Athens After Theseus

Theseus died in exile, leaving Menestheus (Μενεσθεύς) to rule Athens. In the Iliad, Menestheus was listed as a suitor of Helen, and he became the commander of the Athenian fleet of fifty ships during the Trojan War. Some said that Menestheus died at Troy or else migrated to the island of Melos, where he became king. In either case, Theseus' son regained the kingdom.

Theseus had two sons, Acamas (Ἀκάμας) and Demophon (Δημοφών), by Phaedra. They were living in Euboea during Menestheus' reign. They accompanied Elephenor (Ἐλεφήνωρ, their cousin?), the king of the Abantes of Euboea, who brought forty ships to Troy. After the war, Demophon and Acamas returned to Athens, recovering the throne. Demophon became king.

It was during Demophon's reign that Eurystheus persecuted the sons of Heracles (Heraclids) and Iolaus. Since Theseus and Heracles were cousins, then so were Demophon and the Heraclids. Demophon thought it was his duty to protect the weak, like his father had done. Athens was the only kingdom that would accept the Heraclids as refugees. A struggle ensued, with the Athenians defeating Eurystheus and his army.

According to another version told by Apollodorus, Demophon never reached Athens after the war in Troy; therefore, he never became king. He landed his small fleet in the land of the Thracian Bisaltians. The king's daughter Phyllis fell in love with Demophon, so the king offered him his daughter and his kingdom, but Demophon wished to return home. Demophon promised to return to her after an appointed time. He left Phylis at Nine Ways (Amphipolis), who gave him a box which contained an artifact sacred to the mother goddess, Rhea. Phyllis told him not to open the box, unless he couldn't return to her at the appointed time.

Demophon sailed away, not to Athens, but to Cyprus where he stayed. After the appointed time had passed, she knew that Demophon had deceived and betrayed her. Phyllis ran to the shore nine times (the reason why Amphipolis was named Nine Ways), where Phyllis madly cursed the unfaithful betrothed, and killed herself. Probably at the same time of her death, Demophon opened the box, and was inflicted with madness. He rode madly on his horse, until the horse died from exhaustion. Demophon was thrown off the horse, and fell on his own sword.

Theseus' descendants ruled Athens and Attica until the arrival of the Ionians, the descendants of Ion, during the Dorian invasion.