Iobates

In the narratives preserved in the supplied sources, Iobates is the king of Lycia who receives the exiled hero Bellerophon after the latter flees or is sent away from his native court. Proetus of Argos (described in these sources as connected by marriage into Iobates' family) sends a sealed message requesting that Iobates kill Bellerophon. Unable or unwilling to commit homicide within the bounds of sacred hospitality, Iobates instead commissions a perilous quest—the slaying of the Chimera—as a culturally acceptable means to try to remove the offending guest. Variants across the sources record differences in family details and outcomes (for example the names and fates of daughters such as Stheneboea/Anteia and Philonoe), but the core role of Iobates as the Lycian ruler who mediates the hero's fate remains consistent.

The supplied sources do not provide a physical description of Iobates; he is represented through his social rank and decisions as a king and father rather than by bodily features or attire. His presence in the texts is defined by status (monarchical authority) and ritual position (host/master of the guest house), not by visual characterization.

No supernatural abilities are attested in the provided materials. Iobates' effective power is political and social: as king he can receive and protect guests under the norms of xenia, dispatch individuals on military or heroic tasks, and grant marriage into his household. His notable behavior is to honor guest‑right (fearing divine retribution for murdering a guest) while resolving a politically dangerous request by assigning ostensibly lethal labors (the Chimera quest). After Bellerophon's apparent success, Iobates alters his stance and integrates the hero into his family, demonstrating the use of marriage and patronage as political recompense.