[2] Timandra bore him a son, Ladocus,[3] before deserting Echemus for Phyleus, the king of Dulichium.
This lineage made Echemus a part of the Greek mythical family Atreidai, which stood in direct opposition to the Heracleidae, and emphasised the "pre-dorian" ancestry of the Tegeans and Arcadians.
[4] An alternative genealogy makes Echemus a son of Aeropus, son of the war god Ares rather than Cepheus, this was a genealogy presented to Pausanias in Tegea, which he includes in his description of the temple of Ares Aphenius between the cities of Tegea and Pallantium.
[1] This story is mentioned by the Tegeans as an example of their people's bravery in book 9 of The Histories by Herodotus; who puts in connection with a debate between the Tegeans and Athenians about who should cover the left part of the Hellenic army at the Battle of Plataea, the last major battle of the Persian Wars.
[8] When visiting Tegea, Pausanias was shown the tomb of Echemus and a relief depicting his victory over Hyllus.