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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Greek Mythological Creatures

Ancient mythology is full of fascinating Greek mythical creatures, from those you are familiar with and some you may have never heard of. Read up about their origins, what they represent, and how they've been portrayed in popular culture. From the fearsome Minotaur to the gentle centaur, these creatures have captured the imagination for centuries.
Check out our tales on some of the most interesting Greek mythical creatures, including Medusa and the Gorgons, the mythical Phoenix, the legendary Cyclopes, and Cerberus, the ferocious three-headed dog who guarded the Underworld - plus many, many more! Take a look at some of the most interesting Greek mythical creatures and their stories here.

Fresco in Tomb of Cerberus discovered near Naples. Source: Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio per l’Area Metropolitana di Napoli

Unearthed 'Tomb of Cerberus' Features Pristine Frescoes from Ancient Roman Era

In a historic revelation, archaeologists have discovered a sealed chamber tomb featuring a captivating fresco of Cerberus, the renowned three-headed dog from Ancient Greek mythology said to guard the...
Ulysses (Odysseus) and the Sirens of Greek mythology in a painting dating to circa 1909 by Herbert James Draper. Source: Public domain

Seductive Sirens of Greek Mythology and How Heroes Resisted Them

Sirens are a type of creature found in ancient Greek mythology. Commonly described as beautiful but dangerous creatures , the sirens are remembered for seducing sailors with their sweet voices, and,...
Pegasus of Greek mythology is depicted as a majestic, white, winged-horse. Source: Viks_jin / Adobe Stock

Pegasus of Greek Mythology: Majestic Winged Horse of Mount Olympus

Pegasus is the majestic flying horse of Greek mythology , best known for its association with the heroes Perseus and Bellerophon. Traditionally depicted as a pure white horse with wings, the Pegasus...
Chiron is described as the wisest and noblest of the centaurs. After being taught archery by Apollo, he mentored many Greek heroes. Source: pict rider / Adobe Stock

Chiron, the Noble Elder Centaur of Greek Mythology

Greek mythology is full of weird and wonderful creatures. While the most famous were those sent to hinder the ancient Greek heroes, Greek mythology was also full of helpful creatures. Perhaps the...
Argos Panoptes, the all-seeing giant of Greek mythology. Source: matiasdelcarmine / Adobe Stock

Argos Panoptes – The All-Seeing Giant of Greek Mythology

Argos Panoptes was one of the primordial giants of Greek mythology. His epithet Panoptes means “the one who is all-seeing” and reminds us of the symbol of the all-seeing eye of God. Although Panoptes...
Medusa and the Gorgons: The Origins of the Legendary Tale

Medusa and the Gorgons: The Origins of the Legendary Tale

In the middle is the Gorgon Medusa, an enormous monster about whom snaky locks twist their hissing mouths; her eyes stare malevolently, and under the base of her chin the tail-ends of serpents have...
Roman bronze figure representing Silenus

Ancient Roman bronze figure of mythological Silenus found on Danish island

A small Roman bronze figure representing Silenus, the mythological companion and tutor to the wine god Dionysus, has been found on the Danish island of Falster. The miniature bust dates back nearly...
A Match Made in Greek Legend: What Happened When Heracles Met the Snake Woman?

A Match Made in Greek Legend: What Happened When Heracles Met the Snake Woman?

While completing his Twelve Labors, the Greek hero Heracles (a.k.a. Hercules) got up to tons of mischief—and that included bedding a lot of women. In the process, he fathered a whole host of...
Illustration depicting the mythological Talos god. Source: matiasdelcarmine / Adobe Stock

Talos of Crete: A 2,000-Year-Old Tale of the First Robot God

Believe it or not, but ideas of artificial intelligence and automata were alive and well over 2,000 years ago within Greek mythology. The myth of Talos (‘Τάλως’)—the first robot-like creature in...
Polyphemus - Whose Prayer for Revenge Was the Origin of the Odyssey

Polyphemus - Whose Prayer for Revenge Was the Origin of the Odyssey

Polyphemus is the cyclops found in the famous Greek mythological tale found in Homer’s Odyssey . This one-eyed beast, arguably the most famous of his kind, is presented as a man-eating monster, and...
Phoenix bird

Symbolism of the Mythical Phoenix Bird: Renewal, Rebirth and Destruction

Ancient legend paints a picture of a magical bird, radiant and shimmering, which lives for several hundred years before it dies by bursting into flames. It is then reborn from the ashes, to start a...
A modern Medusa depiction.

The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon

In ancient Greek mythology, Medusa is the most famous of three monstrous sisters known as the Gorgons. The earliest known record about the story of Medusa and the Gorgons can be found in Hesiod’s...
The Hell Hound Cerberus.

Cerberus: Legendary Hell Hound of the Underworld

In ancient Greek mythology, there exists a three headed dog called Cerberus that guards the entrance to Hades, a misty and gloomy Underworld in which spirits of the dead are permitted to enter but...