Aristomachus
A descendant of Heracles who led an unsuccessful attempt to reclaim the Peloponnese, paving the way for his sons' eventual triumph in the Return of the Heraclidae
The Legend of Aristomachus
Aristomachus was the son of Cleodaeus and grandson of Hyllus, the eldest son of Heracles. He was a key figure in the multi-generational saga of the Heraclidae — the descendants of Heracles who sought to reclaim the Peloponnese, which they believed was their rightful inheritance through their divine ancestor. After the failures of both Hyllus and Cleodaeus to conquer the Peloponnese, Aristomachus consulted the oracle at Delphi and was told to invade "by the narrows." Interpreting this as the narrow isthmus of Corinth, he led his forces across the land bridge, but the campaign ended in disaster and Aristomachus was killed in battle. The oracle's true meaning, his sons later discovered, referred to crossing the sea at the narrow strait of Rhion. Armed with this correct interpretation, his three sons — Temenus, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus — launched a naval invasion that succeeded, conquering the Peloponnese and dividing it among themselves in the event known as the Return of the Heraclidae. Aristomachus's failure was thus a necessary step in the working out of the oracle.
Parents
Cleodaeus
Children
Temenus, Cresphontes, and Aristodemus
Symbols
Fun Fact
His misinterpretation of the Delphic oracle cost him his life, but it taught his sons the correct reading that led to their ultimate victory
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