Sun-King Kolaxais

First-king tier (rendered 'demigod', grandson of the sky-god through Targitaos). The sacred gold was guarded most jealously by the kings, who offered it great yearly sacrifices and held a festival where its custodian who fell asleep in the open was believed not to outlive the year (Hdt 4.7). Foregrounded with Targitaos as the core of the dynastic charter myth.

Parentage

• First Man Targitaos

Domains

• sacral kingship
• solar sovereignty

Powers

• took up the unburning sky-gold

Epithets

• Κολάξαϊς

Relations

• sibling: Middle Heir Arpoxais
• sibling: Eldest Heir Lipoxais

Sources

• Herodotos, Histories 4.5-7 (Godley)
• Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Scythians' (R. Schmitt et al.); B. Lincoln, Nordlit 33 (2014)