Labdacus

In Greek mythology, Labdacus /ˈlæbdəkəs/ (Ancient Greek: Λάβδακος, Lábdakos) was the only son of Polydorus and a king of Thebes. Labdacus was a grandson of Thebes' founder, Cadmus. His mother was Nycteïs, daughter of Nycteus.

Mythology

Polydorus died while Labdacus was a young child, leaving Nycteus as his regent, although Lycus soon replaced him in that office.[1] When Labdacus had grown, he ruled Thebes for a short time. He died while he was still young, after he lost a war with the king of Athens, Pandion, over their borders.[2] Apollodorus writes that he, like his cousin Pentheus, was ripped apart by women in a bacchic frenzy for disrespect to the god Dionysus.[3] Lycus became regent once more after his death, this time for Labdacus' son, Laius. His descendants were called the Labdacids, and included his son Laius, who fathered Oedipus; Oedipus' children were Polynices, Eteocles, Antigone, and Ismene.

Family tree of Theban Royal House

Royal house of Thebes family tree
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  • Solid lines indicate descendants.
  • Dashed lines indicate marriages.
  • Dotted lines indicate extra-marital relationships or adoptions.
  • Kings of Thebes are numbered with bold names and a light purple background.
    • Joint rules are indicated by a number and lowercase letter, for example, 5a. Amphion shared the throne with 5b. Zethus.
  • Regents of Thebes are alphanumbered (format AN) with bold names and a light red background.
    • The number N refers to the regency preceding the reign of the Nth king. Generally this means the regent served the Nth king but not always, as Creon (A9) was serving as regent to Laodamas (the 10th King) when he was slain by Lycus II (the usurping 9th king).
    • The letter A refers to the regency sequence. "A" is the first regent, "B" is the second, etc.
  • Deities have a yellow background color.

Harmonia1.
Cadmus		PolyxoA4.
Nycteus (Regent)		DirceB4 & A6.
Lycus (Regent)
ZeusZeus
InoAgaveEchion3.
Polydorus		NycteisAntiope
SemeleAutonoë
Dionysus2.
Pentheus		Epeiros4.
Labdacus		5a.
Amphion		5b.
Zethus
Menoeceus
EurydiceA7, A8 & A9.
Creon (Regent)		Jocasta6.
Laius		MeropePolybus
HipponomeAlcaeus
Zeus
AlcmeneAmphitryonPerimede7.
Oedipus
MegaraHeraclesIphiclesAnaxo
HeniocheMegareusHaemonAntigone8b.
Eteocles		Argea8a.
Polynices
PyrrhaLycomedesIsmene9.
Lycus II
A12.
Peneleos (Regent)		10.
Laodamas		Demonassa11.
Thersander
Opheltes12.
Tisamenus
14.
Damasichthon		13.
Autesion
15.
Ptolemy		TherasArgeiaAristodemus
16.
Xanthos		EurysthenesProcles


Regnal titles
Preceded by
Lycus (as regent)
 King of Thebes Succeeded by
Lycus

Notes

  1. ^ Pausanias, Description of Greece, 9.5.4.
  2. ^ Tripp, Edward. Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology. New York: Thomas Crowell Company, 1970, p. 335.
  3. ^ Bibliotheca 3.5.5.

References

  • Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
  • 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.


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