Editing Phoroneus (section)

== Reign ==
Hyginus' genealogy expresses the position of Phoroneus as one<ref>In the Argolid, of course, he displaced Prometheus as ''the'' primordial fire-giver and the originator of kingship (Yves Bonnefoy and Wendy Doniger, eds. ''Greek and Egyptian Mythologies'', "Myths of Argos and Athens" [University of Chicago 1992:124]).</ref> of the primordial men, whose local identities differed in the various regions of Greece,<ref>See [[Karl Kerenyi]], ''The Gods of the Greeks'', 1951 (1980), p. 222, for other primordial men: [[Prometheus]] and [[Epimetheus (mythology)|Epimetheus]], and, in [[Boeotia]], Alkomeneus.</ref> and who had for a mother the essential spirit of the very earth of Argos herself, ''Argia''. He was the primordial king in the [[Peloponnesus]], authorized by Zeus: "Formerly Zeus himself had ruled over men, but Hermes [[Mythical origins of language|created a confusion of human speech]], which spoiled Zeus' pleasure in this Rule".<ref>Karl Kerenyi, ''The Gods of the Greeks'' 1951 (1980), p. 222.</ref> Phoroneus introduced both the worship of [[Hera]] and the use of fire and the forge.<ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#143 143]. Compare [[Prometheus]].</ref> Poseidon and Hera had vied for the Argive when the primeval waters had receded, Phoroneus "was the first to gather the people together into a community; for they had up to then been living as scattered and lonesome families". ([[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]).

Phoroneus' successor was [[Argus (mythology)|Argus]], who was Niobe's son, either by [[Zeus]] or Phoroneus himself. He was also the father of [[Apis (Greek mythology)|Apis]], who may have also ruled Argos (according to Tatiānus<ref>James Cowles Prichard : ''An Analysis of the Egyptian Mythology''. 1819. p. 85</ref>). He was worshipped in [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]] with an [[eternal flame|eternal fire]] that was shown to Pausanias in the 2nd century CE, and funeral sacrifices were offered to him at his tomb-sanctuary.<ref>Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.30.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160 2.20.3]</ref> He is also credited as the founder of law.<ref>[[Protrepticus (Clement)|Protrepticus]]</ref>
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{{succession box
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 title=[[King of Argos]]
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 years=
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 before=[[Inachus]]
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 after=[[Apis (Greek mythology)|Apis]]
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{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="12" |PHORONEUS' CHRONOLOGY OF REIGN ACCORDING TO VARIOUS SOURCES
|-
!Kings of Argos
! colspan="2" |''Regnal Years''
!Castor
! colspan="2" |''Regnal Years''
!Syncellus
!''Regnal Years''
!Apollodorus
!Hyginus
!Tatian
!Pausanias
|-
|Precessor
|''1677''
|''50 winters & summers''
|Inachus
|''1677.5''<td>''56 winters & summers''</td>
|Inachus
|''1675''
|Inachus
| -do-
| -do-
| -do-
|-
|'''Phoroneus'''
|''1652''
|''60 winters & summers''
|Phoroneus
|''1649.5''
|''60 winters & summers''
|Phoroneus
|''1650''
|Phoroneus
| -do-
| -do-
| -do-
|-
|Successor
|''1622''
|''35 winters & summers''
|Apis
|''1619.5''
|''35 winters & summers''
|Apis<td>''1625''</td>
|Apis<td>-do-</td><td>-do-</td>
| -do-
|}