A centaur was a creature from Greek mythology which was half-man and half-horse. The head, arms and torso of a centaur were human and joined at the waist to the body and legs of a horse. Centaurs represented barbarism and unbridled chaos and were frequently represented in Greek architectural sculpture and pottery decoration.
More about: CentaurServer Costs Fundraiser 2024
Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Please donate and contribute to covering our server costs in 2024. With your support, millions of people learn about history entirely for free every month.
$3926 / $18000
Definition
Timeline
-
c. 800 BCEHomer mentions the centaurs in his book the Iliad.
-
c. 700 BCEHesiod mentions the centaurs in his book Theogony.
-
660 BCEA Boeotian amphora depicts Medusa as a centaur.
-
600 BCE - 400 BCEAttic pottery depicts the centaur Chiron in various mythological scenes.
-
600 BCE - 500 BCECorinthian pottery depicts scenes of the centaur Pholos and Hercules.
-
600 BCE - 500 BCEThe first depictions on black-figure pottery of Hercules fighting the centaur Nessos.
-
c. 460 BCEThe west pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia is decorated with a Centauromachy of centaurs fighting Lapiths at the wedding of Peirithoos.
-
438 BCEThe cult statue of Athena by Pheidias in the Parthenon depicts centaurs on the sandals of the goddess.
