Belus (Egyptian)

In Greek mythology, Belus (Ancient Greek: Βῆλος, romanized: Bêlos) was a king of Egypt and father of Aegyptus and Danaus^[1] and (usually) brother to Agenor.^[2] The wife of Belus has been named as Achiroe^[3] or Side^[4] (eponym of the Phoenician city of Sidon).

Diodorus Siculus^[5] claims that Belus founded a colony on the river Euphrates, and appointed the priests-astrologers whom the Babylonians call Chaldeans who like the priests of Egypt are exempt from taxation and other service to the state.

According to Pausanias, Belus founded a temple of Heracles in Babylon.^[6] Meanwhile, it was said that Egyptians initially fought with clubs but later on Belus invented the use of sword in fighting. The word bellum, "war," is named from this.^[7]