An island in the Saronic Gulf between Argolis and Attica, i.e. between the Greek mainland and the Peloponnesian Peninsula.
Although not mentioned by Homer, the island of Aigina was pivotal in the lives and deaths of several well-known people from prehistory.
The island we call Aigina was once deserted and called Oenone. The river-god Asopos (Asopus) had three daughters—Aigina, Thebe, Korkyra (Corcyra). The god Zeus secretly mated with Aigina and removed her to Oenone and renamed the island Aigina. Zeus and Aigina had a son named Aiakos (Aeacus). To alleviate Aiakos' loneliness on the deserted island, Zeus transformed the ants into men and women. This new breed of humans became known as Myrmidons.
The three sons of Aiakos—Peleus, Telamon, Phokis (Phocis)—did not inherit their father's kingdom because infighting amongst the brothers resulted in the death of Phokis. Telamon was given sanctuary on the nearby island of Salamis and eventually became king. Peleus took the Myrmidons north to Pythia and after a series of intrigues, became king of Phthia and the surrounding territories. This all took place one generation before the Trojan War, which allowed Achilles, son of Peleus, and Aias, son of Telamon, to distinguish themselves during the war even though neither survived.
Latitude North, Longitude East
37.7350, 23.4880
| References: Hesiod, Catalogue of Women 144 Strabo, Geography book 8.6.16 Pausanias, Description of Greece book 2.5.1-2; book 2.24.2 Diodorus of Sicily, Library of History book 4.72 |