Aeacus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aeacus
King of Aegina
Member of Judges of the Underworld
Aeacus and Telamon by Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune
Abode	Aegina
Personal information
Consort	(1) Endeïs, (2) Psamathe, (3) unknown
Offspring	(1) Telamon and Peleus, (2) Phocus, (3) Alcimache
Parents	Zeus and (1) Aegina or (2) Europa
Siblings	(1) Damocrateia, (1) Menoetius (half-brother); (2) Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon

Aeacus (pronounced Eye-a-kus) was a famous king from Greek mythology. He ruled the island of Aegina. Aeacus was the son of the mighty god Zeus and a beautiful nymph named Aegina. He was also the father of two important heroes, Peleus and Telamon.

People remembered Aeacus for being very fair and just. After he passed away, he became one of the three main judges in the Underworld, deciding where souls would go. He even helped the gods Poseidon and Apollo build the strong walls of the city of Troy! People honored him with special places of worship in Athens and Aegina, and a festival called the Aeacea was held for him.

Stories About Aeacus

His Birth and Early Life

Aeacus was born on an island that later became known as Aegina. He was the father of Peleus, Telamon, and Phocus. His grandsons included the famous Trojan War warriors Achilles and Telemonian Ajax (also known as Ajax the Greater).

One story says that when Aeacus was born, the island of Aegina had no people. So, Zeus changed the ants (called myrmekes in Greek) into humans. These new people were called the Myrmidons, and Aeacus became their king.

Another story says that the island already had people. But then, the goddess Hera (who was jealous of Aeacus's mother, Aegina) sent a terrible sickness or a scary dragon to the island. This wiped out almost everyone. Again, Zeus helped by turning ants into new people to repopulate the island. These stories might be a way to explain how the island of Aegina was first settled by different groups of people.

A King Known for Justice

While he ruled Aegina, Aeacus was known throughout Greece for being very fair and religious. People often asked him to settle arguments, not just among humans, but even among the gods!

He was so well-liked by the gods that when Greece suffered a terrible drought because of a murder, the oracle at Delphi said the drought would only end if Aeacus prayed. Aeacus prayed, and the drought stopped. To show his thanks, Aeacus built a temple to Zeus. Later, the people of Aegina built a special place for Aeacus himself, where they believed he was buried.

Helping Build Troy's Walls

A famous legend says that the gods Apollo and Poseidon asked Aeacus to help them build the strong walls of the city of Troy. When the walls were finished, three dragons attacked them. The two dragons that attacked the parts built by the gods died. But the third dragon broke through the part of the wall that Aeacus had built.

Because of this, Apollo predicted that Troy would eventually fall because of Aeacus's descendants. This prophecy came true when Aeacus's sons, Telamon and Peleus, helped Heracles attack Troy. Later, Aeacus's great-grandson, Neoptolemus, was part of the famous Wooden Horse that finally led to Troy's downfall.

Aeacus also supposedly protected his own island of Aegina by surrounding it with high cliffs to keep out pirates.

His Sons and Their Conflict

Aeacus had two sons, Telamon (who was the father of Ajax and Teucer) and Peleus (who was the father of Achilles). He also had another son, Phocus, whom he seemed to prefer. Sadly, Telamon and Peleus became jealous of Phocus and killed him during a competition. When Aeacus found out about the murder, he sent his two sons, Peleus and Telamon, away from the island.

Judge in the Underworld

After he died, Aeacus became one of the three main judges in Hades (the Greek Underworld). He judged the souls of people from Europe, deciding their fate. In artworks, he is often shown holding a scepter (a royal staff) and the keys to Hades.

Aeacus had special places of worship in both Athens and Aegina. The people of Aegina saw him as the protector of their island and held a festival called the Aeacea in his honor.

In an old Greek play called The Frogs by Aristophanes, the god Dionysus goes to Hades. Aeacus, thinking Dionysus is Heracles (who once stole the underworld's guard dog, Cerberus), threatens Dionysus with punishments from scary underworld creatures.

Aeacus's Family

Aeacus was the son of Zeus and Aegina, who was the daughter of a river-god. This made him the brother of Damocrateia. Some stories say his mother was Europa, which would make him a full brother to Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon.

He was the father of Peleus, Telamon, and Phocus. His grandsons were the famous Trojan War heroes Achilles and Telemonian Ajax. In some accounts, Aeacus also had a daughter named Alcimache.

Aeacus's descendants are known as the Aeacidae. In the famous epic poem Iliad, the hero Achilles is often called "Aiakides," meaning "son of Aeacus" or "descendant of Aeacus." Even the kings of Epirus and Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great, claimed to be part of this important family line.

Family Tree of the Aeacidae

Images for kids

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  Myrmidons; People from ants for King Aeacus, an old engraving.

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  Minos, Aeacus and Rhadamanthys by Ludwig Mack, showing the three judges of the Underworld.

See also

In Spanish: Éaco para niños