Salmoneus

Salmoneus founded a city and called it Salmonia, but he has been described as an arrogant man, who compared himself with Zeus, saying that he thundered like the god when he dragged dried hides with bronze kettles at his chariot, and that he lightened when he threw torches at the sky. Zeus punished this ridiculous behaviour by striking him with a thunderbolt, and wiping out the city of Salmonia with all the inhabitants.

Aethlius

Aethlius, son of Zeus and Protogenia ₁, the daughter of Deucalion ₁, is considered to have been the first ruler of Elis. By Calyce ₁, daughter of Aeolus ₁ and Enarete, Aethlius became father of Endymion.

Endymion

Endymion, who sometimes is also called son of Zeus, founded the city of Elis after having led the Aeolians out of Thessaly. It is told that Selene fell in love with Endymion, and that they had 50 daughters. Some affirm that Endymion chose to sleep for ever, remaining deathless and ageless, but others say that he was for ever sleepless. It has also been said that Endymion had other women, and that he set his sons to run a race at Olympia for the throne, and that this race was won by Epeius ₁. When Endymion, though being deathless, nevertheless died, he was transported by Zeus into heaven. But when he fell in love with Hera, Zeus fooled him by means of a cloud, and Endymion was cast into Hades (Ixion was fooled in a similar way).

Epeius ₁

Epeius ₁ won the kingdom through a race at Olympia against his brothers, and for the first time his subjects were called Epeans. During his reign, the city of Pisa and its bordering country Olympia was separated from the kingdom of the Epeans (Elis) when the Lydian Pelops ₁ succeeded Oenomaus ₁. Pelops ₁ came to Pisa from Asia, killed King Oenomaus ₁ through treachery, took his daughter and the kingdom, and paid with ingratitude the treason of Myrtilus by killing the man who had helped him to the throne (see also Pelopides).

Aetolus ₂

Epeius ₁ was succeeded by his brother Aetolus ₂, but Aetolus ₂ ran over an Arcadian with his chariot during the funeral games celebrated in honor of Azan (son of Arcas ₁, son of Zeus and Callisto), and for that reason he was compelled to leave the Peloponnesus. Aetolus ₂ migrated then to the region in mainland Greece north of the Gulf of Patrae, which he called Aetolia, and his sons Pleuron and Calydon founded the cities in Aetolia that are called after them.

Eleius ₁

Eleius ₁, son of Poseidon and Eurycyda, daughter of Endymion, became king of Elis after Aetolus ₂, and the inhabitants were called Eleans after him.

Augeas

King Augeas, who is counted among the ARGONAUTS, came to the throne after his father Eleius ₁. Some say that those who wanted to glorify Augeas gave a turn to the name "Eleius" making it "Helius". Augeas is sometimes said to be the son of Poseidon, or of Phorbas ₆. Augeas had many herds of cattle, and Heracles ₁ came to him without revealing the command of Eurystheus (see LABOURS), saying that he would carry out the dung in one day, if Augeas would give him the tenth part of the cattle. Augeas who could not believe that was possible, agreed. Having taken Augeas' son Phyleus ₁ to witness, Heracles ₁ made a breach in the foundations of the cattle-yard, and by diverting the courses of two rivers, he turned them into the yard. When Augeas learned that this had been accomplished at the command of Eurystheus, he would not pay the reward, and when arbitrators were called, Phyleus ₁ bore witness against his father. This is why Augeas ordered both Phyleus ₁ and Heracles ₁ to leave Elis.

The MOLIONIDES

Later Heracles ₁ collected an Arcadian army, and marched against Augeas, who hearing of the war that Heracles ₁ was preparing, appointed the MOLIONIDES (sons of Molione) generals of the Eleans. The MOLIONIDES Cteatus and Eurytus ₁ were twins with two bodies joined to one another, as they say.

At this time, and perhaps because of this crisis, the responsability of government in Elis was shared by Augeas, Amarynceus ₁, and Actor ₄, father of the MOLIONIDES. At the beginning, the MOLIONIDES defeated the army of Heracles ₁ several times until a truce was proclaimed. But when the MOLIONIDES came as envoys to a meeting for negotiations, Heracles ₁ set an ambush at Cleonae, and murdered them. Afterwards Heracles ₁, with an army of Argives, Thebans and Arcadians took Elis, and having sacked it, he gave the kingdom to Phyleus ₁, Augeas' son. According to some, Heracles ₁ killed Augeas, but others affirm that he died at an advanced age.

Shared kingdom

After Phyleus ₁, the government was again shared, this time between Amphimachus ₁, Thalpius and Agasthenes. Agasthenes was son of Augeas, and Amphimachus ₁ and Thalpius were sons of the MOLIONIDES; Amphimachus ₁ was son of Cteatus and Theronice, and Thalpius was son of Eurytus ₁ and Theraephone. These two girls were twins themselves, and daughters of King Dexamenus ₁ of Olenus.

Trojan War

At this time, the Trojan War broke out, and Elis sent four leaders: Amphimachus ₁, Thalpius, Polyxenus ₂, and Diores ₁ (see ACHAEAN LEADERS). Amphimachus ₁ was killed in the war, and so was Diores ₁, son of Amarynceus ₁. Polyxenus ₂, son of Agasthenes and one of the SUITORS OF HELEN, reunified the kingdom when he returned from Troy.

Amphimachus ₆

After Polyxenus ₂, his son Amphimachus ₆ became king of Elis. It is said that Polyxenus ₂ gave him the name "Amphimachus" because of his friendship with Amphimachus ₁, who died at Troy.

Eleius ₂

Next came Eleius ₂, son of Amphimachus ₆. During his reign, the army of the HERACLIDES, under the sons of Aristomachus ₂ assembled in order to return to the Peloponnesus.

Dius ₂

During the reign of his successor Dius ₂, Elis was conquered by the HERACLIDES commanded by Oxylus ₂. Dius ₂ resisted Oxylus ₂, and proposed that the conflict be solved through the single combat of two champions, Degmenus and Pyraechmes ₂. Pyraechmes ₂, who was the champion of the HERACLIDES, defeated Degmenus in single combat, thus winning the kingdom for Oxylus ₂.

Oxylus ₂

Oxylus ₂ had fled from Aetolia to Elis on account of the murder of Thermius, his own brother, or Alcidocus. He became guide of the HERACLIDES, and subsequently king of Elis. Oxylus ₂ was, according to some, son of Haemon ₂, son of Thoas ₂. Thoas ₂, king of Pleuron and Calydon, is one of the ACHAEAN LEADERS; he had been one of the SUITORS OF HELEN, and was among those who hid inside the WOODEN HORSE.

Laias

After Oxylus ₂ the kingdom was inherited by his son Laias.

Kings Album: 12 Throne Succession Tables of 15 kingdoms with Dictionary Entries including sources of 266 Kings