HERACLIDÆ, in antiquity, the descendants of Hercules. The Heraclidæ were expelled from Peloponnesus, by Euritheus king of Mycenæ, after the death of Hercules.
Return of the HERACLIDÆ into Peloponnesus, is a celebrated epocha in the ancient chronology. — The time of this return is differently assigned; by reason authors mistake the divers attempts they made to return, for the return itself. The first attempt was 20 years before the taking of Troy: the second was 100 years later, or 80 years after the taking of Troy. This last is supposed to have succeeded; at least, according to Petavius, who mentions only these two. Scaliger distinguishes three attempts; and fixes the first 50 years later than Petavius, viz. 30 years after the taking of Troy. He says nothing of the second, which was unfortunate like the first; but places the third in the same year with Petavius. As it occasioned a world of changes and revolutions in the affairs of Greece, inasmuch that scarce a state or people but were turned upside down thereby, the return of the Heraclidæ is the epocha of the beginning of profane history: all the time that preceded it is reputed fabulous. Accordingly, Ephorus, Cumanus, Callithenes, and Theopompus, only begin their histories from hence.