Alcathous (son of Pelops)

Alcathous is presented in the surviving accounts as one of the sons of King Pelops of Pisa and Hippodamia and thus a member of the Pelopid genealogical generation that includes Atreus and Thyestes. Sources identify him specifically as the Alcathous who became associated with Megara: the citadel there was said to be called Alcathoe from its reputed founder, Alcathous, son of Pelops. He appears in these traditions as a dynastic figure whose marriages and progeny link ruling houses, and as an eponym used to explain local place-names. Variant local traditions and the recurrence of the name Alcathous for unrelated mythic figures require care in distinguishing this Alcathous by his parentage (son of Pelops) and Megarian association.

Ancient sources and the supplied summaries do not preserve a direct physical description of Alcathous son of Pelops. Instead, authors characterize him by his genealogy, civic eponymy, and deeds: he is known through his role as a Pelopid prince, his marriages (noted as to Pyrgo and later Euaechme in some accounts), his paternity of descendants, and his association with the Megarian citadel named Alcathoe. Thus classical representation frames him as a human heroic/founder figure recorded in topographical and genealogical contexts rather than by bodily detail.

Alcathous is portrayed as a mortal heroic warrior and dynast: some traditions credit him with martial exploits, notably the slaying of the Cithaeronian lion, situating him among hero-figures who achieved honor through dangerous feats. He has no attested divine powers in the supplied materials; his abilities are those of a heroic hunter/warrior and a dynastic founder whose marriages and offspring consolidate local ruling claims. Sources also emphasize his civic role as reputed founder-eponym of Megara's citadel (Alcathoe). The attribution of the lion-slaying to Alcathous is noted as one variant among competing traditions that assign such exploits to different heroes.