The God Kronos in Greek Mythology

The mythology of Ancient Greece has survived thousands of years through into the modern day, and the tales and exploits of the Greek gods, and mortal heroes, are still known by millions of readers around the world. 

Most people though, only know of when the Olympian gods were ruling over the world from Mount Olympus, but in Greek mythology there was a time that predates the likes of Zeus, Hades and the other famous gods. This period was known as the “Golden Age”, and was a time when the Titans ruled the world, and the leader of the Titans was Kronos.

Kronos Wields Sickle Against Ouranus - Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574) - PD-art-100

Kronos might also be known of as Cronus or Chronos, and as such translation from ancient Greek into modern English has created some confusion about the link of Chronos, the Titan, with Chronus, Father Time. It is of course not uncommon for different characters from Greek mythology to have the same name, but this article focuses on the leader of the Titans.

From the period of primordial deities came forth two who would be supreme rulers of the universe, Ouranos (sky) and Gaia (earth). The couple had various children together, including the three mighty Hecatonchires, and the three Cyclopes. 

Ouranos was worried about his position as supreme deity though, and had the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes imprisoned within Tartarus, in the depths of Gaia. Strangely though a third set of offspring, the 12 Titans, were not imprisoned. 

Gaia, angered by the imprisonment of her offspring, plotted against her husband, and created an adamantine sickle, with which he could be defeated. Of the 12 Titans though, only Kronos was willing to take up the sickle and use it against his father. 

The sickle was used by Kronos to castrate Ouranos; with the resulting blood causing the birth of the Gigantes, Meliae and Erinyes, whilst the fallen penis eventually turned into the goddess Aphrodite. The castrated Ouranos was powerless to prevent Kronos taking over, and so began the rule of the Titans, with Kronos in charge.

The Titans ruled in pairs, Kronos paired with the female Titan Rhea, whilst the other pairs were Oceanus and Tethys; Hyperion and Theia; Coeus and Phoebe; Mnemosyne and Themis; and Crius and Iapetus.

Kronos Imprisons His Child - Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) - PD-art-100

There are various tales about the rule of Kronos; some tell of peace and justice, others tell of a cruel and ruthless rule. The naming of the period as the “Golden Age”, indicates a bountiful period, and yet Cronus decided to keep his siblings the Cyclopes, Gigantes and Hecatonchires imprisoned in Tartarus.

The stories of later Greek mythology tend to display Kronos as a cruel ruler and Zeus as the righteous revengeful son. 

It is at this point that the stories of the Olympian gods commence. 

Kronos was told of a prophecy that foretold that history was to repeat itself, and that Kronos’ own offspring would rise up against him. 

Kronos and Rhea became parents to Demeter, Hera, Hades, Hestia, Poseidon and Zeus; but to prevent the prophecy from coming true, Kronos imprisoned each newborn within his own stomach. 

Just as the actions of Ouranos had angered Gaia, so the actions of Kronos angered Rhea.

So once Zeus, the sixth born child, was born, Rhea swapped him with a large stone, which Kronos swallowed in the place of Zeus. 

Zeus was hidden away in the Mount Ida cave on Crete. There he was raised at the hands of either a nymph known as Adamanthea, or a goat called Amalthea. Zeus was hidden away until he matured, and was strong enough to seek his revenge.

Zeus knew he needed allies though so sought the release of his siblings from the stomach of Kronos, and so Kronos was given a poison that made him regurgitate Demeter, Hera, Hades, Hestia and Poseidon

The prophecy of Kronos’s downfall was to come true as the Titanomachy started. 

The Titanomachy was the fight between the Titans and the forces led by Zeus. Kronos left much of the fighting of the ten-year war to younger Titans, under the leadership of Atlas. 

In general terms, the Titans were the stronger, but Zeus was clever enough to find himself allies.

Zeus released the Cyclopes, Gigantes and Hecatonchires from Tartarus. The Hecatonchires were giants with fifty arms and a hundred eyes who were able to throw whole mountains at the Titans. It was though the Cyclopes who played the major role in the battle, as it was they who forged the weapons for the Olympians. The thunderbolts of Zeus were created, with Arges creating the brightness, Brontes, the thunder and Steropes, the lightning. With the help and the weapons, Zeus and his siblings were ultimately successful in overthrowing the reign of the Titans.

After Zeus came to power there are few tales that tell of what happened to Kronos. 

Some tales tell that he was kept prisoner in Tartarus alongside the majority of other Titans, guarded by his own siblings, the Hecatonchires. Some other tales tell that he was imprisoned alone in the cave of Nyx (night); a few other tales even tell that Kronos was forgiven by Zeus and made the King of the paradise realm of the Elysian Fields.

This redemption is also seen in the fact that Kronos was worshiped on the twelfth of each and every month by the Athenians. This worship came from the association that was made between Kronos and good harvests as seen during the “Golden Age” of his rule. The Romans used Kronos as the model for Saturn, although Saturn has tended to be much more widely worshiped, and perceived as a more forgiving god.

Copyright - Originally Published 21st September 2008