Oedipus: The Most Famous Prophecy in Greek Mythology and the One That Proves You Cannot Outrun Fate
The Oracle at Delphi told Laius, king of Thebes, that his son would kill him and marry his wife. Laius […]
Ancient Mythology
Ancient Mythology
Ancient Mythology: The Stories That Shaped the World
Before history was written down, it was told. The great mythological traditions of the ancient world were not simply entertainment or primitive attempts to explain natural phenomena. They were the frameworks through which entire civilisations understood their place in the universe, the nature of their gods, the obligations of the living to the dead, and the rules that governed everything from the weather to the proper conduct of war. They were serious business, and they deserve to be treated as such.
This section covers the major mythological traditions of the ancient world. At present the coverage is deepest in Greek mythology, which has the largest body of content on the site, but the section will expand over time to include Norse, Chinese, Native American, and other traditions as that content develops. Each tradition is covered on its own terms rather than filtered through the lens of the popular culture versions that have accumulated around them, because the original material is almost always stranger, richer, and more interesting than any adaptation has managed to convey.
The articles here are written for people who want to understand what the myths actually said, who the figures in them actually were, and why the civilisations that produced them considered these stories worth preserving across centuries. Browse by subcategory below, or explore the articles directly.
Prometheus: The Titan Who Stole Fire for Humanity and Paid for It Every Day for Eternity
Prometheus is the most politically interesting figure in Greek mythology. He is a Titan who sided with the Olympians against
Orpheus and Eurydice: The Musician Who Descended Into the Underworld for Love and Looked Back
Orpheus was the greatest musician who ever lived in Greek mythology. His lyre playing moved rocks and rivers. Wild animals
Dionysus: The God of Wine, Ecstasy, and Theatre and the Most Dangerous Olympian to Refuse
Dionysus is the last of the Olympians and the most unsettling. He is the god of wine, yes, and of
Aphrodite: The Goddess Born From Sea Foam, the Judgement of Paris, and Why Love Is the Most Dangerous Divine Power
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, desire, and pleasure. She is also one of the most powerful figures in
Artemis: The Most Independent Goddess on Olympus and the One You Really Did Not Want to Offend
Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the moon, and wild places, twin sister of Apollo, and the most fiercely
Apollo: The Greek God of the Sun, Music, Prophecy, and the Plague He Could Send or Withdraw at Will
Apollo is the most multifaceted of the Olympian gods and in many ways the most Greek. He governs the sun,
Pandora’s Box: What the Myth Actually Says, Why It Was a Jar, and What Hope Being Last Inside It Really Means
Pandora’s Box is one of the most widely referenced myths in Western culture and one of the most consistently misunderstood.
Achilles: The Greatest Warrior of the Trojan War, the Heel, and the Rage That Opens the Iliad
The Iliad begins with one word: rage. Not the Trojan War, not the gathering of the Greek fleet, not Paris
Medusa: The Monster Who Was Made, Not Born, and What the Tradition Actually Says About Her
Medusa is one of the most recognisable figures in Greek mythology and one of the most consistently misrepresented. The popular