greek mythology creatures list
Aella (), an Amazon who was killed by Aegea, a queen of the Amazons. She was immortal and used to drag her victims to earth-shattered pits where she liked to devour them alive. The Amphisbaena, for example, was a particularly unusual serpent said to live in Libya. She is the consort of Hyperion, and mother of Helios, Selene, and Eos. Cetea were sea monsters. It was eventually killed by Theseus. After their defeat by the Olympians and the banishment of Typhon, Echidna and her offspring lived on to challenge future heroes. Many of the great Greek monsters were descendants of Typhon,the most deadly monster of Greek mythology. Birds of Ares or Ornithes Areioi were a flock of birds that guarded the Amazons' shrine of the god on a coastal island in the Black Sea. Theres no more remarkable example of that than Lamia in Greek mythology. (See also Greek mythology; Hellenistic religion; ancient Greece; tragedy.). Oni. While many other legendary beasts closely resembled common animals, the creatures described by Pliny the Elder were shockingly different. Web2 sets of 10 vocab words from Greek mythology! The Sphinx has a lion's body, bird's wings and a female head. Both were pulled by teams of dragons. He then trapped it and bound it in chains. [1], God of music, arts, knowledge, healing, plague, prophecy, poetry, manly beauty, and archery. Empusa was a demonic female monster and belonged to the villainous cult circle of the goddess of the Underworld, Hekate. She is thought to be a daughter of Poseidon and Gaia. According to Greek mythology, the great hero Theseus entered the labyrinth and managed to kill the Minotaur and also find his way out.
God of intellect and the axis of heaven around which the constellations revolved. (Even today, the name chimaera sometimes refers to a genetic puzzle.) There are many myths and legends about all of the above mythological monsters and creatures. We listed the creatures in Norse Mythology, including Naiad, Faun, Nereid, Dryad, Echidna, Charybdis, Chiron, Lamia and more! The Mares, which were the terror of the region of Thrace, were kept tethered by iron chains to a bronze manger and were named Podargos (the swift), Lampon (the shining), Xanthos (the yellow) and Deinos (the terrible).
Its other heads could be cut off, but then one or two would grow back in its place. Besides his three terrifying heads, he also had a serpent for a tail. Drakons ("" in Greek, "dracones" in Latin) were giant serpents, sometimes possessing multiple heads or able to breathe fire (or even both), but most just spit deadly poison. Not to be confused with the, The god of darkness and shadow, as well as the void that existed between, Personification of the Earth (Mother Earth); mother of the. Aisa (), personification of lot and fate, Tekhne () personification of art, craft and technical skill, Eidothea (), prophetic sea nymph and daughter of, Dexithea (), mother of Euxanthios by, Aparctias (), another name for the north wind (not identified with Boreas), Apheliotes (), god of the east wind (when Eurus is considered southeast), Argestes (), another name for the west or northwest wind, Caicias (), god of the northeast wind, Circios () or Thraskias (), god of the north-northwest wind, Euronotus (), god of the southeast wind, Skeiron (), god of the northwest wind, The Astra Planeti ( ), gods of the five wandering stars or planets, Heracles (not to be confused with the hero, Okythoos () "the one running swiftly", Hekaerge (), represented distancing, Pan Sybarios ( ) god of Woods and vales, Phaunos god of forests not identified with, Trokhilos () god of the mill stone, Pandaisia () "banquet for everyone", Pannychis () "all-night (festivity)", The goddesses of the natural portions of time and the times of day, Anatole () or Anatolia (), sunrise, Mousika or Musica (), the morning hour of music and study, Gymnastika, Gymnastica () or Gymnasia (), the morning hour of gymnastics/exercise, Nymphe (), the morning hour of ablutions (bathing, washing), Elete, prayer, the first of the afternoon work hours, Akte, Acte () or Cypris (), eating and pleasure, the second of the afternoon work hours, Arktos (), night sky, constellation, This page was last edited on 1 April 2023, at 18:43. [9] The son of Zeus and Maia, Hermes is the messenger of the gods, and a psychopomp who leads the souls of the dead into the afterlife. She haunted the rocks of a narrow strait opposite the whirlpool of another terrible monster, Charybdis (see below). List 1 contains 10 words that originate from the names of different gods and goddesses, and List 2 has 10 words from different Greek myths.For each list, the pack includes:Word list with definitions and connections to Greek mythologyTask cards with short stories for students to infer the connection His appearance would be accompanied by a devastating storm and his true form was thus hard to be described accurately. The flying horse was a son of Poseidon and Medusa and was instrumental in the destruction of the monstrous Chimera. Artemis, for example, was pulled by a team of silver stags. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Either the son of Zeus and Hera or Hera alone, he is the smith of the gods and the husband of the adulterous Aphrodite. The Stymphalian birds that were driven away by Heracles, for example, were raucous man-eating creatures that were sacred to the god of war. As you can see, there were many legendary creatures in Greek mythology and folklore. According to some accounts, she was not always a terrifying monster but a beautiful priestess at the Temple of Athena. Goddess of fresh-water, and the mother of the rivers, springs, streams, fountains, and clouds. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Three-Bodied or Triple-Bodied Daemon, a winged monster with three human bodies ending in serpent-tails. Heracles (Hercules) was once again the hero to defeat this monster too in his fourth labor. Automatons, or Colossi, were men/women, animals and monsters crafted out of metal and made animate in order to perform various tasks. Cyclops.
Leon or Lion, killed by Herakles in the war against the gods. In most cases, the greek Arion. They stole food from their victims and [], The Kraken is one of the most fearsome and famous legendary sea monsters to terrorize sailors on the high seas. Demeter is one of the main deities of the Eleusinian Mysteries, in which the rites seemed to center around Demeter's search for and reunion with her daughter, which symbolized both the rebirth of crops in spring and the rebirth of the initiates after death. This may have something to do with them being his nephews as sons of Poseidon, and no, there are no female cyclopes. [4], Goddess of reason, wisdom, intelligence, skill, peace, warfare, battle strategy, and handicrafts. Sometimes equated with Chronos.
This is an alphabetically ordered list of Greek mythological figures, including deities and other immortal beings as well as significant legendary mortals. 
Initially genderless, later on described as female. WebLoch Ness Monster - Long neck, large body, flippers and a tail. Instead of a human head, a hundred dragon heads erupted from Typhon'sneck and shoulders. After Dionysus was born, Zeus entrusted the infant Dionysus to Silenus care to be raised and taught. Ares is known for cuckolding his brother Hephaestus, conducting an affair with his wife Aphrodite.
A temple would house the statue of a god or goddess, or multiple deities, and might be decorated with relief scenes depicting myths. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. The Ethiopian Sphinx was distinct from its monstrous Greek namesake. The answer he gave was: "Man - who crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and then uses a walking stick in old age.". Spartae, a malevolent spirit born from violence. In myth, he can be cruel and destructive, and his love affairs are rarely happy. Charybdis is another terrifying female monster in Greek mythology. I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. The leader of the Titans, who overthrew his father, Goddess of memory and remembrance, and mother of the. Mokele-mbembe - Large water creature with a flexible and long neck. Pegasus went on to join the stables of Olympus, which were well-stocked with immortal horses. Not often identifiable in Greek art, she appeared as a modestly veiled woman. In most cases, the greek Arion. Clipart.com Her Roman counterpart is Venus. Her sacred animals include pigs and snakes. The god of thunder loved her because she was beautiful and had children with her who were killed by Hera. Its main distinction was the presence of long horns on top of its head. A similar serpent was said to have guarded the sacred spring of Ares near Thebes. Typhon The Father of all Monsters. 
Her sacred animals include doves and sparrows. As a chthonic god, however, his place among the Olympians is ambiguous. Drinking cups and other vessels were painted with scenes from Greek myths. Snakes, a common sight for many people, became enormous serpents or dragons. Brother to Hypnos (Sleep) and Moros (Doom). Poets describe her as "grey-eyed" or having especially bright, keen eyes. The Ethiopian bulls were enormous red beasts whose hides were impervious to most weapons. Winged Horses or Pterippi, winged horses. Echidna was half a winged woman with glittering eyes and half a huge, scaly serpent. She was also the mother of Echidna, who spawned many of the other great monsters of Greek legend. Depictions [], The Sphinx is arguably one of the worlds most well-known images. Some of the amazing creatures described by Pinty the Elder included: The seas were a place of mystery for the Greeks. WebCreatures Arachne. [3], Virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, the Moon and young girls. The creature is closely associated with Egypt, mostly due to the 5,000-year-old statue still standing tall guarding the Giza plateau to this day. Eos (Dawn) and the hero Memnon (490480 BC), Helios in his four-horse chariot (3rd century BC), Themis, from the Temple of Nemesis (ca. God of The calendar of the seasons brother of.
The goddess of poisons, and the personification of misery and sadness. Web1 Mythical monsters 2 Mythical animals 3 Giants 4 Dragons 4.1 Dracones 4.2 Cetea 5 Automatons 6 Legendary tribes 7 See also Mythical monsters Greek myth includes many monstrous beings: Cerberus, the three-headed, giant hound that guarded the gates of Hades Charybdis, a sea monster whose inhalations formed a deadly whirlpool A mythological creature (also mythical or fictional entity) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accounts before modernity. Queen of the Underworld, wife of Hades and daughter of Demeter and Zeus. Demeter even made a familiar from a feared giant serpent. Charybdis looked like a huge whirlpool and at its bottom, her monstrous mouth with huge, sharp teeth were waiting to devour any ship and sailors on it. His wife Echidna, half woman half snake, was likewise the Mother of All Monsters.. It has a crayfish-like tail, numerous legs along its body which it uses like oars to move, and extremely long hairs that protrude from its nostrils. His sacred animals include the eagle and the bull. However, some interactions highlighted the vindictive nature of the deities. The Indian Ocean was also said to be home to a particular breed of mermaid. Mokele-mbembe - Large water creature with a flexible and long neck. She is the patron of the city Athens (from which she takes her name) and is attributed to various inventions in arts and literature. Among these were horses, bulls, and boars. Goddess of grain, agriculture, harvest, growth, and nourishment. Don't forget to join our giveaway! Other well-known Dracaenae were Ceto and Scylla (see further below). The Mares of Diomedes, also called the Mares of Thrace, were a herd of man-eating horses in Greek mythology belonging to the giant Diomedes. Mister Hyde - Evil version of Dr. Jekyll. It was meant to guard the sacred forest of Zeus, but had eaten the infant son of a local king. }. He was killed by Athena during the Titanomachy. Arion was Centaurs. His attributes include the herald's wand or caduceus, winged sandals, and a traveler's cap. Feel free to learn more about us. One of the hydra's heads was impervious to weapons. She is the sister and consort of. Heracles (Hercules) defeated these creatures in his sixth labor by shooting arrows tipped with poisonous blood from the slain monster Lernaean Hydra. The beautiful creature lived for five hundred years, and when it died it burst into flames and was reborn from the ashes. But there were countless other creatures in Greek mythology, diverse in appearance and A monster that looked like a man but had a bull's head and its strength. From her severed head sprang the winged horse Pegasus, whose father was Poseidon. 30 Mythical Creatures 1. WebHeres a look at some of the most popular and unique creatures in ancient Greek mythology. Half-mand and half-horse, they were known both for their intelligence and their lasciviousness. King Minos, not able to kill the monster and further displease Poseidon, commissioned a huge labyrinth at the basement of his palace. With the help of the witch Medea, Jason managed to overcome the guarding monster and take the Fleece. The Giants were beings enormous in size.
In most cases, the greek Arion. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo. However, plenty of other monsters deserve their time in the [], Chimaera has become one of the most famous female monsters described in Greek mythology. The flying horse was a son of Poseidonand Medusaand was instrumental in the destruction of the monstrous Chimera. Their power lay in their upper body appearance: they were beautiful, young women and had a charming voice when they sang. Poseidon gave Minos this bull on the condition that it was to be sacrificed in Poseidons honor, but Minos was so impressed with this [], The Cyclopes were giant; one-eyed monsters; a wild race of lawless creatures who possess neither social manners nor fear of the Gods. The god made Minos wife, Pasiphae, fell in love with the white male bull and sleep with him. Aegea, a queen of the Amazons. Acheri is a mythical creature in Native American folklore which is believed to be a revenge spirit. It was sent as a gift to King Minos of Crete, but when he proved unworthy was used instead to create the monstrous Minotaur. Origin: Greek mythology.
Eventually, they turn into metaphors and allegories used to frighten people into good behavior. With one hundred heads, it would have made a fearsome opponent for the great hero. They include the serpent-like Drakons, the marine-dwelling Cetea, and the she-monster Dracaenae. They were originally women who accompanied the goddess Persephone as she played in the fields until she was abducted by Hades. This was largely due to the influence of ancient Minoan culture, which artwork suggests held bulls in high regard.
Some Dracaenae were even known to have had in place two legs, and one (or two) serpent tails. Dragons were common creatures in Greek mythology.
Characters like the brilliant Daedalus, strong Theseus, evil King Minos and his beautiful daughter Ariadne all make an appearance in this story. Echidna was half a winged woman with glittering eyes and half a huge, scaly serpent. The Mother of Monsters. Legendary creatures were not limited to the land and sea.
Oni. Mngwa - Oversized and out of control, deadly tabby cat. Golems. The Gorgons were three deadly sisters whose hair was made of living, venomous snakes and they could turn anyone into stone just by looking into their eyes. Each Siren combined the appearance of a woman and a bird, with the exact appearance varying depending on the artist. The beasts imagined by Pliny the Elder were popular in medieval manuscripts, while even today the unicorn and Pegasus feature in media aimed at children. He is often in the company of his thiasos, a group of attendants including satyrs, maenads, and his old tutor Silenus. Web2 sets of 10 vocab words from Greek mythology! Empusa could take all forms and appeared to women and children to cause terror. 
She was usually depicted as a regal woman in the prime of her life, wearing a diadem and veil and holding a lotus-tipped staff. Corrections? God of boundaries, travel, trade, communication, language, writing, cunning and thieves. Briareus () or Aigaion (), The Vigorous. After her abduction by Hades, she was forced to split the year between the world of the dead with her husband and the world of the living with her mother. Medieval artists turned to them to create amazing bestiaries of creatures, both human-like and animal, that they believed existed in the far corners of the world. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Following other accounts, the Giants were immortals as long as they walked on the ground where they were born. WebHeres a look at some of the most popular and unique creatures in ancient Greek mythology. Centaurs were said to be primal, existing in tribes and making their homes in caves, hunting wild animals and arming themselves with rocks and tree branches. Golems. Scythian Dracanae, upper body of a woman, lower body composed of two snake tails. 
Argus Unbeknownst to Odysseus as he left the defeated Troy for Ithaca, many obstacles such as Sirens, inebriated Cyclops, and furious gods awaited him. The riddle was: Which creature has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?" Mongolian Death Worm - Enormous, slimy red worm with long fangs. Despite their obscure origins, these mythical beings of ancient Greece have their place in our heart and we hope that this applies to you all now.
While a few legendary creatures feature in popular myths, many more were mentioned only occasionally in descriptions of the wider world. Cyclops. Goddess of fertility, motherhood and the mountain wilds. Lattimore). Criosphinx, a creature with the head of a ram and the body of a lion. Bulls played an important role in Greece mythology. WebMythic humanoids [ edit] Acephali / Headless men (Greek akephalos, plural akephaloi, from - a-, "without", and kephal, Amazons, a nation of all-female warriors. Most are already familiar with the Cerberus, the Harpies, and the famous Gorgons. In addition to the famous deities, the ancient Greeks also worshiped a number of deified human beings. They range from monstrous creatures and chimera, hybrids like the Minotaur of ancient Greece, to humanoid mythicals like the mischievous elves of the Norse. made a fearsome opponent for the great hero. Bacchus was another name for him in Greek, and came into common usage among the Romans. Her sacred animals include the heifer, the peacock, and the cuckoo. Ethiopia, India, and Phrygia were all said to have unique varieties of snakes, from those so large they preyed on elephants to leaping serpents that feasted on birds. Echidna was half a winged woman with glittering eyes and half a huge, scaly serpent. Other than what is established in The Iliad, Theogony and [], The Harpies were mythical monsters in Greek mythology that had the form of a bird with a human female face; often agents of punishment they abducted people and tortured them on their way to Hades domain, employed by the God as instruments for the punishment of the guilty. Arguably the most famous horse in Greek mythology was Pegasus. Virgin goddess of the hearth, home, domesticity and chastity. The Cretan Bull was probably inspired by this artwork. Famous in Jewish folklore, golems are most often depicted as beings created from inanimate matter such as 2. They are considered to have superhuman powers, enormous size and long life, while on the contrary, they lack ethics and imagination. 
It used a human voice to lure its prey. The Griffon combined the wings of a giant eagle with the body of a lion. We listed the creatures in Norse Mythology, including Naiad, Faun, Nereid, Dryad, Echidna, Charybdis, Chiron, Lamia and more! Maeonian Drakon, a dragon that lived in the kingdom of, Nemean dragon, a dragon that guarded Zeus' sacred grove in, Ophiogenean dragon, a dragon that guarded Artemis' sacred grove in, Rhodian dragons, serpents that inhabited the island of, Thespian dragon, a dragon that terrorized the city of, The Ethiopian Dragon was a breed of giant serpent native to the lands of.
Her symbols include the pomegranate, grain, torches, wheat and the asphodelus. Lykos () of Athens was a wolf-shaped her, whose shrine stood by the jury court, and the first jurors were named after him. This beast was eventually killed by Heracles (Hercules) in his first of the twelve labors. They were carnivorous and had a particular taste for human flesh, but were most likely derived from second-hand accounts of common water buffalo. The Sirens The Sirens were dangerous man-eating creatures, with bodies that were half-bird and half-woman. Often, these gave a challenge to heroes that was both familiar and frightening. WebHere's our list of over 90 mythical creatures from Greek Mythology! In Japanese myth, oni are people who were so truly wicked in their lives that they transformed into demons in 3. 
Acephali had their faces on Acheri.
Mongolian Death Worm - Enormous, slimy red worm with long fangs. It was a true monster with sharp teeth, red eyes, and scaly skin. 30 Mythical Creatures 1. An aura of mystery has always surrounded this creature. 
There are mystical mythical creatures that inhabit land, the sea and the air. This page was last edited on 4 April 2023, at 17:49. WebHere's our list of over 90 mythical creatures from Greek Mythology! Typhon The Father of all Monsters. The Lernaean Hydra, one of the many offspring of half-woman and half-serpent Echidna and 100-headed Typhon, was a many-headed serpent who lived in the swamps. 10. The Colchian Dragon, for example, was the guardian of the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece was the prize the Greek hero Jason and his crew of Argonauts were after. In Hesiod's Theogony (188206), she was born from sea-foam and the severed genitals of Uranus; in Homer's Iliad (5.370417), she is daughter of Zeus and Dione. 
Cyclopes means round eye. Considered the sons of Uranus and Gaea they were the workmen of the God Hephaestus whose workshop was in the heart of the volcanic mountain Etna. [2], God of courage, war, bloodshed, and violence. From this union, a terrible child was born. He also had another flock that guarded his shrine among the Amazons. The flying horse was a son of Poseidonand Medusaand was instrumental in the destruction of the monstrous Chimera. These creatures were often used to explain natural phenomena, such as storms, tidal waves and earthquakes. Her attributes include hunting knives and spears, animal pelts, deer and other wild animals. She plays little role in Greek myths, and although she is omitted in some lists of the twelve Olympians in favour of Dionysus, no ancient tale tells of her abdicating or giving her seat to Dionysus. Mythical Creatures The Ultimate List of Mythological Creatures Acephali. 
Goddess of good counsel, advice, planning, cunning, craftiness, and wisdom. WebAcontius Actaeon Admetus Adonis Aeacus Aedon Aeolus Aethra Agamemnon Aglauros Ajax the Greater Ajax the Lesser Alcestis Alcitho Alcmaeon Aloadae Amalthaea Amazon Amphion Amphitrite Amphitryon Ananke Ancaeus Anchises Andromache Andromeda Anius Antaeus Antilochus Antiope Aphrodite Apollo Ares Arethusa Argonaut Argus Ariadne One of the hydra's heads was impervious to weapons. The Basilisk, a familiar creature in many modern stories, was a giant serpent with a deadly touch a poisonous breath. What Were the Hamadryads in Greek Mythology? The god of empirical time, sometimes equated with Aion. According to Greek mythology, Apollo, a member of the Olympians Pantheon - the new gods - decided to build his sanctuary in Delphi. The, Clazomenae Boar, gigantic winged sow which terrorized the Greek town of. Queen of the gods, and goddess of women, marriage, childbirth, heirs, kings, and empires. A Lion, [], The island of Crete was the home of the legendary King Minos, who worshiped bulls. Don't forget to join our giveaway! Daughter of Typhon and Echidna, she could breathe fire from her mouth, according to Homer and Hesiod. God of warcraft. In Ancient Greek mythology, gods and goddesses regularly interacted with mere mortals. 
He fed Diomedes, their master, to his own horses and while they were occupied with their human meal, Heracles found the opportunity to bind their mouths shut.
Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He was one of three sons of Cronus and Rhea, and thus sovereign over one of the three realms of the universe, the underworld. He was depicted either as a handsome and athletic beardless youth, or as an older bearded man. Homer describes the dragons with wings and legs. God of wine, fruitfulness, parties, festivals, madness, chaos, drunkenness, vegetation, ecstasy, and the theater. Some late Roman and Greek poetry and mythography identifies him as a sun-god, equivalent to Roman Sol and Greek Helios. Monoceratus was the Greek term for single horned. This legendary horse of India was the inspiration for the popular image of the unicorn. His sacred animals include roe deer, swans, and pythons. Personification of peaceful, nonviolent death. It was the job of Cerberus to guard the entrance to Hades. The Lernaean Hydra, one of the many offspring of half-woman and half-serpent Echidna and 100-headed Typhon, was a many-headed serpent who lived in the swamps. After feasting on the figs, the raven finally brings Apollo the cup filled with water and he also brings a water snake (Hydra) as an excuse for being so late. Said to have existed before Chaos itself. The god of the sea, father of the fish and other sea creatures. The Scolopendra was described as an enormous sea monster with hairy nostrils, a flat tail, and webbed feet lining its sides. Typhon was the last child of Gaia, fathered by Tartarus, and is considered the 2. Although they were of divine origin, they were mortal. Mngwa - Oversized and out of control, deadly tabby cat.