TIRYNS (city in Argolis)
Ancient city and archaeological site in Argolis, Greece
- Kind of place
- City
- Region
- Argolis
- People of myth here
- Acrisius, Eurystheus, Perseus, Proetus, Stheneboea (Anteia), Sthenelus, Son of Perseus, Heracles
- Where
- 37.60° N, 22.80° E
The wall of Tiryns was constructed by beings known as the Cyclopes. Pausanias 7.25.6 Tiryns is described as a well-built citadel with strong walls. Strabo 8.6.10 The sons of the Achaeans held the walled city of Tiryns. Of the Origin of Homer and Hesiod, and of Their Contest (83)
Described in the sources
The Cyclopes constructed the city wall at this location for Proetus. Bacchylides 11 +2 Tiryns is listed among the places Homer mentions in succession with Argos and is described as a settlement held by the men of Argos, subject to it according to the Catalogue of the Ships. Iliad 2 ¶41 +2 Iphitus traveled to Tiryns to search for stolen horses, and Heracles killed him on the hill of Tiryns. Diodorus 4.31 +1 Alcmena resides in this coastal city. Sophocles, Trachiniae 1143-1156 Tiryns is located in the Argolid region. Pausanias 8.33.3 Proetus held the kingship over this city. The Catalogues of Women and Eoiae fr. 18 (2) Tiryns is located nine miles beyond Mycenae. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.9 ¶1 Heracles was expelled from this city by Eurystheus. Pausanias 8.14.2 The city was named after a hero who was a son of Argus. Pausanias 2.25.8 The army was transported by ship to the region of Tiryns. Herodotus 6.76.2
Stories and history
The Argives destroyed the city of Tiryns and relocated its inhabitants to Argos to increase the population of Argos. Pausanias 2.17.5 +4 The Cyclopes fortified the city of Tiryns for Proetus by constructing its massive stone wall. Apollodorus 2.2.1 +3 The city was left uninhabited at the time of writing. Pausanias 5.23.3 +1 Amphitryon left Tiryns after killing Electryon for his oxen and was banished to move his residence to Thebes. Diodorus 4.10 +1 Tiryns was destroyed by heaven. Pausanias 8.33.3 The city was reduced to nothing by divine power. Pausanias 8.33.3 Some inhabitants migrated from the city to Epidaurus. Strabo 8.6.11 Heracles threw Iphitus down from a tower in this city. Diodorus 4.31 Peirasus dedicated an old wooden image of Hera in Tiryns. Pausanias 2.17.5 The lord of Tiryns drove cattle from Iberia to Laurentum. Aeneid 7.655
Myths set at Tiryns
- The Death of Iphitus. Iphitus travels to Tiryns to investigate the theft of his father's mares, suspecting Heracles. Heracles kills Iphitus during their meeting, leading to a curse and a war against Oechalia. Apollodorus 2.5.1 +5 Iphitos
- The Slaying of Electryon and Exile to Thebes. Amphitryon accidentally kills Alcmene's father, Electryon, during a dispute over oxen, leading to his exile from Tiryns. He flees to Thebes with Alcmene to seek purification and await the completion of a divine task to avenge her brothers. Apollodorus 2.4.6 +5 Amphitryon
- The Death of Electryon. Amphitryon seeks Electryon's prized oxen, leading to a fatal accident or deliberate act. Electryon's death results in Amphitryon's exile from Tiryns. Apollodorus 2.4.6 +3 Electryon
- The Expulsion from Tiryns. Eurystheus forces Heracles' family to leave and declares Heracles dead. Heracles is expelled from Tiryns and forced to flee. Euripides, Heracles 442-654 part 3 +2 Eurystheus
- The Madness of Proetus' Daughters. Hera drives Proetus' daughters mad, causing them to flee Tiryns and prompting Proetus to attempt suicide. Proetus prays to Artemis, who cures the daughters and allows him to gather them from the hills. Bacchylides 11 +2 Proetus
- The Exile of Heracles and Alkmene. Eurystheus orders Heracles and Alkmene to leave Tiryns, forcing them into exile. They flee to Pheneus in Arcadia, having been driven from all of Hellas. Diodorus 4.33 +1