Lands/Megara
I

Car

Son of Phoroneus; first named king in the Megarians' own foundation tale — in his reign they first built Demeter sanctuaries and used the name Megara ('Chambers'). The citadel Caria and his tomb on the Corinth road keep his name. Boeotians instead derive the city-name from Megareus of Onchestus.1

II

Lelex

Arrived from Egypt in the twelfth generation after Car and became king; the Leleges took their name in his reign. At Nisaea they bury him as son of Poseidon by Libya daughter of Epaphus — distinct from the Laconian autochthon Lelex (lelex-laconia).2

III

Cleson

Son of Lelex in the Megarian stemma; father of Pylas. His daughters Cleso and Tauropolis are said to have found and buried Ino's corpse on the Megarian coast.3

IV

Pylas

Son of Cleson; king of Megara whose daughter Pylia wed the exiled Pandion II. Apollodorus has him slay his father's brother Bias, hand the kingdom to Pandion, and found Pylus in the Peloponnese — not the Neleid Pylos of Nestor.4

V

Pandion II

Deposed Athenian who fled to Megara, married Pylia, and received the kingship from Pylas. Father there of Aegeus, Pallas, Nisus, and Lycus; his tomb lies on the Megarid coast. Not Pandion I (pandion).5

VI

Nisus

Son of Pandion II; Aeacus awarded him the Megarian kingship against Sciron (war-leadership only). Port Nisaea bears his name. Life hung on a purple lock until his daughter Scylla (scylla-nisus — not the cliff-monster) betrayed him to Minos. Distinct from Nisus of Dulichium (nisus-dulichium).6

VII

Megareus

Megarians make him son of Poseidon from Onchestus, son-in-law of Nisus by Iphinoe, and Nisus' successor — suppressing the Cretan capture. Apollodorus instead has him slain helping Nisus against Minos (son of Hippomenes there — not the Atalanta-race Hippomenes). Tomb on the Alcathous citadel.7

VIII

Alcathous

Came from Elis after Nisus' fall; Megarians cast him as Megareus' son-in-law and successor who rebuilt the walls with Apollo's lyre laid on the stone. Father of Callipolis and Ischepolis, and of Periboea who wed Telamon. Distinct from the Trojan Alcathous (alcathous-trojan).8

IX

Hyperion

Son of Agamemnon and last king of Megara; slain by Sandion for greed and violence, after which the Megarians abolished kingship for elected magistrates. Plain attested name — not the Titan Hyperion (hyperion).9

the spine ignites as you read · the reign index on the card follows your place · starred rulers link to their codices

HER SKY

a mini-galaxy of 6 dwellers

the sky drifts, waiting
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ON THE MAP

in Megaris — Attica

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Coordinates: Pleiades gazetteer, CC BY · place 570168