1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Epigoni

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search

EPIGONI (“descendants”), in Greek legend, the sons of the seven heroes who fought against Thebes (see Adrastus). Ten years later, to avenge their fathers, the Epigoni undertook a second expedition, which was completely successful. Thebes was forced to surrender and razed to the ground. In early times the war of the Epigoni was a favourite subject of epic poetry. The term is also applied to the descendants of the Diadochi, the successors of Alexander the Great.