred, and Orobia was washed away by a tsunami. [71-3]
12 History of Styra
Styra was inhabited by the Dryopians, who had migrated from Dryopis, between Mount Oeta and Mount Parnassus. [72]
In 1230 BC, Heracles expelled the Dryopians from Dryopis, but the Dryopians had been living in Styra before that. [73]
13 History of Tamynae
13.1 Exile from Thessaly
In 1236 BC, Admetus, son of Pheres of Pherae in Thessaly, went into exile in Tamynae in Euboea. [74]
The revolt of the Minyans, which had started in Iolcus in Thessaly, also affected Pherae.
Admetus' mother was Periclymene, daughter of Minyas of Orchomenus, and the Minyans who had migrated with her also lived in Pherae. [75]
Admetus fled to Tamynae, where Theseus, son of Hippasus, the former husband of his wife Alcestis, lived. [76]
13.2 Founding of Tamynae
Tamynae was near Oechalia, which had been founded by Eurytus, and it is assumed that the founder of Tamynae was Theseus, son of Hippasus.
Hippasus was the son of Eurytus, and Theseus was the grandson of Eurytus. [77]
Theseus was brought up by Admetus as a stepson of his mother Alcestis, but was later adopted by his grandfather Eurytus. [78]
Later, Theseus founded Tamynae near Oechalia.
Or perhaps Admetus fled from Thessaly to Oechalia, where Theseus and his grandfather lived, and together with Theseus founded Tamynae.
Admetus built a temple to Apollo at Tamynae. [79]
End