Nycteus

Nycteus is a figure from Greek mythology associated with Thebes in Boeotia. He is most often described as a king of Thebes and as the father of Antiope, the mother of Amphion and Zethus by Zeus. In the myth, Nycteus and his brother Lycus are portrayed as co-rulers of Thebes, with their power passing through a dynastic line that figures prominently in early Theban legend.

According to traditional accounts, Nycteus learned of Antiope’s pregnancy and drove her away from Thebes. His death soon after left Lycus to rule in his stead. Lycus and his wife Dirce became antagonists in the story by persecuting Antiope and her children, who had fled into exile. The later return of Amphion and Zethus to Thebes culminates in their overthrow of Lycus and Dirce, after which they play leading roles in Theban founding and expansion, including the famed building of the city’s walls.

Nycteus’s role is thus largely genealogical and symbolic within Theban myth: he sets in motion a chain of events that leads to the rise of Thebes as a major urban center and to the famous für Theban lineage of Amphion and Zethus. The tale appears in various ancient Greek sources, with some variations in detail, but the core association of Nycteus with Antiope and the early Theban mythos remains consistent. In modern retellings, Nycteus is typically treated as a secondary but foundational figure within the Theban mythic tradition.