Cronus

leader of the Titans

Cronus belongs to the older generation of gods, the Titans, who ruled before the Olympians.

💡 Did you know? Under Cronus, myth says, there was a paradisal „Golden Age“ without suffering or toil.

he overthrew his father Uranus

At the urging of his mother Gaia, Cronus overthrew the sky god Uranus with a sickle.

💡 Did you know? From the body of Uranus, fallen into the sea, came the foam from which Aphrodite was born.

he swallowed them

Because it was foretold a child would overthrow him, Cronus swallowed his newborns.

💡 Did you know? Only Zeus escaped: his mother slipped Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes instead.

his son Zeus

The grown Zeus forced Cronus to disgorge the swallowed siblings and defeated him.

💡 Did you know? So the very prophecy that Cronus had so feared came true.

Saturn

The Romans identified Cronus with their god Saturn, whom they linked to the Golden Age.

💡 Did you know? The ringed planet Saturn and „Saturday“ are named after him.

with a sickle

With a sickle forged by Gaia, Cronus overthrew the sky god Uranus.

💡 Did you know? The sickle became Cronus's attribute and later passed into the image of the „Grim Reaper.“

the Golden Age

Without toil, old age or war, says Hesiod.

💡 Did you know? Hesiod sang of it as a paradise lost.

Rhea

She saved Zeus with the stone trick.

💡 Did you know? Near Delphi a stone was later shown that was said to be the one Cronus had swallowed.

to Tartarus

Together with most of the Titans.

💡 Did you know? A gentler tale makes him king of Elysium.

with Chronos, time

The similar sound made him “Father Time”.

💡 Did you know? Hence Father Time's scythe and hourglass.

the Saturnalia

Days of the world turned upside down, in December.

💡 Did you know? Slaves dined with masters: forerunner of some Christmas customs.

because of a prophecy

A child would overthrow him as he had his father.

💡 Did you know? The fear of it fulfilled the prophecy all the more.