Alcathous

King of Megara. Alcathoüs (Ἀλκάθοος) was the son of Pelops and Hippodaemia.

Alcathoüs married Evaechme, daughter of Megareus, king of Megara, after he had killed the Cithaeronian lion. Alcathoüs became king at Megareus' death. He was the father of two sons - Ischepolis and Callipolis - and of three daughters - Automedusa, Periboea and Iphinoe.

Alcathoüs rebuilt the city wall which had been destroyed by King Minos of Crete during the reign of Nisus, Megareus' father-in-law.

His daughter married Iphicles, son of Amphitryon and Alcmene, and became the mother of Iolaus, while Periboea married the hero Telamon, king of Salamis, and was the mother of the hero Ajax.

None of his sons survived to succeed after him. Ischepolis was killed in the Calydonian Boar Hunt. Alcathoüs was in the middle of sacrificing to Apollo when his younger son Callipolis returned from Calydon with the news of Ischepolis' death. Alcathoüs killed Callipolis for interrupting the rite. He only realised too late that he had murdered his last son. The Argive seer Polydieus purified Alcathoüs for the murder.

With no son to rule after him, the aging king appointed his grandson Ajax as his heir. Ajax took twelve ships from Salamis and Megara to Troy, but he died at his own hand. I am not certain who ruled Megara after Ajax's death. Ajax's illegitimate son Eurysaces did rule Salamis, but not Megara.