CRESPHONTES (king of Messenia)
Figure of myth · king of Messenia in Greek mythology
- Parents
- Aristomachus
- Siblings
- Aristodemus, Temenus
- Consorts
- Merope
- Children
- Aepytus
- Haunts and cult places
- Messene
- In the sources
- 20 ancient passages
Cresphontes, son of Aristomachus, was one of the Heracleidae who returned to the Peloponnesus as a Dorian leader.1,2,3,4
Cresphontes advised the Dorians to invade the Peloponnesus by sea rather than overland.5 He led the Dorian fleet from Naupactus to Molycrium.5 The Dorians promised him the land of Elis in exchange for his guidance.5 Cresphontes requested the land of Messenia from the Dorians because he was older than Aristodemus.6 He faced strong opposition from Theras, a Theban descendant of Polyneices.7 Cresphontes feigned leaving the decision to chance to manipulate the process.7 His lot was made of fire-baked clay, unlike the sun-dried lots of his rivals.8 Cresphontes secured Messene by rigging the lottery with a baked clay lot that did not dissolve.9,8 The Lacedaemonians suspected Cresphontes of wrongdoing regarding the matter of the lot.10
Cresphontes established the colony of Messene after the Heracleidae returned, securing his desired city by throwing a clod of earth into the water instead of a stone.9,11 He captured the region of Messene according to the account of Ephorus.12 The old Messenians agreed to be ruled by Cresphontes and share their land with the Dorians.13,14 He split the territory into five distinct cities after his conquest.12 Cresphontes selected Stenyclerus as the central royal seat of his kingdom, decreeing that the king must reside in the palace there.15,12 He had a palace constructed in Stenyclerus for himself and his children to occupy.15 He gathered all the Dorians together in Stenyclarus.12 He appointed kings to rule the cities of Pylus, Rhium, Mesola, and Hyameitis.12
Cresphontes married Merope, the daughter of Cypselus, king of the Arcadians, who was later forced to marry another man.16,14 Cresphontes was won over by Cypselus through this marriage alliance.2 Aepytus was his youngest son, born to him and Merope, and was hidden away.16,14 The sons of Aristodemus helped restore Aepytus, son of Cresphontes.10 Cresphontes brought the Eleian seer Eumantis to Messene.17 Cresphontes renamed the city Ire to Abia as an honor for the nurse of Glenus.18
Cresphontes was appointed as the king of the district of Messene.16,19 He received his kingship during the return of the Heracleidae under Tisamenus.19 The wealthy class rebelled against him because his government favored the populace.15 He was murdered by wealthy rebels shortly after beginning his reign, and two of his sons were killed alongside him.16,15
The codex facts behind this entry
Cresphontes was the son of Aristomachus and one of the Heracleidae who returned to the Peloponnesus. Pausanias 2.18.7 +1
In the myths
Cresphontes secured Messene by rigging the lottery with a baked clay lot that did not dissolve. Apollodorus 2.8.4 +1 Cresphontes participated in the return of the Heracleidae to the Peloponnesus and bribed Temenus to influence the outcome of the land division. Pausanias 2.18.7 +1 Cresphontes selected the region of Messenia as his personal share of the land. Pausanias 4.3.4 +1 The old Messenians agreed to be ruled by Cresphontes and share their land with the Dorians. Pausanias 4.27.6 +1 Cresphontes established the colony of Messene after the Heracleidae returned, securing his desired city by throwing a clod of earth into the water instead of a stone. Apollodorus 2.8.4 +1 Cresphontes selected Stenyclerus as the central royal seat of his kingdom, decreeing that the king must reside in the palace there. Pausanias 4.3.7 +1
Fate
He was murdered by wealthy rebels shortly after beginning his reign, and two of his sons were killed alongside him. Apollodorus 2.8.5 +1
