In the Greek Mythology, the Niobides were the children of Amphion and Niobé. They are twelve at Homère, six boys and six girls, and fourteen at Ovide. In other authors, they are more.

All were massacred by Apollon and Artémis, to punish the pride of Niobé which had offended their mother, Léto. Homère tells thus, in Iliade (XXIV, 605-612):

“The wire, it is Apollon who, out of ire, killed to him,
With its money arc, and its daughters, it is Artémis,
Because Niobé was said as beautiful as Léto,
Who had had only two children, when it had douze.
of it These deux-là however was to kill all to him them his,
Who trailed nine days, bloody, without being ensevelis
Because the son of Cronos had changed people into pierres.
The gods of the sky buried them the tenth day. ”
(Translation of Frederic Mugler, Actes Sud, 1995.)

In certain traditions, there are one or two survivors among them (often Chloris in the girls, sometimes also Amyclas among boys).

The niobides boys bear sometimes the following names: Tantalos, Eupinytos, Sipulos, Praedimos, Sictonios, Archenos, and Isménos.

See too