Periboea

Overview

Periboea is a woman of Greek mythological genealogy who appears as the mother of Penelope in one common tradition. She should not be confused with Periboea of Salamis, the mother of Ajax the Great.

Generation

Heroic Age

Notes

Periboea is one of several mythological women who share the same name, which makes careful identification important.

This Periboea belongs to the family tradition surrounding Penelope, wife of Odysseus.

In one common genealogy, Periboea is the mother of Penelope and is therefore connected indirectly with the House of Odysseus and the wider mythology of Ithaca.

Ancient genealogies surrounding Penelope are not completely uniform, so Periboea's role should be understood as belonging to one important strand of the tradition rather than as the only surviving account.

She should not be confused with Periboea of Salamis, another mythological woman of the same name who is associated with Ajax the Great.

The shared name is a good example of a common difficulty in Greek mythology: several unrelated figures can carry identical names while belonging to completely different families and story cycles.

This Periboea is therefore best understood through her connection with Penelope and the genealogical traditions surrounding Odysseus' household.