Tyrrhenus

Tyrrhenus gave the Etruscans the name the Greeks used for them, Tyrrhenians, and the sea off their coast still carries it. In the Etruscan-facing tradition he is Tarchon's brother and the two together found the league of twelve cities; some accounts go further and make him the one who taught Tarchon to read a liver. A separate Greek story makes him a Lydian prince who led colonists west, which does not fit comfortably with the first, and the record keeps to the founding and eponymous roles the traditions agree on rather than adopting either genealogy.

Variant accounts

• Greek tradition makes Tyrrhenus a Lydian migrant.A well-known Greek account makes Tyrrhenus a prince of Lydia who led colonists to Italy and gave the Tyrrhenians their name, which sits awkwardly beside the Etruscan tradition of the twelve-city foundation with Tarchon. The record keeps the eponymous and founding roles, which both traditions share, and does not adopt a genealogy from either.Reference discussion of the Tyrrhenian origin traditions and of Tyrrhenus as eponym. (secondary)

Domains

• city founding
• divination

Relations

• sibling: TarchonBrother of Tarchon, with whom he founded the twelve cities.Reference article 'Tarchon': he co-founded the Etruscan dodecapolis along with his brother Tyrrhenus. (secondary)

Sources

• Tyrrhenus is the eponymous founder of the Tyrrhenians, brother of Tarchon and co-founder with him of the Etruscan league of twelve cities; some accounts make him the source of Tarchon's haruspical art.: Reference article 'Tarchon', on Tyrrhenus as brother, co-founder and teacher of haruspicy. (secondary)