Phoroneus

Phoroneus (Greek Φορωνεύς ) is a river god in Greek mythology. He is a son of the river god Inachus and the nymph Melia, or Argeia. His siblings are Aigialeus and Io.

According to another tradition Phoroneus was not a god, but the first man who discovered the use of fire that Prometheus had stolen from Mount Olympus. In addition, his introduction of the Hera - worship and Blacksmithing is attributed. He is an anonymous epic of the 7th or 6th century BC devoted to Phoronis.

Phoroneus as ruler

Phoroneus followed his father to the throne. He gained dominion over the whole Peloponnesus and founded the Kingdom Phoronea. He should also have Phoronikosstadt, the first trading colony on the Peloponnese, Argos later founded. Here, people who had lived previously scattered across the country settled in one place.

Phoroneus had two wives, the one the nymph Teledike. With her he had two children Niobe and Apis. With the nymph Kerdo he begat Kar, the first king of Megara. As another, illegitimate son applies Europs. After his death he was buried in Argos, where he was worshiped in the time of Pausanias. His son Apis ascended the throne after him.

After Phoroneus his sister Io was also called Phoronis.

Phoroneus as a river god

The Zeusgattin Hera and the sea god Poseidon called on the river gods Phoroneus Asterion, Kephisos and Inachos to determine one of the two as the ruler of the Argolis. The Board elected from Hera. Poseidon punished the river gods for her non-selection by lack of water and let dry up the sources of rivers.

Swell

• Libraries of Apollodorus 1:57, 2.1
• Travel in Greece Pausanias 1.39.5-6, 2.15.5, 2.20.3, 2.21.1, 2.34.4-5