×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Sunday
14
Dec 2025
weather symbol
Athens 15°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Culture

Ancient Greeks and Dragons!

The mythology of monsters

Newsroom January 5 08:52

The dragons of Greek mythology were different than in common mythology. They were serpentine monsters and most of them weren’t accounted to be flying around like dragons in other mythologies. The Greeks separated dragons into three family groups which included the serpent-like Dracones, the marine-dwelling Cetea and the she-monster-like creatures Dracaena.
Dracones
Dracones were giant serpents, usually possessing deadly venom or multiple heads.
Colchian Dragon – never-sleeping dragon which guarded the Golden Fleece in Colchis. It is said that the dragon never lowered its vigilance. During the retrieving of the golden fleece, it was put to sleep by Orpheus’ soft tunes and Medea’s magical potion.
Cychreides – a dragon which terrorised Salamis before being slain by Cychreus whom the dragon got its name after. There is another version of story which tells us that the dragon was captured by Eurylochus who gifted it to Demeter.
Ismenian Dragon – a dragon which guarded the sacred spring of Ares near Thebes. It was slain by Cadmus in his quest of founding Thebes when he went after his men who did not return, after sending them for water.
Ladon – a serpent-like dragon with hundred heads which guarded the apples of Hesperides. It is said that the serpent did not need to sleep entirely. While sleeping, at least couple of heads were always awake and focused.
Lernaean Hydra – a nine-headed dragon with deadly venom which guarded the springs of Lerna. It was slain by Heracles in the second of his twelve labours. However, he was having help from Lolaus and therefore this labour didn’t count.
Python – a dragon set by Gaea to guard the sacred shrine in Delphi. It was slain by Apollo who was seeking revenge for previously pursuing his mother Leto when she was pregnant.

dracon2
Cetea
Cetea were sea monsters. They usually featured in myths of a hero rescuing a sacrificial princess.

Ethiopian Cetus – a sea monster sent by Poseidon to ravage Ethiopia, after Cassiopeia bragged that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, relatives of Poseidon. The monster was later slain by Perseus who came to rescue Andromeda.
Trojan Cetus – a fearsome sea monster sent by Poseidon, after the king of Troy refused to pay him for the walls which the god had helped to build there. The monster was slain by Heracles who, like Perseus, came to rescue Hesione from being sacrificed.

>Related articles

Matt Damon transforms into “Odysseus” – See new photos from the filming in Pylos

The weirdest stories from Greek Mythology (video)

Burials in Azerbaijan point to the existence of mythical Amazonian women (video)

dracon
Dracaena
Dracanea were creatures displaying characteristics of a woman and a serpent.

Echidna – a half maiden and a half serpent who was nothing like men nor undying gods but still immortal and never aged. It is said that she was a consort of Typhoeus or Typhon and bore him Orthus, the two-headed dog.
Campe – a she-dragon with a beautiful face and upper body but had a monstrous viperish tail. She was tasked by Cronus to guard the gates of Tartarus where he imprisoned the Cyclopes and Hekatoncheries. It is said that she was killed by Zeus who came to rescue the prisoners and make them his allies.
Scythian Dracaena – a she-dragon that ruled the lands of Scythia. It is said that she mated with Heracles who agreed to a compensation of giving him back a couple of mares from Geryon’s flock that she captured. After, she gave birth to three sons, Agathyrsos, Gelonos, Skythes.

 

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#Ancient Greeks#dragons#mythology
> More Culture

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Mitsotakis to farmers: Dialogue cannot take place with ultimatums – Roadblocks undermine your struggle – We are examining a new support package

December 14, 2025

Shooting in Sydney: Gunfire by two unknown individuals at a Jewish celebration on a beach, reports of casualties (videos)

December 14, 2025

Shops are open today, the market is open during festive hours

December 14, 2025

Sunday Sports Broadcasts: Where to watch the tests of the Super League’s Big Four

December 14, 2025

Moments of terror at Brown University after the shootings: Police evacuated students who had hidden

December 14, 2025

The redevelopment of Ellinikon prioritizes the extension of the Metro toward Glyfada – New extensions to follow

December 14, 2025

Farmers to submit their demands today after saying no to Monday’s meeting – Mitsotakis’ response expected

December 14, 2025

The 15 from Crete before the European Public Prosecutor’s Office over OPEKEPE subsidies: They arrived under draconian security measures

December 14, 2025
All News

> Culture

9th Ministerial Meeting of the forum of Ancient Civilizations: Athens as the meeting point for Culture Ministers from around the world

Lina Mendoni welcomed them at the National Gallery

December 12, 2025

Emma Stone for Gala magazine: “Life has a sense of humor, even in its darkest moments”

December 12, 2025

Marianna Latsis visits the Apostolic Diakonia of the Church of Greece – Welcomed by Metropolitan Agathangelos of Phanar

December 11, 2025

Italy: The non-profit organisation managing Florence Cathedral is the victim of a €30 million fraud

December 11, 2025

At least 600 objects of “significant cultural value” stolen from a Bristol museum

December 11, 2025
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2025 Πρώτο Θέμα