Titanomachy

The word titanomachy literally means war of the Titans. It was a series of battles that gave rise to a war that took place during the time of Chronos' reign, after he usurped the throne of his father Uranus with the help of the Cyclops and the Hecatonchiros, who were giants with 50 heads and 100 arms. Chrono then castrated his father, seized his throne and liberated his titanic brothers, who had been locked up in Tartarus, under the tyrannical and selfish reign of Uranus. The titans clashed on Mount Otris and the Olympians came to reign this mountain later. It is important to mention that, in ancient times, the Greeks believed in the existence of titans and gods, who had many gifts and privileges, who were immortal and dominated the earth, sky and sea.

Related topics

Cosmogony, gigantomachy

What is Titanomachy?

Titanomachy was a series of titanic battles that gave rise to a war during Chronos' reign and that lasted for ten years between the deities of humanity, the titans who fought in Otis and the Olympians, who would reign the mountain later.

Titanomachy in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, titanomachy, a word from the words Τιτανομαχία Titanomakhía, meaning War of the Titans, was a series of different battles between the higher deities known as the titans and the Olympic gods. The war lasted for a period of ten years; and during this time, there were great and important events before humanity. Those who were victorious in that war were the Olympians, who were led by Zeus, the son of Titan Chronos.

Origin of the titanomachy

The beginning of the titanomachy according to Hesiod happened because the war had already been predicted by Uranus, who was the main God ruling the heavens, when he was overthrown by his son Chrono. Apparently, Uranus had already predicted that someone of his generation would overthrow him, just as he did once with his father. Later, Chrono took the place of his father and with his sister Rhea conceived six sons, which were: Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, Hades, Demeter and Zeus. Zeus was hidden by his mother while the others were later devoured by his father. Zeus was hidden on the island of Crete, where he was raised by two nymphs: Ida and Adrastea. Later, when Zeus grew up, he took charge of leading his followers to Mount Otris, a place that was inhabited by titans. Zeus was also accompanied by a large number of hecatonchires and cyclops, who had spent many years locked up by Cronus in the depths. In gratitude, they made weapons such as the Zeus ray, the Poseidon trident and the Hades invisibility helmet. When the war ended and they triumphed, Zeus ruled the land, Poseidon was king of the seas and Hades of the underworld.

Battle of the Titans

In Greek mythology, the War of the Titans was a battle that lasted ten years and in which there was a fight between the two different deities that existed before the existence of humanity: the Titans of Atlantis and the Gods of Olympus. It is also known as the Battle of the Titans, Battle of the Gods, or simply Titan’s War. The battle was fought to decide who would be the rulers of Greece. The scene of this important battle took place after the youngest Titan, Chronos, overthrew his father, Uranus, with the help of his mother, Gaia, thus taking the throne. He then secured his power by re-imprisoning his brothers the Hecatonchiros and Cyclops, and his brothers the Giants, in Tartarus. After having liberated his brothers, Zeus led them to rebel against the Titans. Although the war lasted a long time, Zeus and the other Olympians won the war, the Titans managed to be imprisoned in Tartarus, and the Hecatonchiros became their guards.

Outstanding figures of the titanomachy

• Gaia or Gaea: It was the Goddess of the earth Greek gods and represented the earth and life.
• Eros: Also known as the God of love, fertility and sex.
• Tartarus: He was the God of the Underworld. Some texts relate that the position in which this God was found was even deeper than Hades. A cold place, humid and submerged in a dark darkness, surrounded by three layers of night.
• Erebor: He was the God of darkness; he personified the darkness and shadow that surrounded the world.
• Nyx: She was the Goddess of the night.
• Furies should be mentioned. There were three female characters who incarnated revenge: Tisifone, Alecto and Megera. They were in charge of guarding the gates of the underworld and punishing crimes that had not yet been paid for by mortals, looking for a way to maintain order.
• The Cyclops, who were very strange creatures with only one eye in the middle of their foreheads, were indomitable, strong and bad-tempered. There were three main ones: Brontes, Esteropes and Arges.
• The Hecatonchiros were giants who had one hundred arms and fifty heads.
• Among the most outstanding giants is Chrono, who was the titan of time and the youngest.
• Hades: God of hell and the dead. The Hades was a dark, dark place guarded by Cerberus, a dog with three heads and a dragon’s tail.