The number of years is
reckoned
from the kings of the Argives, who began before Ogygus.
Eusebius - Chronicles
However, while still alive he abdicated in favour of his son Ptolemy, called Philadelphus, and he lived for a further two years after his son had taken over as king; so we reckon the reign of this first Ptolemy, called Soter, to be 38 rather than 40 years long.
He was succeeded by his son Ptolemy, who as we said was called Philadelphus. The son reigned for two years while his father was still alive, and then for a further 36 years after his death, so that we reckon the length of his reign to be 38 years, the same as for his father.
After him, the third Ptolemy, called Euergetes, reigned for 25 years.
After him, the fourth Ptolemy, called Philopator, reigned for 17 years.
After him, the fifth Ptolemy, called Epiphanes, reigned for 24 years.
This Ptolemy had two sons, the elder called Philometor and the younger called the second Euergetes, who ruled after him for a combined total of 64 years. We have counted their years together, because they were constantly fighting against each other and alternately gained and lost control of the kingdom, which makes it difficult to calculate their years separately.
Philometor first ruled on his own for 11 years; but when Antiochus invaded Egypt and removed him from the throne, the inhabitants of Alexandria put the younger brother in charge. Then they forced Antiochus out of Egypt, and freed Philometor. They called that the 12th year of Philometor, and the first year of Euergetes. After that the two kings ruled jointly until the 17th year, but from the 18th year onwards Philometor ruled on his own.
At that time the elder brother, who had been deposed by the younger brother, was restored by the Romans. [p163] So he ruled in Egypt, and made his brother ruler of Libya instead, and after that Philometor ruled as sole king of Egypt for 18 years. When he died in Syria, which was also under his control, Euergetes was called back from Cyrene and proclaimed king. Euergetes counted his years from the time when he first became king, so that he seems to have reigned for 25 [29? ] years after his brother's death, but officially he reigned for 54 years. The 36th year of Philometor should have been called the first year of his reign, but instead he ordered it to be written as the 25th year of his reign. So the combined length of both their reigns is 64 years, 35 years under Philometor and the rest under Euergetes; but to split it up into separate reigns would lead to confusion.
Ptolemy the second Euergetes had two sons by Cleopatra, the elder called Ptolemy Soter and the younger called Ptolemy Alexander. The elder son was appointed by his mother to reign first; she thought he would obey her, so favoured him for a time. But in the tenth year of his reign he murdered his parents' friends, and was deposed by his mother because of his cruelty, and fled to Cyprus.
His mother summoned her younger son from Pelusium, and appointed him to be king along with her. So the younger son ruled jointly with his mother, and the country was governed in both their names; this year was called the 11th year of Cleopatra and the 8th year of Alexander, because Alexander counted his years from the 4th year of his brother's reign, which was when he started to rule over Cyprus. This state of affairs continued until the death of Cleopatra; after she died, Alexander ruled on his own, and he reigned for 18 years in all after he returned to Alexandria, though officially he reigned for 26 years. In the 19th year, after a dispute with his soldiers, he went away to collect an army to bring to Egypt against them. However they followed him, and under the leadership of a relative of the kings called Tyrrus, [p165] they defeated him in a naval battle. Alexander was forced to take refuge with his wife and daughter in Myra, a city of Lycia; from there, he crossed over to Cyprus, where he was defeated by the admiral Chaereas, and died.
After his expulsion, the inhabitants of Alexandria sent envoys to the elder brother, Ptolemy Soter, and established him as king again, when he had sailed back from Cyprus. Soter lived for another 7 years and 6 months after his return, and the whole period after the death of the brothers' father was counted in his name, which was a total of 35 years and 6 months. But if we split the period up according to the actual course of events, Ptolemy Soter ruled at two different times for a total of 17 years and 6 months, and in between the younger brother, Ptolemy Alexander, ruled for 18 years. The inhabitants of Alexandria were unable to completely delete Alexander's reign from the records, but as far as was in their power they erased all mention of it, because Alexander had assaulted them with the help of some Jews. So they do not count the years of his reign, but attribute the whole 36 years to the elder brother.
Similarly, they do not attribute the next 6 months after the death of the elder brother, which make up the complete 36 years, to Cleopatra, the daughter of the elder brother and wife of the younger brother, who took over control of the kingdom after the death of her father. Nor do they formally attribute to Alexander the 19 days in which he jointly reigned with her.
This Alexander was the son of the younger Ptolemy, who was also called Alexander, and the stepson of Cleopatra. He was staying in Rome, when he was summoned back to Alexandria because there were no men of the royal family left in Egypt. He married the aforesaid Cleopatra, and when she had willingly handed over power to him, after an interval of 19 days he murdered her. Then he himself was seized and killed by the armed men in the gymnasium, because of the foul murder which he had committed.
[p167] This Alexander was succeeded by Ptolemy, called the new Dionysus, who was the son of Ptolemy Soter and the brother of the aforesaid Cleopatra. He reigned for 29 years.
His daughter Cleopatra was the last of the dynasty of the Ptolemaei. She reigned for 22 years.
These reigns also did not follow an continuous sequence from start to finish, as laid out in the records, but each of them had some interruptions in the middle of it. In the reign of the new Dionysus, a three year period was ascribed to the rule of his daughters Cleopatra Tryphaena and Berenice, one year as a joint reign and the following two years, after the death of Cleopatra Tryphaena, as the reign of Berenice on her own. Because Ptolemy had gone off to Rome, and was spending a long time there, his daughters took over the rule of the kingdom, as if he was not going to return, and Berenice took on some men of the royal family as co-rulers. But when Ptolemy returned from Rome, he forget all affection towards his daughter, and in his anger at what she had done, he put her to death.
In the first years of Cleopatra's reign, she shared power with her elder brother Ptolemy and then with others, for the following reasons. When the new Dionysus died, he left four children, two sons called Ptolemy and daughters called Cleopatra and Arsinoe. He handed over power to the two eldest children, Ptolemy and Cleopatra, who reigned jointly for 4 years. And this state of affairs would have continued, if Ptolemy had not wanted to seize sole power for himself, in contravention of his father's orders. However he was fated to die soon afterwards, after being defeated in a naval battle by Julius Caesar, who intervened on behalf of Cleopatra.
After Ptolemy's death, Cleopatra's younger brother, who was also called Ptolemy, became joint ruler with his sister, as proposed by Caesar. The next year was called the fifth year of Cleopatra and the first year of Ptolemy, and so it continued for the following two years, [p169] until he died. He was plotted against and killed by Cleopatra, in his 4th year, which was Cleopatra's 8th year. From then onwards Cleopatra ruled on her own, up until her 15th year. However, her 16th year was also called the first year, because after the death of Lysimachus the king of Chalcis in Syria, the Roman general Marcus Antonius gave Chalcis and the surrounding regions to Cleopatra. And from then onwards for the remaining years up until the 22nd year, which was the last of Cleopatra's reign, the years were counted in the same way, so that the 22nd year was also called the 7th year.
Octavius Caesar, also called Augustus, conquered Egypt in the battle of Actium, and succeeded Cleopatra as ruler of Egypt in the second year of the 184th Olympiad [43 B. C. ]. From the first year of the 111th Olympiad [336 B. C. ], when Aridaeus Philippus became king, until the second year of the 184th Olympiad [43 B. C. ], is 73 Olympiads and one additional year. So the total duration of the rule of all the kings of Alexandria, down to the death of Cleopatra, is 293 years.
So the reign-lengths of the Ptolemaei are as follows:
Alexander the Macedonian began his reign in the first year of the 111th Olympiad [336 B. C. ]. He founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt, and ruled for 12 years and 7 months. After him, the kings of the city of Alexandria and the whole of Egypt were:
Ptolemy the son of Lagus - for 40 years
Ptolemy Philadelphus - for 38 years
Ptolemy Euergetes - for 24 years
Ptolemy Philopator - for 21 years
Ptolemy Epiphanes - for 24 years
Ptolemy Philometor - for 31 years
[p171] Ptolemy the second Euergetes - for 29 years
Ptolemy Physcon, or Soter - for 17 years and 6 months
Ptolemy Alexander, after the expulsion of [Soter], his predecessor - for [10] years
Ptolemy Philadelphus, returning from exile after the expulsion of Alexander - for 8 years
Ptolemy Dionysus, called Philadelphus - for 30 years
Cleopatra the daughter of Ptolemy - for 22 years
In her reign, Gaius Julius Caesar became the first Roman emperor. The next emperor, Octavius Caesar Augustus, called Sebastos in Greek, killed Cleopatra and put an end to the dynasty of the Ptolemaei, who had ruled for 295 years.
THE GREEKS
According to the historians of their ancient times.
The kings of the Athenians
The kings of the Argives
The kings of the Sicyonians
The kings of the Lacedaemonians
The kings of the Corinthians
Who ruled the sea, and for how long
The individual Olympiads of the Greeks
The early kings of the Macedonians
The kings of the (? ) Macedonians, Thessalians, Syrians and Asians after Alexander
Dates of the Greeks
The Sicyonians and their kings are said to be the most ancient of the Greeks. The first king to rule Sicyon was Aegialeus, at the same time as Ninus and Belus, who are the first recorded kings of the Assyrians and of Asia. The Peloponnese was originally called Aegialeia, after this Aegialeus.
Inachus is said to have been the first king of the Argives, 235 years after the start of the Sicyonian kingdom. [p173] Cecrops, called Diphyes ("two-formed") was the first king of the Athenians, about 300 years after the start of the Argive kingdom, and 533 years after the start of the Sicyonian kingdom.
This chronicle will start with the earliest rulers, and first it will give a full list of the kings of the Sicyonians. There is considerable disagreement amongst the older writers who composed chronicles of Greek history; but, as far as possible, we will copy the accounts which are agreed by most writers.
The chronographer Castor lists the dates of the Sicyonian kings in his chronicle; and then he provides a summary of them, as follows: "We will provide a list of the kings of Sicyon, starting with Aegialeus, the first king, and ending with Zeuxippus. These kings reigned for a total of 959 years. After the kings, six priests of [Apollo] Carneius were appointed; this priesthood lasted for 33 years. Then Charidemus was appointed priest; but he could not bear the expense, and went into exile. "
That is what Castor wrote. The exact succession of the Sicyonian kings is reckoned as follows.
The kings of the Sicyonians
Aegialeus, for 52 years.
The Peloponnese was originally called Aegialeia, after this Aegialeus. He is said to have started to rule Sicyon in the 15th year of Belus, the first king of the Assyrians. According to legend, [Belus] was the son of Poseidon and Libya.
Europs, for 45 years.
He reigned at the same time as Ninus, the son of Belus.
Telchin, for 20 years.
He reigned at the same time as Semiramis.
Apis, for 25 years.
The Peloponnese was then called Apia, after this Apis.
Thelxion, for 52 years.
Aegydrus, for 34 years.
Thurimachus, for 45 years.
During his reign, Inachus became the first king of the Argives.
[p175] Leucippus, for 53 years.
Messapus, for 47 years.
During his reign Egypt was ruled by Joseph, as the Hebrews record.
Eratus, for 46 years.
Plemnaeus, for 48 years.
Orthopolis, for 63 years.
Marathonius, for 30 years.
During his reign, Cecrops Diphyes became the first king of Attica.
Marathus, for 20 years.
During his reign, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt, as will be shown in due course.
Echyreus, for 55 years.
During his reign, Danaus became king of the Argives.
Corax, for 30 years.
Epopeus, for 35 years.
Laomedon, for 40 years.
Sicyon, for 45 years.
During his reign, the kingdom of the Argives came to an end, after lasting for 540 years.
Polybus, for 40 years.
Inachus, for 40 years.
Phaestus, for 8 years.
Adrastus, for 4 years.
Polypheides, for 31 years.
During his reign, Troy was captured.
Pelasgus, for 20 years.
During his reign, Aeneias was king of the Latins.
Zeuxippus, for 31 years.
In all, there were 26 kings of Sicyon, who reigned for 959 years. After Zeuxippus, there were no more kings, and instead there were priests of [Apollo] Carneius.
The first priest was Archelaus, for one year.
Automedon, for one year.
Theoclytus, for four years.
Euneus, for six years.
Theonomus, for nine years.
[p177] Amphigyes, for (? ) twelve years.
Lastly, Charidemus for one year. He could not bear the expense, and went into exile. He was priest (? ) 352 years before the first Olympiad [i. e. 1128 B. C. ].
The total duration of the kings and priests of the Sicyonians was 998 years.
After the rulers of the Sicyonians, it will be fitting to give a summary of the kings of the Argives, as far as can be established from the ancient histories. Castor mentions them in these words.
Castor, about the kings of the Argives:
Next we will list the kings of the Argives, starting with Inachus and ending with Sthenelus the son of Crotopus. These kings reigned for a total of 382 years, until Sthenelus was driven out by Danaus, who seized control of Argos. The descendants of Danaus ruled Argos for 162 years, ending with Eurystheus, the son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus. After Eurystheus, the descendants of Pelops ruled Argos for (? ) 105 years, starting with Atreus, and ending with Penthilus, Tisamenus and Cometes (? ) the son of Orestes, in whose time occurred the invasion of the Heracleidae. The dates of each of the Argive kings are as follows.
The kings of the Argives
Inachus, for 50 years.
The country was called Inachia, after this Inachus. He began to rule the Argives at the time of Thurimachus, who was the seventh king of the Sicyonians.
Phoroneus, for 60 years.
In his reign, Ogygus founded Eleusis.
Apis, for 35 years.
The country was then called Apia, after this Apis. During his reign, Joseph governed the Egyptians, as recorded by the Hebrews.
Argus, the son of Zeus and Niobe, for 70 years.
The name of the country was changed to Argeia, after this Argus.
Criasus, for 54 years.
Phorbas, for 35 years.
During his reign, Cecrops Diphyes became king of the Athenians.
[p179] Triopas, for 46 years.
During his reign, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt.
Crotopus, for 21 years.
Sthenelus, for 11 years.
In all, these kings reigned for 382 years.
Danaus drove out Sthenelus, and ruled Argos, as did his descendants after him. The succession of kings, and their dates, are as follows.
Danaus, for 50 years.
Lynceus, for 41 years.
Abas, for 23 years.
Proetus, for 17 years.
Acrisius, for 31 years.
In all, there were rulers of Argos for a period of 544 years, until the end of Danaidae.
After Acrisius, the Argives began to be ruled from Mycenae, when the descendants of Pelops took over the kingdom, in the time of Eurystheus the son of Sthenelus. Pelops was the first ruler of the Peloponnese, and he organised the Olympic games.
After Acrisius, when the Argives began to be ruled from Mycenae:
Eurystheus was king for 45 years.
Then the sons of Pelops, Atreus and Thyestes, for 65 years.
After them, Agamemnon, for 30 years. In the 18th year of his reign, Troy was captured.
Aegisthus, for 17 years.
Orestes, Tisamenus, Penthilus and Cometes for 58 years, until the return of the Heracleidae, when they conquered the Peloponnese. From the return of the Heracleidae until the migration of the Ionians, there are (? ) 60 years. From the migration of the Ionians until the first Olympiad [776 B. C. ], there are 267 years.
Next it will be fitting to provide a list of the kings of Athenians, by summarising the accounts of some of the ancient historians.
Ogygus is said to have been the first [king] of the Athenians; [p181] the Greeks relate that their great ancient flood happened in his reign. Phoroneus the son of Inachus, king of the Argives, is said to have lived at the same time. Plato mentions this in the Timaeus [ 22 ], as follows: "When he wished to introduce them to ancient history, so that they could discuss the antiquity of this city, he started his account with the old stories about Phoroneus and Niobe, and then what happened after the flood. " Ogygus lived in the time of Messapus, the ninth king of Sicyon, and Belochus, the eighth king of the Assyrians.
After Ogygus, because of the great destruction caused by the flood, Attica remained without a king for 190 years, until the time of Cecrops.
The number of years is reckoned from the kings of the Argives, who began before Ogygus. From the end of the reign of Phoroneus, king of the Argives, in whose time Ogygus' flood is said to have happened, until Phorbas, in whose time Cecrops became king of Attica, is a period of 190 years. From Cecrops until the first Olympiad, there are counted seventeen kings, and twelve archons for life; in this time, the marvellous myths of the Greeks are said to have occurred. The Greeks count the kings of Attica from [Cecrops], because they do not know for certain the dates of any earlier kings. Castor explained this in the summary of this history, as follows.
Castor, about the kings of the Athenians:
We will now list the kings of the Athenians, starting with Cecrops, called Diphyes, and ending with Thymoetes. The total duration of the reigns of all these kings, called Erechtheidae, was 450 years. After them, Melanthus of Pylus, son of Andropompus, became king, [p183] followed by his son Codrus. The total duration of their two reigns was (? ) 58 years. [When the kings came to an end, they were replaced by archons who ruled for life], starting with (? ) Medon son of Codrus, and ending with Alcmaeon son of Aeschylus. The total duration of the rule of the archons for life was 209 years. The next archons held power for 10 years each; there were seven of these archons, and altogether they ruled for 70 years. Then the archons started to hold power for one year each, starting with Creon and ending with Theophemus, in whose time the history and glorious achievements of our country came to a complete end.
That is what Castor wrote. Now we will provide a list of each of the kings.
The kings of the Athenians
Cecrops Diphyes, for 50 years.
In his reign lived Prometheus, Epimetheus and Atlas. He started to rule the Athenians in the time of Triopas, the seventh king of the Argives, and Marathonius, the thirteenth king of Sicyon.
At this time, Moses was prominent amongst the Hebrews, as we will show in due course.
Also in his reign, the flood of Deucalion is said to have engulfed Thessaly, just as fire devastated the land of Ethiopia in the time of Phaethon.
Cranaus, an aboriginal, for 9 years.
Amphictyon, the son of Deucalion and son-in-law of Cranaus, for (? ) 10 years.
The deeds of the Danaidae are said to have occurred in his reign.
Erichthonius, the son of Hephaestus, who is called Erechtheus by Homer, for 50 years.
The Idaean Dactyls lived in his reign.
Pandion, the son of Erichthonius, for 40 years.
The rape of Core [Persephone], and what is related about Triptolemus, occurred in his reign.
[p185] Erechtheus the son of Pandion, for 50 years.
The deeds of Perseus occurred in his reign.
Cecrops, the brother of Erechtheus, for 40 years.
The deeds of Dionysus occurred in his reign.
Pandion, the son of Erechtheus, for 25 years.
Afterwards Pandion went into exile, and became king of Megara.
The deeds of Europa, Cadmus and the Sparti occurred in his reign.
Aegeus, the son of Pandion, for 48 years.
The deeds of the Argonauts and the Centaurs occurred in his reign; and Heracles held the athletic games.
Theseus, the son of Aegeus, for 30 years.
In his reign, Minos established laws.
Menestheus, the son of Peteus, son of Orneus son of Erechtheus, for 23 years.
In his reign, Troy was captured.
Demophon, the son of Theseus, for 33 years.
The deeds of Odysseus and Orestes occurred in his reign; and Aeneias was king of Lavinium.
Oxyntes, the son of Demophon, for 12 years.
In his reign, the Amazons burnt down the temple at Ephesus.
Apheidas, the son of Oxyntes, for one year.
Thymoetes, the brother of Apheidas, for 8 years.
Melanthus of Pylus, the son of Andropompus, for 37 years.
In his reign the Heracleidae returned and occupied the Peloponnese.
Codrus, the son of Melanthus, for 21 years.
In his reign, the Ionians were driven out of Achaea, and took refuge in Athens.
Archons of the Athenians, who held power for life
Medon, the son of Codrus, for 20 years.
Acastus, the son of Medon, for 36 years.
In his reign occurred the migration of the Ionians, [p187] including Homer, so they say.
At the same time, Solomon built the temple at Jerusalem, as will be shown in due course.
Archippus, the son of Acastus, for 19 years.
Thersippus, the son of Archippus, for 41 years.
Phorbas, the son of Thersippus, for 30 years.
Megacles, the son of Phorbas, for 30 years.
Diognetus, the son of Megacles, for 28 years.
At this time, Lycurgus was in his prime.
Pherecles, the son of Diognetus, for 19 years.
Ariphron, the son of Pherecles, for 20 years.
At this time, the kingdom of the Assyrians came to an end, and Sardanapallus was killed.
Thespieus, the son of Ariphron, for 27 years.
At this time, Lycurgus established laws for the Spartans.
Agamestor, the son of Thespieus, for 17 years.
Aeschylus, the son of Agamestor, for 23 years.
In his twelfth year, the first Olympiad was held, in which Coroebus won the stadion contest.
The total duration of the Athenian rulers, from Cecrops down to the first Olympiad [776 B. C. ], was 780 years; from Ogygus to the first Olympiad, there were 970 years. From this time onwards, it is convenient to calculate dates according to the Olympiads.
After Aeschylus, Alcmaeon ruled the Athenians, for 2 years.
[p189] After Alcmaeon, the Athenians decided to appoint archons for ten years each:
Charops, for ten years.
Aesimides, for ten years.
Cleidicus, for ten years.
Hippomenes, for ten years.
Leocrates, for ten years.
Apsander, for ten years.
Eryxias, for ten years.
After this, they decided to appoint archons for one year each. The first annual archon was Creon, in the 24th Olympiad [684-681 B. C. ]. From that time onwards, an archon was appointed for each year; but it is not necessary to list their names.
This concludes the summary of the dates of the ancient rulers of the Athenians, as related by the older and more reliable historians. We have set down the dates and events before the capture of Troy, which are not reliably recorded, as well as we can from the different accounts. Nor are the events from the capture of Troy until the first Olympiad accurately recorded. However Porphyrius, in the first book of his Philosophical History, gives a summary in the following words:
"Apollodorus says that there are 80 years from the capture of Troy [1183 B. C. ] until the expedition of the Heracleidae to the Peloponnese [1103 B. C. ]; there are 60 years from the return of the Heracleidae until the settling of Ionia [1043 B. C. ]; there are 159 years from then until Lycurgus [884 B. C. ]; and there are 108 years from Lycurgus until the first Olympiad [776 B. C. ]. Altogether, there are 407 years from the capture of Troy until the first Olympiad. "
Next, it will be fitting to give an account of the Olympiads as they are recorded by the Greeks.
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Eusebius: Chronicle
- pages 191-247
Most of the original Greek text of the Chronicle has been lost. This translation is based on a Latin translation of the Armenian translation of the Greek original, in the Schoene-Petermann edition. The references in red are the page numbers from that edition.
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[p191]
Olympiads of the Greeks
First Olympiad: in which Coroebus of Elis won the stadion race.
From this time onwards, the dates of the Greeks seem to have been accurately recorded; before then, the dates are supplied according to the whim of each writer.
About the institution of the Olympic Games
It is necessary to say a little about the origin of the games. Some writers, who trace back the institution of the games to the earliest times, say that they had been held before Heracles, by one of the Idaean Dactyls; and then by Aethlius, as a challenge for his sons (from his name, the competitors were called athletes); and then by his son Epeius; and then Endymion, Alexinus and Oenomaus were each in charge of the sacred festival. Then Pelops held the games in honour of his father Zeus; and next, Heracles the son of Alcmene. There were ten generations (or, according to some, only three complete festivals) from Heracles until the time of Iphitus.
Iphitus was a citizen of Elis, who was concerned about the condition of Greece, and wished to rid the cities of their wars. He sent envoys from the whole of the Peloponnese to consult [the god] about release from the wars which gripped them. The god gave this response to the Peloponnesians:
You who dwell in the Peloponnese, gather round the altar;
Make sacrifice, and obey the instructions of the prophets.
He added these words to the Eleans:
Elean servants of the gods, who maintain your ancestral rites,
Protect your homeland, and desist from war.
Lead the Greeks in mutually just friendship,
Until the gathering comes in the year of good will.
[p193] As a result of this, Iphitus proclaimed the truce [which had been fixed by Heracles at the summer solstice; they no longer fought against each other,] and he organised the games together with Lycurgus, who happened to be his relative because they were both descended from Heracles. On this occasion, the only contest was the stadion race; later the other contests were added in their turn.
Aristodemus of Elis relates that the victors in the athletic contests began to be registered in the 27th Olympiad after Iphitus. Before then, no-one had thought to record the athletes' names. In the 28th Olympiad Coroebus of Elis won the stadion race, and he was the first victor to be registered. This was then established as the first Olympiad, from which the Greeks calculate their dates.
Polybius says the same as Aristodemus; but Callimachus says that thirteen Olympiads passed after Iphitus without victors being registered; and Coroebus was the victor in the 14th Olympiad. Many writers state that the institution of the games by Heracles the son of Alcmene occurred (? ) 419 years before what is counted as the first Olympiad. The Eleans hold the games every fifth year, with a gap of four years in between them.
The Greek Olympiads, from the first Olympiad up until the 247th, when Antoninus the son of Severus was emperor of the Romans:
[The equivalent years B. C. or A. D. are shown in green]
1st Olympiad [776 B. C. ] - Coroebus of Elis was the victor in the stadion race.
The stadion race was the only contest for the first thirteen Olympiads.
2nd [772 B. C. ] - Antimachus of Elis, stadion race
[At this time] Romulus and Remus were born.
3rd [768 B. C. ] - Androclus of Messenia, stadion race
[p195] 4th [764 B. C. ] - Polychares of Messenia, stadion race
5th [760 B. C. ] - Aeschines of Elis, stadion race
6th [756 B. C. ] - Oebotas of Dyme, stadion race
7th [752 B. C. ] - Diocles of Messenia, stadion race
8th [748 B. C. ] - Anticles of Messenia, stadion race
9th [744 B. C. ] - Xenocles of Messenia, stadion race
10th [740 B. C. ] - Dotades of Messenia, stadion race
11th [736 B. C. ] - Leochares of Messenia, stadion race
12th [732 B. C. ] - Oxythemis of Coroneia, stadion race
13th [728 B. C. ] - Diocles of Corinth, stadion race
14th [724 B. C. ] - Desmon of Corinth, stadion race
A double race was added, which was won by Hypenus of Elis.
15th [720 B. C. ] - Orsippus of Megara, stadion race
A long race was added, and the runners were naked; the winner was Acanthus of Laconia.
16th [716 B. C. ] - Pythagoras of Laconia, stadion race
17th [712 B. C. ] - Polus of Epidaurus, stadion race
18th [708 B. C. ] - Tellis of Sicyon, stadion race
A wresting contest was added, and the winner was Eurybatus of Laconia.
A pentathlon contest was also added, and the winner was Lampis of Laconia.
19th [704 B. C. ] - Menus of Megara, stadion race
20th [700 B. C. ] - Atheradas of Laconia, stadion race
21st [696 B. C. ] - Pantacles of Athens, stadion race
22nd [692 B. C. ] - Pantacles for a second time
23rd [688 B. C. ] - Icarius of Hyperesia, stadion race
A boxing contest was added, and the winner was Onomastus of Smyrna. It was Onomastus who established the rules of boxing.
24th [684 B. C. ] - Cleoptolemus of Laconia, stadion race
25th [680 B. C. ] - Thalpis of Laconia, stadion race
A race was added for chariots drawn by four horses, and the winner was Pagon of Thebes.
[p197] 26th [676 B. C. ] - Callisthenes of Laconia, stadion race
Philombrotus of Laconia won the pentathlon at three Olympic games.
The Carneia, a contest for citharodes, was held for the first time at Sparta.
27th [672 B. C.
He was succeeded by his son Ptolemy, who as we said was called Philadelphus. The son reigned for two years while his father was still alive, and then for a further 36 years after his death, so that we reckon the length of his reign to be 38 years, the same as for his father.
After him, the third Ptolemy, called Euergetes, reigned for 25 years.
After him, the fourth Ptolemy, called Philopator, reigned for 17 years.
After him, the fifth Ptolemy, called Epiphanes, reigned for 24 years.
This Ptolemy had two sons, the elder called Philometor and the younger called the second Euergetes, who ruled after him for a combined total of 64 years. We have counted their years together, because they were constantly fighting against each other and alternately gained and lost control of the kingdom, which makes it difficult to calculate their years separately.
Philometor first ruled on his own for 11 years; but when Antiochus invaded Egypt and removed him from the throne, the inhabitants of Alexandria put the younger brother in charge. Then they forced Antiochus out of Egypt, and freed Philometor. They called that the 12th year of Philometor, and the first year of Euergetes. After that the two kings ruled jointly until the 17th year, but from the 18th year onwards Philometor ruled on his own.
At that time the elder brother, who had been deposed by the younger brother, was restored by the Romans. [p163] So he ruled in Egypt, and made his brother ruler of Libya instead, and after that Philometor ruled as sole king of Egypt for 18 years. When he died in Syria, which was also under his control, Euergetes was called back from Cyrene and proclaimed king. Euergetes counted his years from the time when he first became king, so that he seems to have reigned for 25 [29? ] years after his brother's death, but officially he reigned for 54 years. The 36th year of Philometor should have been called the first year of his reign, but instead he ordered it to be written as the 25th year of his reign. So the combined length of both their reigns is 64 years, 35 years under Philometor and the rest under Euergetes; but to split it up into separate reigns would lead to confusion.
Ptolemy the second Euergetes had two sons by Cleopatra, the elder called Ptolemy Soter and the younger called Ptolemy Alexander. The elder son was appointed by his mother to reign first; she thought he would obey her, so favoured him for a time. But in the tenth year of his reign he murdered his parents' friends, and was deposed by his mother because of his cruelty, and fled to Cyprus.
His mother summoned her younger son from Pelusium, and appointed him to be king along with her. So the younger son ruled jointly with his mother, and the country was governed in both their names; this year was called the 11th year of Cleopatra and the 8th year of Alexander, because Alexander counted his years from the 4th year of his brother's reign, which was when he started to rule over Cyprus. This state of affairs continued until the death of Cleopatra; after she died, Alexander ruled on his own, and he reigned for 18 years in all after he returned to Alexandria, though officially he reigned for 26 years. In the 19th year, after a dispute with his soldiers, he went away to collect an army to bring to Egypt against them. However they followed him, and under the leadership of a relative of the kings called Tyrrus, [p165] they defeated him in a naval battle. Alexander was forced to take refuge with his wife and daughter in Myra, a city of Lycia; from there, he crossed over to Cyprus, where he was defeated by the admiral Chaereas, and died.
After his expulsion, the inhabitants of Alexandria sent envoys to the elder brother, Ptolemy Soter, and established him as king again, when he had sailed back from Cyprus. Soter lived for another 7 years and 6 months after his return, and the whole period after the death of the brothers' father was counted in his name, which was a total of 35 years and 6 months. But if we split the period up according to the actual course of events, Ptolemy Soter ruled at two different times for a total of 17 years and 6 months, and in between the younger brother, Ptolemy Alexander, ruled for 18 years. The inhabitants of Alexandria were unable to completely delete Alexander's reign from the records, but as far as was in their power they erased all mention of it, because Alexander had assaulted them with the help of some Jews. So they do not count the years of his reign, but attribute the whole 36 years to the elder brother.
Similarly, they do not attribute the next 6 months after the death of the elder brother, which make up the complete 36 years, to Cleopatra, the daughter of the elder brother and wife of the younger brother, who took over control of the kingdom after the death of her father. Nor do they formally attribute to Alexander the 19 days in which he jointly reigned with her.
This Alexander was the son of the younger Ptolemy, who was also called Alexander, and the stepson of Cleopatra. He was staying in Rome, when he was summoned back to Alexandria because there were no men of the royal family left in Egypt. He married the aforesaid Cleopatra, and when she had willingly handed over power to him, after an interval of 19 days he murdered her. Then he himself was seized and killed by the armed men in the gymnasium, because of the foul murder which he had committed.
[p167] This Alexander was succeeded by Ptolemy, called the new Dionysus, who was the son of Ptolemy Soter and the brother of the aforesaid Cleopatra. He reigned for 29 years.
His daughter Cleopatra was the last of the dynasty of the Ptolemaei. She reigned for 22 years.
These reigns also did not follow an continuous sequence from start to finish, as laid out in the records, but each of them had some interruptions in the middle of it. In the reign of the new Dionysus, a three year period was ascribed to the rule of his daughters Cleopatra Tryphaena and Berenice, one year as a joint reign and the following two years, after the death of Cleopatra Tryphaena, as the reign of Berenice on her own. Because Ptolemy had gone off to Rome, and was spending a long time there, his daughters took over the rule of the kingdom, as if he was not going to return, and Berenice took on some men of the royal family as co-rulers. But when Ptolemy returned from Rome, he forget all affection towards his daughter, and in his anger at what she had done, he put her to death.
In the first years of Cleopatra's reign, she shared power with her elder brother Ptolemy and then with others, for the following reasons. When the new Dionysus died, he left four children, two sons called Ptolemy and daughters called Cleopatra and Arsinoe. He handed over power to the two eldest children, Ptolemy and Cleopatra, who reigned jointly for 4 years. And this state of affairs would have continued, if Ptolemy had not wanted to seize sole power for himself, in contravention of his father's orders. However he was fated to die soon afterwards, after being defeated in a naval battle by Julius Caesar, who intervened on behalf of Cleopatra.
After Ptolemy's death, Cleopatra's younger brother, who was also called Ptolemy, became joint ruler with his sister, as proposed by Caesar. The next year was called the fifth year of Cleopatra and the first year of Ptolemy, and so it continued for the following two years, [p169] until he died. He was plotted against and killed by Cleopatra, in his 4th year, which was Cleopatra's 8th year. From then onwards Cleopatra ruled on her own, up until her 15th year. However, her 16th year was also called the first year, because after the death of Lysimachus the king of Chalcis in Syria, the Roman general Marcus Antonius gave Chalcis and the surrounding regions to Cleopatra. And from then onwards for the remaining years up until the 22nd year, which was the last of Cleopatra's reign, the years were counted in the same way, so that the 22nd year was also called the 7th year.
Octavius Caesar, also called Augustus, conquered Egypt in the battle of Actium, and succeeded Cleopatra as ruler of Egypt in the second year of the 184th Olympiad [43 B. C. ]. From the first year of the 111th Olympiad [336 B. C. ], when Aridaeus Philippus became king, until the second year of the 184th Olympiad [43 B. C. ], is 73 Olympiads and one additional year. So the total duration of the rule of all the kings of Alexandria, down to the death of Cleopatra, is 293 years.
So the reign-lengths of the Ptolemaei are as follows:
Alexander the Macedonian began his reign in the first year of the 111th Olympiad [336 B. C. ]. He founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt, and ruled for 12 years and 7 months. After him, the kings of the city of Alexandria and the whole of Egypt were:
Ptolemy the son of Lagus - for 40 years
Ptolemy Philadelphus - for 38 years
Ptolemy Euergetes - for 24 years
Ptolemy Philopator - for 21 years
Ptolemy Epiphanes - for 24 years
Ptolemy Philometor - for 31 years
[p171] Ptolemy the second Euergetes - for 29 years
Ptolemy Physcon, or Soter - for 17 years and 6 months
Ptolemy Alexander, after the expulsion of [Soter], his predecessor - for [10] years
Ptolemy Philadelphus, returning from exile after the expulsion of Alexander - for 8 years
Ptolemy Dionysus, called Philadelphus - for 30 years
Cleopatra the daughter of Ptolemy - for 22 years
In her reign, Gaius Julius Caesar became the first Roman emperor. The next emperor, Octavius Caesar Augustus, called Sebastos in Greek, killed Cleopatra and put an end to the dynasty of the Ptolemaei, who had ruled for 295 years.
THE GREEKS
According to the historians of their ancient times.
The kings of the Athenians
The kings of the Argives
The kings of the Sicyonians
The kings of the Lacedaemonians
The kings of the Corinthians
Who ruled the sea, and for how long
The individual Olympiads of the Greeks
The early kings of the Macedonians
The kings of the (? ) Macedonians, Thessalians, Syrians and Asians after Alexander
Dates of the Greeks
The Sicyonians and their kings are said to be the most ancient of the Greeks. The first king to rule Sicyon was Aegialeus, at the same time as Ninus and Belus, who are the first recorded kings of the Assyrians and of Asia. The Peloponnese was originally called Aegialeia, after this Aegialeus.
Inachus is said to have been the first king of the Argives, 235 years after the start of the Sicyonian kingdom. [p173] Cecrops, called Diphyes ("two-formed") was the first king of the Athenians, about 300 years after the start of the Argive kingdom, and 533 years after the start of the Sicyonian kingdom.
This chronicle will start with the earliest rulers, and first it will give a full list of the kings of the Sicyonians. There is considerable disagreement amongst the older writers who composed chronicles of Greek history; but, as far as possible, we will copy the accounts which are agreed by most writers.
The chronographer Castor lists the dates of the Sicyonian kings in his chronicle; and then he provides a summary of them, as follows: "We will provide a list of the kings of Sicyon, starting with Aegialeus, the first king, and ending with Zeuxippus. These kings reigned for a total of 959 years. After the kings, six priests of [Apollo] Carneius were appointed; this priesthood lasted for 33 years. Then Charidemus was appointed priest; but he could not bear the expense, and went into exile. "
That is what Castor wrote. The exact succession of the Sicyonian kings is reckoned as follows.
The kings of the Sicyonians
Aegialeus, for 52 years.
The Peloponnese was originally called Aegialeia, after this Aegialeus. He is said to have started to rule Sicyon in the 15th year of Belus, the first king of the Assyrians. According to legend, [Belus] was the son of Poseidon and Libya.
Europs, for 45 years.
He reigned at the same time as Ninus, the son of Belus.
Telchin, for 20 years.
He reigned at the same time as Semiramis.
Apis, for 25 years.
The Peloponnese was then called Apia, after this Apis.
Thelxion, for 52 years.
Aegydrus, for 34 years.
Thurimachus, for 45 years.
During his reign, Inachus became the first king of the Argives.
[p175] Leucippus, for 53 years.
Messapus, for 47 years.
During his reign Egypt was ruled by Joseph, as the Hebrews record.
Eratus, for 46 years.
Plemnaeus, for 48 years.
Orthopolis, for 63 years.
Marathonius, for 30 years.
During his reign, Cecrops Diphyes became the first king of Attica.
Marathus, for 20 years.
During his reign, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt, as will be shown in due course.
Echyreus, for 55 years.
During his reign, Danaus became king of the Argives.
Corax, for 30 years.
Epopeus, for 35 years.
Laomedon, for 40 years.
Sicyon, for 45 years.
During his reign, the kingdom of the Argives came to an end, after lasting for 540 years.
Polybus, for 40 years.
Inachus, for 40 years.
Phaestus, for 8 years.
Adrastus, for 4 years.
Polypheides, for 31 years.
During his reign, Troy was captured.
Pelasgus, for 20 years.
During his reign, Aeneias was king of the Latins.
Zeuxippus, for 31 years.
In all, there were 26 kings of Sicyon, who reigned for 959 years. After Zeuxippus, there were no more kings, and instead there were priests of [Apollo] Carneius.
The first priest was Archelaus, for one year.
Automedon, for one year.
Theoclytus, for four years.
Euneus, for six years.
Theonomus, for nine years.
[p177] Amphigyes, for (? ) twelve years.
Lastly, Charidemus for one year. He could not bear the expense, and went into exile. He was priest (? ) 352 years before the first Olympiad [i. e. 1128 B. C. ].
The total duration of the kings and priests of the Sicyonians was 998 years.
After the rulers of the Sicyonians, it will be fitting to give a summary of the kings of the Argives, as far as can be established from the ancient histories. Castor mentions them in these words.
Castor, about the kings of the Argives:
Next we will list the kings of the Argives, starting with Inachus and ending with Sthenelus the son of Crotopus. These kings reigned for a total of 382 years, until Sthenelus was driven out by Danaus, who seized control of Argos. The descendants of Danaus ruled Argos for 162 years, ending with Eurystheus, the son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus. After Eurystheus, the descendants of Pelops ruled Argos for (? ) 105 years, starting with Atreus, and ending with Penthilus, Tisamenus and Cometes (? ) the son of Orestes, in whose time occurred the invasion of the Heracleidae. The dates of each of the Argive kings are as follows.
The kings of the Argives
Inachus, for 50 years.
The country was called Inachia, after this Inachus. He began to rule the Argives at the time of Thurimachus, who was the seventh king of the Sicyonians.
Phoroneus, for 60 years.
In his reign, Ogygus founded Eleusis.
Apis, for 35 years.
The country was then called Apia, after this Apis. During his reign, Joseph governed the Egyptians, as recorded by the Hebrews.
Argus, the son of Zeus and Niobe, for 70 years.
The name of the country was changed to Argeia, after this Argus.
Criasus, for 54 years.
Phorbas, for 35 years.
During his reign, Cecrops Diphyes became king of the Athenians.
[p179] Triopas, for 46 years.
During his reign, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt.
Crotopus, for 21 years.
Sthenelus, for 11 years.
In all, these kings reigned for 382 years.
Danaus drove out Sthenelus, and ruled Argos, as did his descendants after him. The succession of kings, and their dates, are as follows.
Danaus, for 50 years.
Lynceus, for 41 years.
Abas, for 23 years.
Proetus, for 17 years.
Acrisius, for 31 years.
In all, there were rulers of Argos for a period of 544 years, until the end of Danaidae.
After Acrisius, the Argives began to be ruled from Mycenae, when the descendants of Pelops took over the kingdom, in the time of Eurystheus the son of Sthenelus. Pelops was the first ruler of the Peloponnese, and he organised the Olympic games.
After Acrisius, when the Argives began to be ruled from Mycenae:
Eurystheus was king for 45 years.
Then the sons of Pelops, Atreus and Thyestes, for 65 years.
After them, Agamemnon, for 30 years. In the 18th year of his reign, Troy was captured.
Aegisthus, for 17 years.
Orestes, Tisamenus, Penthilus and Cometes for 58 years, until the return of the Heracleidae, when they conquered the Peloponnese. From the return of the Heracleidae until the migration of the Ionians, there are (? ) 60 years. From the migration of the Ionians until the first Olympiad [776 B. C. ], there are 267 years.
Next it will be fitting to provide a list of the kings of Athenians, by summarising the accounts of some of the ancient historians.
Ogygus is said to have been the first [king] of the Athenians; [p181] the Greeks relate that their great ancient flood happened in his reign. Phoroneus the son of Inachus, king of the Argives, is said to have lived at the same time. Plato mentions this in the Timaeus [ 22 ], as follows: "When he wished to introduce them to ancient history, so that they could discuss the antiquity of this city, he started his account with the old stories about Phoroneus and Niobe, and then what happened after the flood. " Ogygus lived in the time of Messapus, the ninth king of Sicyon, and Belochus, the eighth king of the Assyrians.
After Ogygus, because of the great destruction caused by the flood, Attica remained without a king for 190 years, until the time of Cecrops.
The number of years is reckoned from the kings of the Argives, who began before Ogygus. From the end of the reign of Phoroneus, king of the Argives, in whose time Ogygus' flood is said to have happened, until Phorbas, in whose time Cecrops became king of Attica, is a period of 190 years. From Cecrops until the first Olympiad, there are counted seventeen kings, and twelve archons for life; in this time, the marvellous myths of the Greeks are said to have occurred. The Greeks count the kings of Attica from [Cecrops], because they do not know for certain the dates of any earlier kings. Castor explained this in the summary of this history, as follows.
Castor, about the kings of the Athenians:
We will now list the kings of the Athenians, starting with Cecrops, called Diphyes, and ending with Thymoetes. The total duration of the reigns of all these kings, called Erechtheidae, was 450 years. After them, Melanthus of Pylus, son of Andropompus, became king, [p183] followed by his son Codrus. The total duration of their two reigns was (? ) 58 years. [When the kings came to an end, they were replaced by archons who ruled for life], starting with (? ) Medon son of Codrus, and ending with Alcmaeon son of Aeschylus. The total duration of the rule of the archons for life was 209 years. The next archons held power for 10 years each; there were seven of these archons, and altogether they ruled for 70 years. Then the archons started to hold power for one year each, starting with Creon and ending with Theophemus, in whose time the history and glorious achievements of our country came to a complete end.
That is what Castor wrote. Now we will provide a list of each of the kings.
The kings of the Athenians
Cecrops Diphyes, for 50 years.
In his reign lived Prometheus, Epimetheus and Atlas. He started to rule the Athenians in the time of Triopas, the seventh king of the Argives, and Marathonius, the thirteenth king of Sicyon.
At this time, Moses was prominent amongst the Hebrews, as we will show in due course.
Also in his reign, the flood of Deucalion is said to have engulfed Thessaly, just as fire devastated the land of Ethiopia in the time of Phaethon.
Cranaus, an aboriginal, for 9 years.
Amphictyon, the son of Deucalion and son-in-law of Cranaus, for (? ) 10 years.
The deeds of the Danaidae are said to have occurred in his reign.
Erichthonius, the son of Hephaestus, who is called Erechtheus by Homer, for 50 years.
The Idaean Dactyls lived in his reign.
Pandion, the son of Erichthonius, for 40 years.
The rape of Core [Persephone], and what is related about Triptolemus, occurred in his reign.
[p185] Erechtheus the son of Pandion, for 50 years.
The deeds of Perseus occurred in his reign.
Cecrops, the brother of Erechtheus, for 40 years.
The deeds of Dionysus occurred in his reign.
Pandion, the son of Erechtheus, for 25 years.
Afterwards Pandion went into exile, and became king of Megara.
The deeds of Europa, Cadmus and the Sparti occurred in his reign.
Aegeus, the son of Pandion, for 48 years.
The deeds of the Argonauts and the Centaurs occurred in his reign; and Heracles held the athletic games.
Theseus, the son of Aegeus, for 30 years.
In his reign, Minos established laws.
Menestheus, the son of Peteus, son of Orneus son of Erechtheus, for 23 years.
In his reign, Troy was captured.
Demophon, the son of Theseus, for 33 years.
The deeds of Odysseus and Orestes occurred in his reign; and Aeneias was king of Lavinium.
Oxyntes, the son of Demophon, for 12 years.
In his reign, the Amazons burnt down the temple at Ephesus.
Apheidas, the son of Oxyntes, for one year.
Thymoetes, the brother of Apheidas, for 8 years.
Melanthus of Pylus, the son of Andropompus, for 37 years.
In his reign the Heracleidae returned and occupied the Peloponnese.
Codrus, the son of Melanthus, for 21 years.
In his reign, the Ionians were driven out of Achaea, and took refuge in Athens.
Archons of the Athenians, who held power for life
Medon, the son of Codrus, for 20 years.
Acastus, the son of Medon, for 36 years.
In his reign occurred the migration of the Ionians, [p187] including Homer, so they say.
At the same time, Solomon built the temple at Jerusalem, as will be shown in due course.
Archippus, the son of Acastus, for 19 years.
Thersippus, the son of Archippus, for 41 years.
Phorbas, the son of Thersippus, for 30 years.
Megacles, the son of Phorbas, for 30 years.
Diognetus, the son of Megacles, for 28 years.
At this time, Lycurgus was in his prime.
Pherecles, the son of Diognetus, for 19 years.
Ariphron, the son of Pherecles, for 20 years.
At this time, the kingdom of the Assyrians came to an end, and Sardanapallus was killed.
Thespieus, the son of Ariphron, for 27 years.
At this time, Lycurgus established laws for the Spartans.
Agamestor, the son of Thespieus, for 17 years.
Aeschylus, the son of Agamestor, for 23 years.
In his twelfth year, the first Olympiad was held, in which Coroebus won the stadion contest.
The total duration of the Athenian rulers, from Cecrops down to the first Olympiad [776 B. C. ], was 780 years; from Ogygus to the first Olympiad, there were 970 years. From this time onwards, it is convenient to calculate dates according to the Olympiads.
After Aeschylus, Alcmaeon ruled the Athenians, for 2 years.
[p189] After Alcmaeon, the Athenians decided to appoint archons for ten years each:
Charops, for ten years.
Aesimides, for ten years.
Cleidicus, for ten years.
Hippomenes, for ten years.
Leocrates, for ten years.
Apsander, for ten years.
Eryxias, for ten years.
After this, they decided to appoint archons for one year each. The first annual archon was Creon, in the 24th Olympiad [684-681 B. C. ]. From that time onwards, an archon was appointed for each year; but it is not necessary to list their names.
This concludes the summary of the dates of the ancient rulers of the Athenians, as related by the older and more reliable historians. We have set down the dates and events before the capture of Troy, which are not reliably recorded, as well as we can from the different accounts. Nor are the events from the capture of Troy until the first Olympiad accurately recorded. However Porphyrius, in the first book of his Philosophical History, gives a summary in the following words:
"Apollodorus says that there are 80 years from the capture of Troy [1183 B. C. ] until the expedition of the Heracleidae to the Peloponnese [1103 B. C. ]; there are 60 years from the return of the Heracleidae until the settling of Ionia [1043 B. C. ]; there are 159 years from then until Lycurgus [884 B. C. ]; and there are 108 years from Lycurgus until the first Olympiad [776 B. C. ]. Altogether, there are 407 years from the capture of Troy until the first Olympiad. "
Next, it will be fitting to give an account of the Olympiads as they are recorded by the Greeks.
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Eusebius: Chronicle
- pages 191-247
Most of the original Greek text of the Chronicle has been lost. This translation is based on a Latin translation of the Armenian translation of the Greek original, in the Schoene-Petermann edition. The references in red are the page numbers from that edition.
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[p191]
Olympiads of the Greeks
First Olympiad: in which Coroebus of Elis won the stadion race.
From this time onwards, the dates of the Greeks seem to have been accurately recorded; before then, the dates are supplied according to the whim of each writer.
About the institution of the Olympic Games
It is necessary to say a little about the origin of the games. Some writers, who trace back the institution of the games to the earliest times, say that they had been held before Heracles, by one of the Idaean Dactyls; and then by Aethlius, as a challenge for his sons (from his name, the competitors were called athletes); and then by his son Epeius; and then Endymion, Alexinus and Oenomaus were each in charge of the sacred festival. Then Pelops held the games in honour of his father Zeus; and next, Heracles the son of Alcmene. There were ten generations (or, according to some, only three complete festivals) from Heracles until the time of Iphitus.
Iphitus was a citizen of Elis, who was concerned about the condition of Greece, and wished to rid the cities of their wars. He sent envoys from the whole of the Peloponnese to consult [the god] about release from the wars which gripped them. The god gave this response to the Peloponnesians:
You who dwell in the Peloponnese, gather round the altar;
Make sacrifice, and obey the instructions of the prophets.
He added these words to the Eleans:
Elean servants of the gods, who maintain your ancestral rites,
Protect your homeland, and desist from war.
Lead the Greeks in mutually just friendship,
Until the gathering comes in the year of good will.
[p193] As a result of this, Iphitus proclaimed the truce [which had been fixed by Heracles at the summer solstice; they no longer fought against each other,] and he organised the games together with Lycurgus, who happened to be his relative because they were both descended from Heracles. On this occasion, the only contest was the stadion race; later the other contests were added in their turn.
Aristodemus of Elis relates that the victors in the athletic contests began to be registered in the 27th Olympiad after Iphitus. Before then, no-one had thought to record the athletes' names. In the 28th Olympiad Coroebus of Elis won the stadion race, and he was the first victor to be registered. This was then established as the first Olympiad, from which the Greeks calculate their dates.
Polybius says the same as Aristodemus; but Callimachus says that thirteen Olympiads passed after Iphitus without victors being registered; and Coroebus was the victor in the 14th Olympiad. Many writers state that the institution of the games by Heracles the son of Alcmene occurred (? ) 419 years before what is counted as the first Olympiad. The Eleans hold the games every fifth year, with a gap of four years in between them.
The Greek Olympiads, from the first Olympiad up until the 247th, when Antoninus the son of Severus was emperor of the Romans:
[The equivalent years B. C. or A. D. are shown in green]
1st Olympiad [776 B. C. ] - Coroebus of Elis was the victor in the stadion race.
The stadion race was the only contest for the first thirteen Olympiads.
2nd [772 B. C. ] - Antimachus of Elis, stadion race
[At this time] Romulus and Remus were born.
3rd [768 B. C. ] - Androclus of Messenia, stadion race
[p195] 4th [764 B. C. ] - Polychares of Messenia, stadion race
5th [760 B. C. ] - Aeschines of Elis, stadion race
6th [756 B. C. ] - Oebotas of Dyme, stadion race
7th [752 B. C. ] - Diocles of Messenia, stadion race
8th [748 B. C. ] - Anticles of Messenia, stadion race
9th [744 B. C. ] - Xenocles of Messenia, stadion race
10th [740 B. C. ] - Dotades of Messenia, stadion race
11th [736 B. C. ] - Leochares of Messenia, stadion race
12th [732 B. C. ] - Oxythemis of Coroneia, stadion race
13th [728 B. C. ] - Diocles of Corinth, stadion race
14th [724 B. C. ] - Desmon of Corinth, stadion race
A double race was added, which was won by Hypenus of Elis.
15th [720 B. C. ] - Orsippus of Megara, stadion race
A long race was added, and the runners were naked; the winner was Acanthus of Laconia.
16th [716 B. C. ] - Pythagoras of Laconia, stadion race
17th [712 B. C. ] - Polus of Epidaurus, stadion race
18th [708 B. C. ] - Tellis of Sicyon, stadion race
A wresting contest was added, and the winner was Eurybatus of Laconia.
A pentathlon contest was also added, and the winner was Lampis of Laconia.
19th [704 B. C. ] - Menus of Megara, stadion race
20th [700 B. C. ] - Atheradas of Laconia, stadion race
21st [696 B. C. ] - Pantacles of Athens, stadion race
22nd [692 B. C. ] - Pantacles for a second time
23rd [688 B. C. ] - Icarius of Hyperesia, stadion race
A boxing contest was added, and the winner was Onomastus of Smyrna. It was Onomastus who established the rules of boxing.
24th [684 B. C. ] - Cleoptolemus of Laconia, stadion race
25th [680 B. C. ] - Thalpis of Laconia, stadion race
A race was added for chariots drawn by four horses, and the winner was Pagon of Thebes.
[p197] 26th [676 B. C. ] - Callisthenes of Laconia, stadion race
Philombrotus of Laconia won the pentathlon at three Olympic games.
The Carneia, a contest for citharodes, was held for the first time at Sparta.
27th [672 B. C.
