Cynaegirus

Kynaigeiros (Greek Κυναίγειρος or Κυνέγειρος, Cynaegeirus, † Latinized 490 BC ) was a member of the ancient Athenian aristocratic family of Eupatridae and brother of the poet Aeschylus tragedy.

Kynaigeiros, the son of Euphorion of Eleusis, took with his brother Aeschylus in 490 BC as a soldier in the battle of Marathon against the invading army of the Persian king Darius I in part. Despite the numerical superiority of the Persians, these were defeated and fled back to their ships. The Athenians pursued them and Kynaigeiros was killed in his attempt to hold a Persian ship with his bare hand, by the cutting off of the hand.

His death was described a landmark of cultural memory in ancient Greece and also in the literature to inflame patriotic sentiments for future generations. Polygnotos has shown Kynaigeiros ' death on the painting of the Battle of Marathon in the Stoa Poecile in Athens around 460 BC.

His death was exaggerated by the Roman historian Justinus in detail: In his attempt to grab the enemy ship, Kynaigeiros lost only his right hand. Then he seized the ship with his left. After he lost both hands, he tried to grab it with his teeth and also in his mutilated state he fought desperately to death.

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