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Atreus was the son of Pelops and Hippodamia. His brother was Thyestes, he had several other siblings, Nicippe (mother of Eurystheus, by Sthelenus ), Astydamia (mother of Amphitryon, by Alcaeus), Eurydice, (mother of Alcmene by Electyron), Alcathous (father of Periboa, and grandfather of Ajax the Greater ) and Pittheus (father of Aethra, who married Aegeus and was mother of Theseus, by Poseidon).

Atreides

"Tomb Of Atreus"

He was a descendant of Tantalus, and thus was subject to the Curse of the House of Atreus (named after him). He was the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus , collectively known as the "Atreides" or sons of Atreus. He was married to Aerope but she committed adultery with Thyestes. He promised to sacrifice his best lamb to Artemis, but when he found a golden one, he gave it to Aerope, to hide it. As a token of her love, she gave it to Thyestes.

Usurpation by Thyestes[]

Upon the death of Atreus' nephew, Eurystheus, the male line of the the Mycenaean House of Perseus was extinguished, thus the crown of Mycenae passed to Atreus. When Atreus declared whoever had the golden lamb would be king of Mycenae, Thyestes agreed and produced it. Thyestes agreed to give back the throne to Atreus when the sun moved backward in the sky, which Zeus accomplished for his great-grandson.

Death and Succession[]

Thyestes fled with his daughter Pelopia. He went to an oracle, which told him the only way for him to have a son was with Pelopia. Pelopia gave birth to Aegisthus. Thyestes sent Aegisthus to kill Atreus, which he achieved. Aegisthus proclaimed himself king, but was driven out by Agamemnon and Menelaus, with the help of Tyndarues, king of Sparta. The curse of the House of Atreus, was lifted by Orestes, Atreus' grandson.

Family[]

Atreid Genealogy in Greek mythology
 
 
 
 
Plouto
 
Zeús
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hḗrā
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tantalus
 
Eurythemista
 
Árēs
 
Sterope
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oenomaus of Pisa
 
Evarete
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oeme
 
 
Broteas
 
 
 
 
Niobe
 
Amphion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Perseus of Mycenae
 
Andromeda
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pelops
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hippodamia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tantalus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Atreus
 
Aerope
 
 
 
Thyestes
 
 
 
Nicippe
 
Sthenelus
 
Electyron
 
Eurydice
 
Astydamia
 
Alcaeus
 
Pittheus
 
Henioche
 
Alcathous
 
Pyrgo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pelopia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eurystheus
 
Zeús
 
Alcmene
 
 
 
 
 
Amphitryon
 
 
 
 
 
Aethra
 
Aegeus of Athens
 
Periboea
 
Telamon of Aegina
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Helen
 
Menelaus
 
 
 
Agamemnon
 
Clytaemnestra
 
Aegisthus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hḗrācles
 
 
 
Iphicles
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Theseus
 
 
 
 
 
Ajax
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hermione
 
 
 
Orestes
 
 
Iphigenia
 
 
 
Electra
 
Pylades
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tisamenus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strophius
 
 
 
 
 
Medon
Preceded by:
Pelops
King of Mycenae (First Rule)
Mythic
Succeeded by
Thyestes (First Rule)


Preceded by:
Thyestes (First Rule)
King of Mycenae

(Second Rule)
Mythic

Succeeded by
Thyestes (Second Rule)
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