Althaea or
Althea (,
Althaía) was, in
Greek mythology, the daughter of King
Thestius and
Eurythemis, and was sister to
Leda,
Hypermnestra,
Iphiclus,
Euippus. She was also the wife of
Oeneus, king of Calydon, and mother of five sons,
Meleager,
Melanippe (one of the
Meleagrids), Toxeus, Thyreus, Clymenus, and two daughters,
Deianeira and
Gorge. According to some writers, Meleager was the result of a liaison with the Greek god
Ares, and Deianeira the progeny of Althaea and the god
Dionysus.