3

Wikipedia states

Astydameia, daughter of King Mygdon, who was killed by Heracles who sided with Lycus in a conflict opposing Lycus and Mygdon. After killing her father, Heracles sired a son named Berecynthus with Astydameia.

The source cited is William Smith. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. s.v. Mygdon. London (1848), however, none of the Mygdons covered in that dictionary are said to have a daughter Astydameia or grandson Berecynthus by Heracles.

Is there any ancient source that made such a claim? Or was this fabricated whole cloth by a Wikipedia editor?

In ancient sources such as Pseudo-Apollodorus and Diodorus Siculus, Astydameia is the daughter of Ormenion or Amyntor and mother of Heracles' son Ctesippus. Pseudo-Apollodorus mentions Heracles killing Mygdon but makes no mention of siring a son with his daughter.

The only results I could find not parroting Wikipedia was that the Dactyls, one of which was named Heracles, discovered iron on Mount Berecynthus

1 Answer 1

1

I've checked the TLG for both βερεκυντ- and βερεκυνθ- and PHI for berecynt-, which did not turn up a story about Heracles' son. I've checked Gantz, looked through any reference for Berecynt(h)us, and nothing.

Same with looking through Smith, but I should note that they don't actually cite Smith—or anything—for that information. Unsourced information on Wikipedia really ought to be ignored.

While it's possible that someone had access to some scholion or note somewhere that makes this connection, it's more likely that they just got confused.

My guess is that they misremembered this passage from the Ps.-Apoll:

and in a battle between him and the king of the Bebryces Hercules sided with Lycus and slew many, amongst others King Mygdon, brother of Amycus. And he took much land from the Bebryces and gave it to Lycus, who called it all Heraclea.

I also don't see this Astydameia mentioned anywhere, and for once the Wiki page on characters with this name is well-sourced.

This whole thing is strange, though, since there's little reason to connect Heracles to Berecyntus, the first priest of Cybele according to Pseudo-Plutarch, so I'm holding out the possibility that something exists, but it certainly doesn't stand within mainstream Greek thought, and it never made an impact on the Roman authors for whom Berecyntus is a mountain. It also is in line with Heracles as a progenitor of barbarian races, so I can imagine that someone somewhere connected the Phrygians to the Greeks via Hercules through this route, though it differs by using this niche toponym instead of e.g. having a son name Phrygus (see e.g. the sons of Heracles with the Scythian serpent queen in Herodotus).

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.