Athos (mythology)

Giant in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, Athos (/ˈæθɒs/; Ancient Greek: Ἄθως, pronounced [ˈatʰɔːs]) was a giant that Poseidon fought. He is best known for the creation of Mount Athos, a mountain and peninsula in Chalcidice, northern Greece, which is now an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. In Greek it is commonly called Άγιον Όρος, meaning 'Holy Mountain'.

## Family

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In one account however, he was said to be the son of Poseidon himself by the Naiad nymph Rhodope, daughter of the river-god Strymon (the modern Struma).[1][2]

## Mythology

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The mountain took its name after this Athos, who was attacked by Poseidon, the god of the sea.[3] The citation is incomplete, as it fails to establish that the mountain was named from the giant.[4] Stephanus of Byzantium attributed the story to some lost work by Nicander, where he apparently described Poseidon hurling two blocks with his hands against the gigantic Athos.[5] Eustathius of Thessalonica says that then Poseidon trapped Athos under the mountain.[4]

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## References

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1. ^ Scholia on Theocritus, Idylls 7.76
2. ^ Larson 2001, p. 173.
3. ^ Scholia on the Iliad 14.229b
4. ^ a b Nicander 1953, p. 204.
5. ^ Stephanus of Byzantium 2006, s.v Athos.

## Bibliography

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* Anonymous (1891). Jules Nicole (ed.). Scholia eis tēn Homērou Iliada [Scholia on Homer's Iliad] (in Greek). Vol. 1\. Paris, France: Hachette.
* Kiessling, T.; Heindorfius, L. F. Τ, eds. (1826). Theocritus, Bion et Moschus. Vol. II. London, United Kingdom.
* Larson, Jennifer (June 28, 2001). Greek Nymphs: Myth, Cult, Lore. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-512294-1.
* Nicander (1953). Gow, A. S. F.; Scholfield A. F. (eds.). Poems and Poetical Fragments. New York-Melbourne-Madrid: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-05822-3. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
* Stephanus of Byzantium (2006). Ethica. Vol. 1 (Alpha-Sigma). Translated by Margarethe Billerbeck. Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-017449-6.

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Gigantomachy

Giants|

* Agrius
* Alcyoneus
* Aristaeus
* Asterius
* Athos
* Chthonius
* Clytius
* Damastor
* Damysus
* Echion
* Enceladus
* Erysichthon
* Eurymedon
* Eurytion
* Eurytus
* Hippolytus
* Mimas
* Pallas
* Picolous
* Polybotes
* Porphyrion
* Thoas/Thoön

Opponents|

* Aphrodite
* Apollo
* Ares
* Artemis
* Athena
* Chiron
* Demeter
* Dionysus
* Eos
* Hecate
* Helios
* Hephaestus
* Hera
* Heracles
* Hermes
* Moirai
* Poseidon
* Selene
* Zeus

Sources|

* Bibliotheca
* Gigantomachia
* Gigantomachy by the Suessula Painter
* Metamorphoses
* Pergamon Altar
* Siphnian Treasury

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