KING OF ATHENS

Before the Athenian democracy, the tyrants, and the archons, Athens was ruled by kings. Most of these are probably mythical or only semi-historical. This list is based on that given by Eusebius.

Contents

Earliest kings

Erechthids or Cecropidae

Earliest kings

These two kings were supposed to have ruled before the flood of the Deucalion story.

★ Ogygus

★ Actaeus

Erechthids or Cecropidae

Cecrops was considered the first true king of Athens, although he was a mythical half-man half-serpent. The dates for the following kings were conjectured centuries later.

★ Cecrops I 1556 - 1506 BC.

★ Cranaus 1506 - 1497 BC.

★ Amphictyon 1497 - 1487 BC.

★ Erichthonius 1487 - 1437 BC.

★ Pandion I 1437 - 1397 BC.

★ Erechtheus 1397 - 1347 BC.

★ Cecrops II 1347 - 1307 BC.

★ Pandion II 1307 - 1282 BC.

★ Aegeus 1282 - 1234 BC.

★ Theseus 1234- 1204 BC. (or 1213 BC).

★ Menestheus 1204 - 1181 BC (or 1213 - 1191 BC).

★ Demophon 1181- 1147 BC.

★ Oxyntes 1147- 1135 BC.

★ Apheidas 1135- 1134 BC.

★ Thymoetes 1134- 1126 BC.

★ Melanthus 1126- 1089 BC.

★ Codrus 1089 - 1068 BC.
After Codrus's death, his heirs ceased to be kings, and became hereditary archons. In 753 BC the hereditary archonship was replaced by a non-hereditary system (see Archons of Athens).