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There are at least three extant uses of the name "Theagenes" ( grc-gre, Θεογένης) referenced in the literature of ancient Greece in surviving literature which appear to describe different persons. These are listed in the sections below.


Theagenes the Boxer from Thasos

Theagenes was one of the greatest athletes in
Ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of Classical Antiquity, classical antiquity ( AD 600), th ...
. He was born in the city of
Thasos Thasos or Thassos ( el, Θάσος, ''Thásos'') is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area. The island has an area of and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate r ...
on the island of the same name in the
Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...
in the early fifth century. He was a boxer and a pankrationiast. He had two victories at the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a vari ...
. One was in boxing (480 BCE) and the other in the pankration (476). He won three times in boxing at the
Pythian Games The Pythian Games ( grc-gre, Πύθια;) were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece. They were held in honour of Apollo at his sanctuary at Delphi every four years, two years after the Olympic Games, and between each Nemean and ...
; nine times in boxing and once in the pankration at the
Isthmian Games Isthmian Games or Isthmia (Ancient Greek: Ἴσθμια) were one of the Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were named after the Isthmus of Corinth, where they were held. As with the Nemean Games, the Isthmian Games were held both the year b ...
; and nine times in boxing at the
Nemean Games The Nemean Games ( grc-gre, Νέμεα or Νέμεια) were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, and were held at Nemea every two years (or every third). With the Isthmian Games, the Nemean Games were held both the year before a ...
. He also won the long distance race at
Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece ** Ancient Argos, the ancient city * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...
. He had 1300 other victories in lesser Games. It is certain that Theogenes was
worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recogniti ...
ped as a god in Thasos after his death. One of his enemies whipped his statue. It fell and crushed him to death. The people of Thasos threw the statue into the sea. It was stained with blood. The fields did not produce after this act. The people of Thasos pulled the statue from the sea and put it back in its place. Worship continued. Theagenes was said to heal
disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...
s.


Theagenes the Appointee of Cleon in Thucydides

Theagenes was an Athenian, who, in 425 BC, was appointed together with
Cleon Cleon (; grc-gre, Κλέων, ; died 422 BC) was an Athenian general during the Peloponnesian War. He was the first prominent representative of the commercial class in Athenian politics, although he was an aristocrat himself. He strongly advocat ...
to repair to Pylos, and investigate the truth of the tidings, which had been brought thence, as to the difficulties of the blockade of
Sphacteria Sphacteria ( el, Σφακτηρία - ''Sfaktiria'') also known as Sphagia (Σφαγία) is a small island at the entrance to the bay of Pylos in the Peloponnese, Greece. It was the site of three battles: *the 425 BC Battle of Sphacteria in the ...
. Cleon, however, prudently persuaded the people to abandon the proposed inquiry. (Thuc. iv. 27) It is possible that this Theagenes should be identified with the person who is mentioned by Aristophanes ( Vesp. 1183), and who, the scholiast tells us, was an Acharnian (Arnold, ad Thuc. I.e.). A man of the same name is satirized also by Aristophanes (Pax, 894) for his swinish propensities. (See also Arist. Av. 822, 1127, 1295, Lys. 63, with the Scholia.)


Theagenes the Athenian Ambassador

Theagenes was also one of the Athenian ambassadors who set forth on their way to Darius Nothus, in 408 BC, under promise of a safe conduct from Pharnabazus. The satrap however detained them in custody at the instance of Cyrus, and he could not obtain leave to release them until after the lapse of three years. Whether this was the same Theagenes who was appointed one of the Thirty Tyrants in 404 BC (Xen. Hell. ii. 3. § 2) we have no means of deciding. Ancient Athenians 5th-century BC Greek people Ambassadors in Greek Antiquity Thirty Tyrants {{Set index article, ancient Greece