Niobids

thumb|302x302px|Roman fresco: Apollo and [[Artemis shoot the sons of Niobe, who flee (partly on horseback) in an idyllic landscape, 1st c. BC - 1st c. AD]] thumb|right|302x302px|Roman sarcophagus: Apollo and [[Artemis killing the 14 children of Niobe (front side). Artemis; 5 daughters with a nurse; younger son with a pedagogue; 3 other sons; Apollo. Top: dead Niobids. 160–170 Ad]] In Greek mythology, the Niobids were the children of Amphion of Thebes and Niobe, slain by Apollo and Artemis because Niobe, born of the royal house of Phrygia, had boastfully compared the greater number of her own offspring with those of Leto, Apollo's and Artemis' mother: a classic example of hubris.

== Names == The number of Niobids mentioned most usually numbered twelve (Homer) or fourteen (Euripides and Apollodorus), but other sources mention twenty, four (Herodotus), or eighteen (Sappho). Generally half these children were sons, the other half daughters. The names of some of the children are mentioned; these lists vary by author: {| class="wikitable" |+List of Niobids ! colspan="2" rowspan="3" |Names ! colspan="7" |Sources |- | rowspan="2" |Ovid | rowspan="2" |Apollodorus | colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Hyginus | rowspan="2" |Lactantius | colspan="2" |Scholia on Euripides |- |Pherecydes |Hellanicus |- | rowspan="21" |Males |Damasichthon |✓ |✓ | colspan="2" |✓ | | | |- |Ismenus |✓ |✓ | colspan="2" |✓ | | | |- |Phaedimus |✓ |✓ | colspan="2" |✓ |✓ | | |- |Sipylus |✓ |✓ | colspan="2" |✓ |✓ | | |- |Tantalus |✓ |✓ | colspan="2" |✓ |✓ | | |- |Alphenor |✓ | | colspan="2" | | | | |- |Ilioneus |✓ | | colspan="2" | | | | |- |Agenor | |✓ | colspan="2" | | | | |- |Eupinytus | |✓ | colspan="2" |✓ |✓ | | |- |Archenor | | | colspan="2" |✓ | | |✓ |- |Antagorus | | | colspan="2" | |✓ | | |- |Archemorus | | | colspan="2" | |✓ | | |- |Xenarchus | | | colspan="2" | |✓ | | |- |Alalcomeneus | | | colspan="2" | | |✓ | |- |Eudorus | | | colspan="2" | | |✓ | |- |Argeius | | | colspan="2" | | |✓ | |- |Lysippus | | | colspan="2" | | |✓ | |- |Phereus | | | colspan="2" | | |✓ | |- |Xanthus | | | colspan="2" | | |✓ | |- |Archagoras | | | colspan="2" | | | |✓ |- |Menestratus | | | colspan="2" | | | |✓ |- ! colspan="2" |Number !7 !7 ! colspan="2" |7 !7 !6 !3 |- | rowspan="20" |Females |Astycrateia | rowspan="20" |not given |✓ |✓ |✓ |✓ | |✓ |- |Ogygia |✓ |✓ |✓ | | |✓ |- |Phthia |✓ |✓ | | | | |- |Neaera or |✓ |✓ | |✓ | | |- |Cleodoxa |✓ | |✓ |✓ | | |- |Pelopia |✓ | | |✓ |✓ |✓ |- |Astyoche |✓ | | | | | |- |Ethodaia |✓ | | | | | |- |Chloris | |✓ |✓ |✓ | | |- |Eudoxa | |✓ | | | | |- |Astynome | | |✓ | | | |- |Chias | | |✓ | | | |- |Thera | | |✓ | | | |- |Ogime | | | |✓ | | |- |Phegea | | | |✓ | | |- |Chione | | | | |✓ | |- |Clytia | | | | |✓ | |- |Hore | | | | |✓ | |- |Lamippe | | | | |✓ | |- |Melia | | | | |✓ | |- ! colspan="2" |Number !0 !7 !6 !7 !7 !6 !3 |} Other different names were also mentioned, including Amaleus, Amyclas, Meliboea and Neis (also in Apollodorus, see below).