Iolaus
Family: Theban · Role: hero · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 19
Iolaus was associated with Hercules in most of his labours, and was his nephew and charioteer. After the battle with the Heraclidae, he killed Eurystheus, who had fled from Attica.
At Olympia, Iolaus won the chariot race, having borrowed Hercules’ mares and voluntarily shared his labours. Later, he led Thespian and Athenian colonists to Sardinia, where they founded Olbia. Iolaus was the father of Lipephile and the son of Iphicles.
Relationship record
Life events
- Eurystheus fled Attica and was killed by Iolaus.(Book 1 · Chapter 44)
- With: Eurystheus
- “They say that he fled here from Attica after the battle with the Heraclidæ, and was killed by Iolaus.”
- Iolaus won the chariot race.(Book 5 · Chapter 8 · 📍 Olympia)
- “Iolaus was also Hercules’ charioteer. He was the victor in the chariot race”
- Iolaus won the chariot race after voluntarily sharing Hercules’ labours.(Book 5 · Chapter 17)
- With: Hercules
- “Iolaus too, who voluntarily shared in Hercules’ Labours, is there, just having come in first in the chariot-race.”
- Thespians and Athenians arrived under Iolaus and founded Olbia.(Book 10 · Chapter 17 · 📍 Olbia)
- “And a fourth band of colonists of Thespians and Athenians under Iolaus came to Sardinia and built the town of Olbia”
Book 1 · Chapter 19
- with Hercules (Iolaus was associated with Hercules in his labours.) “There is also an altar of Alcmene and Iolaus, who was associated with Hercules in most of his Labours.”
Book 1 · Chapter 44
- with Eurystheus (Iolaus killed Eurystheus.) “They say that he fled here from Attica after the battle with the Heraclidæ, and was killed by Iolaus”
Book 5 · Chapter 8
- with Hercules (Iolaus was Hercules' charioteer.) “Iolaus was also Hercules’ charioteer”
- with Hercules (Iolaus borrowed Hercules's mares and served as his charioteer.) “Iolaus, who had borrowed the mares of Hercules for the race. ... Iolaus was also Hercules’ charioteer.”
Book 5 · Chapter 17
- with Hercules (interaction) “Iolaus too, who voluntarily shared in Hercules’ Labours”
Book 7 · Chapter 2
- elder kin: Hercules “The oldest expedition was that of Iolaus the Theban, the nephew of Hercules, who led the Athenians and people of Thespiæ to Sardinia.”
Book 8 · Chapter 14
- parent: Iphicles “the tomb of Iphicles, the brother of Hercules and the father of Iolaus”
- with Hercules (Iolaus assisted Hercules in his labours.) “Iolaus according to the tradition of the Greeks assisted Hercules in most of his Labours”
Book 8 · Chapter 45
- with Hercules (Iolaus is described as Hercules's companion.) “Iolaus, the companion of Hercules in most of his Labours”
Book 9 · Chapter 40
- child: Lipephile “Phylas married Lipephile the daughter of the famous Iolaus, who resembled in appearance the goddesses of Olympus.”
Book 10 · Chapter 17
- with Ogrylus (Ogrylus is identified as a member of the expedition led by Iolaus.) “And a fourth band of colonists of Thespians and Athenians under Iolaus came to Sardinia and built the town of Olbia, and the Athenians separately built the town which they called Ogryle, either preserving the name of one of their townships in this way, or because Ogrylus was one of the expedition.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.