Before the establishment of a

democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose g ...

, the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic pe ...

city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

of Argos was ruled by

kings Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

. Most of them are probably

mythical Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrati ...

or only semi-historical. This list is based on that largely given by

Eusebius of Caesarea Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Chris ...

. An alternative version supplied by

Tatian Tatian of Adiabene, or Tatian the Syrian or Tatian the Assyrian, (; la, Tatianus; grc, Τατιανός; syc, ܛܛܝܢܘܣ; c. 120 – c. 180 AD) was an Assyrian Christian writer and theologian of the 2nd century. Tatian's most influential w ...

of the original 17 consecutive kings of Argos includes Apis and Argios between Argos and Triopas.

Inachid Dynasty

Inachos, the supposed son of

Oceanos MTS ''Oceanos'' was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when she suffered uncontrolled flooding. Her captain, Yiannis Avranas, and some of the crew were convicted of negligence for fleeing the ship without helping the ...

and Tethys, is affirmed to have been the founder of this kingdom. He married his sister Melissa, by whom he had two sons, Phoroneus and Aegialeus: he is supposed to be the father of Io, and therefore the Greeks are sometimes called "Inachoi" after him (see also the

names of the Greeks The Greeks ( el, Έλληνες) have been identified by many ethnonyms. The most common native ethnonym is ''Hellen'' ( grc, Ἕλλην), pl. '' Hellenes'' (); the name ''Greeks'' ( la, Graeci) was used by the ancient Romans and gradually ent ...

). * Inachos. *

Phoroneus In Greek mythology, Phoroneus (; Ancient Greek: Φορωνεύς means 'bringer of a price') was a culture-hero of the Argolid, fire-bringer,law giver, and primordial king of Argos. Family Phoroneus was the son of the river god Inachus and e ...

. Son of Inachos. * Apis. Son of Phoroneus. * Argos Pelasgos or Argeos. Son of Zeus and Niobe, the daughter of Phoroneus. Argos named the kingdom after himself. * Criasos or Pirasos or Peranthos. Son of Argos. * Phorbas. Son of either Argos or Criasos. *

Triopas In Greek mythology, Triopas () or Triops (; grc, Τρίωψ, gen.: Τρίοπος) was the name of several characters whose relations are unclear. * Triopas, king of Argos and son of Phorbas. His daughter was Messene. * Triopas, king of Thessa ...

. Son of Phorbas. * Jasos. According to different sources, he was son of either Phoroneus, Argos Pelasgos, Argos Panoptes, or Triopas. *

Agenor Agenor (; Ancient Greek: Ἀγήνωρ or Αγήνορας ''Agēnor''; English translation: "heroic, manly") was in Greek mythology and history a Phoenician king of Tyre or Sidon. The Doric Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484–425 BC), born in ...

. Son of Triopas. * Crotopos. Son of Agenor. *

Sthenelos In Greek mythology, Sthenelus (; Ancient Greek: Σθένελος ''Sthénelos,'' "strong one" or "forcer", derived from "strength, might, force") was a name attributed to several different individuals: * Sthenelus, father of Cycnus and King of Li ...

. * Pelasgos

Gelanor In Greek mythology, King Gelanor ( grc, Γελάνωρ) of Argos, was the son and successor of Sthenelus. His real name was possibly Pelasgus, as Robert Graves has proposed that the name "Gelanor" is a literary device meaning 'laughter': he was s ...

. He gave Danaus his kingdom in response to an oracle or omen.

Danaid Dynasty

Danaos In Greek mythology, Danaus (, ; grc, Δαναός ''Danaós'') was the king of Libya. His myth is a foundation legend of Argos, one of the foremost Mycenaean cities of the Peloponnesus. In Homer's ''Iliad'', "Danaans" ("tribe of Danaus") and ...

. Son of Belus, a mythical king of Egypt. Danaus had fifty daughters, the Danaides. *

Lynceus In Greek mythology, Lynceus (; grc, Λυγκεύς, Lynkeús, lynx-eyed) was a king of Argos, succeeding Danaus on the throne. Family Lynceus was named as a descendant of Belus through his father Aegyptus, who was the twin brother of Danaus, ...

. Son of Aigyptos. Killed Danaus and married Danaus's daughter Hypermnestra. Lynceus means "lynx-eyed".

Abantiad Dynasty

* Abas. Son of Lynceus. * Proetos. A son of Abas. * Acrisios. A son of Abas. Twin brother of Proetos; they were rivals since the womb. Acrisios defeated and exiled Proetos and later shared the kingdom with him, surrendering to him Tiryns and eastern Argolis. *

Perseus In Greek mythology, Perseus ( /ˈpɜːrsiəs, -sjuːs/; Greek: Περσεύς, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer ...

Eurymedon. Son of Zeus and Danaë (the daughter of Acrisios). Perseus never reigned at Argos, traded the kingdom of Argos for that of

Tiryns Tiryns or (Ancient Greek: Τίρυνς; Modern Greek: Τίρυνθα) is a Mycenaean archaeological site in Argolis in the Peloponnese, and the location from which the mythical hero Heracles performed his Twelve Labours. It lies south of M ...

(which had been ruled by

Megapenthes In Greek mythology, Megapenthes (; Ancient Greek: Μεγαπένθης ''Megapénthēs'' means "great sorrow") is a name that refers to two characters: * Megapenthes, a son of Proetus. * Megapenthes, a son of Menelaus.Pausanias, 3.19.9 Notes ...

) and established the city and kingdom of

Mycenae Mycenae ( ; grc, Μυκῆναι or , ''Mykē̂nai'' or ''Mykḗnē'') is an archaeological site near Mykines in Argolis, north-eastern Peloponnese, Greece. It is located about south-west of Athens; north of Argos; and south of Corinth. ...

. *

. Son of Proetos. * Argeos. Son of Megapenthes.

Lineage of Anaxagoras

Anaxagoras Anaxagoras (; grc-gre, Ἀναξαγόρας, ''Anaxagóras'', "lord of the assembly"; 500 – 428 BC) was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. Born in Clazomenae at a time when Asia Minor was under the control of the Persian Empire, ...

. A descendant of Megapenthes. The kingdom of Argos was divided into three parts. One third was given to Melampos and another to

Bias Bias is a disproportionate weight ''in favor of'' or ''against'' an idea or thing, usually in a way that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair. Biases can be innate or learned. People may develop biases for or against an individual, a group ...

(brother of Melampos) while Anaxagoras and his lineage continued to rule the central region. *

Alector Alector (; Ancient Greek: Ἀλέκτωρ) refers to more than one person in classical mythology and history: *Alector, son of Magnes and Meliboea, eponyms of Magnesia and the town of Meliboea respectively. *Alector, the Boeotian father of Leit ...

. Son of Anaxagoras. *

Iphis In Greek and Roman mythology, Iphis or Iphys ( , ; grc, Ἶφις ''Îphis'' , gen. Ἴφιδος ''Ī́phidos'') was a child of Telethusa and Ligdus in Crete, born female and raised male, who was later transformed by the goddess Isis into a ma ...

. Son of Alector. *

. Regained the portion of the kingdom given to Melampus upon the death of Amphilochus. *

Cylarabes Cylarabes (; el, Κυλαράβης), or Cylarabos, or Cylasabos, son of Sthenelus, was a mythological king of Argos. Mythology He succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father. During his reign Argos was finally reunited after having be ...

, or Cylarabos, or Cylasabos. Son of Sthenelos. Regained the portion of the kingdom given to Bias upon the death of Cyanippus.

Lineage of Melampus

* Melampos. *

Antiphates In Greek mythology, Antiphates (; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιφάτης) is the name of five characters. * Antiphatês, son of Melampus and Iphianeira, the daughter of Megapenthes. He married Zeuxippe, the daughter of Hippocoon. Their children were ...

. *

Oicles In Greek mythology, Oicles or Oecles (; grc, Οἰκλῆς), also Oicleus or Oecleus (; Οἰκλεύς), was the father of the seer Amphiaraus. He accompanied Heracles on his campaign against Troy. Family According to Homer's '' Odyssey'', ...

or Oikles or

Oecles In Greek mythology, Oicles or Oecles (; grc, Οἰκλῆς), also Oicleus or Oecleus (; Οἰκλεύς), was the father of the seer Amphiaraus. He accompanied Heracles on his campaign against Troy. Family According to Homer's ''Odyssey'', Oicle ...

. *

Amphiaraus In Greek mythology, Amphiaraus or Amphiaraos (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιάραος, Ἀμφιάρεως, "very sacred") was the son of Oicles, a seer, and one of the leaders of the Seven against Thebes. Amphiaraus at first refused to go with A ...

or Amphiaraos. * Amphilochos. Son of Alcmaeon; he bequeathed his portion of the kingdom of Argos to Sthenelos.

Lineage of Bias

Talaus In Greek mythology, Talaus ( grc, Ταλαός) was the king of Argos and one of the Argonauts. He was the son of Bias (or Perialces) and Pero. His wife was Lysimache, daughter of Abas (also known as Eurynome, Lysippe or Lysianassa, daughter ...

or Talaon. Son of Bias. One of the Argonauts. * Adrastos. Son of Talaos. Name is translated traditionally as "nonparticipant" or "uncooperative". Reigned during the war of the Seven Against Thebes. *

Diomedes Diomedes (Jones, Daniel; Roach, Peter, James Hartman and Jane Setter, eds. ''Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary''. 17th edition. Cambridge UP, 2006.) or Diomede (; grc-gre, Διομήδης, Diomēdēs, "god-like cunning" or "advised by ...

. According to legend,

Cometes In Greek mythology, Cometes ( Ancient Greek: Κομήτης) may refer to the following figures: * Cometes, son of Thestius and brother of Prothous and Althaea. *Cometes, the Peirasian father of Asterius, one of the Argonauts. His wife could be ...

, son of Sthenelos, had an affair with Diomedes's wife Aegiale while Diomedes was away for the

Trojan War In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans ( Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and ...

. *

Cyanippus In Greek mythology, the name Cyanippus (Ancient Greek: Κυάνιππος) may refer to: *Cyanippus, son of Aegialeus and Comaetho, or else son of Adrastus and Amphithea and brother of Aegialeus. He fought in the Trojan War and was one of the men ...

. Son of Aegialeus and grandson of Adrastus. Upon his death, Cylarabes assumed control of his kingdom, thus reuniting Argolis.

Pelopid Dynasty

Orestes In Greek mythology, Orestes or Orestis (; grc-gre, Ὀρέστης ) was the son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, and the brother of Electra. He is the subject of several Ancient Greek plays and of various myths connected with his madness an ...

. King of

and son of Agamemnon of the Trojan War. Orestes gained the throne of Argos and Sparta upon the death of Cylarabes. * Tisamenos. Son of Orestes. He was the final king of Argos, Mycenae and Sparta before the kingdom was conquered by the

Heracleidae The Heracleidae (; grc, Ἡρακλεῖδαι) or Heraclids were the numerous descendants of Heracles (Hercules), especially applied in a narrower sense to the descendants of Hyllus, the eldest of his four sons by Deianira (Hyllus was also ...

Heraclid Dynasty

Temenus In Greek mythology, Temenus ( el, Τήμενος, ''Tḗmenos'') was a son of Aristomachus and brother of Cresphontes and Aristodemus. Temenus was a great-great-grandson of Heracles and helped lead the fifth and final attack on Mycenae in the ...

. Son of Aristomachos. Ancestor of the royal Macedonian dynasty, the Temenids. * Pheidon I. Son of Temenus. *

Deiphontes Deiphontes (; grc, Δηϊφόντης) was king of Argos. He was a son of Antimachus, and husband of Hyrnetho, the daughter of Temenus the Heracleide, by whom he became the father of Antimenes, Xanthippus, Argeius, and Orsobia. Deiphontes was de ...

. Son-in-law of Temenos. * Cisos or Ceisos. Temenos had left his kingdom to his son in law Deiphontes even though he had natural sons of his own. In consequence of this, Deiphontes was slain by the stratagems of the sons of Temenos, the eldest of whom, Cisos, became king. *

Medon Medon may refer to: * Medon (mythology), any of several persons with the name in Greek mythology * Medon (beetle), a genus in the family Staphylinidae * Médon, a town in Ivory Coast * Medon, Tennessee, a city in Madison County * Medon, a synonym ...

. Son of Ceisos. *

Maron Maron, also called Maroun or Maro ( syr, ܡܪܘܢ, '; ar, مارون; la, Maron; grc-gre, Μάρων), was a 4th-century Syrian Syriac Christian hermit monk in the Taurus Mountains whose followers, after his death, founded a religious Chris ...

. Son of Ceisos.Theophilus of Antioch, Apology to Autolycu
2.7
/ref> * Thestros(also known as thestios). Son of Maron. * Akoos(or Acous) or

Merops MEROPS is an online database for peptidases (also known as proteases, proteinases and proteolytic enzymes) and their inhibitors. The classification scheme for peptidases was published by Rawlings & Barrett in 1993, and that for protein inhibitors ...

. Sons of Thestros. * Aristodamidas(or Aristodamis). Son of Akoos or Merops. * Eratos(Eratus). * Pheidon II. Son of Aristodamidas. * Damocratidas(dated by G.Huxley at around 600 B.C). *''unknown'' * Leokedes (also known as Lacidaus, or Lacidamos in some Italian versions or Lacedas). Son of Pheidon. * Meltas. Son of Lacidamos. After the death of Temenos, the royal prerogative began to decrease. To Cisos succeeded Lacidamos, who had little else than the title of king. His son Meltas, impatient of such restraint, endeavored, when it was too late, to restore it to its ancient dignity; but the people were by that time so powerful that, as soon as they discovered his plan, they ended the royal power, converted the government to a democracy, and condemned Meltas to death. After Meltas, the kingship survived into historical times but rarely had any political power, one exception being the tyrant king

Pheidon Pheidon (Greek: Φείδων) was an Argive ruler during the 7th century BCE and 10th in line to Temenus. He was arguably Argos's most ambitious and successful ruler during the 7th century BCE. There is a possibility that there were in fact two di ...

Non-Heraclid Dynasty

This is the king after the heraaclids fell out. * Aigon(Aegon).(According to Plutarch in

Moralia The ''Moralia'' ( grc, Ἠθικά ''Ethika''; loosely translated as "Morals" or "Matters relating to customs and mores") is a group of manuscripts dating from the 10th–13th centuries, traditionally ascribed to the 1st-century Greek scholar Pl ...

)

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...

.On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander,Moralia