Hades, Tartarus and the Underworld in Greek Mythology

Kelly Macquire
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The Greek God Hades was born to the Titans Rhea and Cronus, and along with his siblings Hestia, Demeter, Hera and Poseidon, they were swallowed by their father (except Zeus). After the battle known as the Titanomachy, the Olympian gods were victorious and confined the Titans in Tartarus, the deepest and darkest part of the underworld. Now that the Olympian gods were in charge, the three brothers divided up the cosmos so each of them had a domain of their own. Poseidon drew the sea, Zeus the sky, and Hades, the mists and darkness of the underworld. Hades wasn’t quite as active in the stories of Greek mythology, especially considering he was the only god who did not reside on Mount Olympus, but he seems to have still been held in high esteem, and in superstitious awe, by the ancient Greeks. Hades was thought of perhaps more as a final resting place for the soul, rather than a place of suffering or torment. If the deceased was buried with the proper funerary rites, then the soul would be led to the river Styx in the underworld by Hermes Psychopomp, and then they would be ferried across to the gates of Hades by Charon, the boatman. At the gates of Hades, the souls were met with the three-headed dog Cerberus (or fifty-headed if you’re reading Hesiod), who stood guard and kept the souls in. Later in the Classical Greek myths, the concepts of Elysium and Tartarus were added to the vision of the afterlife. — LIKE MY SHIRT? FIND IT HERE! — APRICVS Clothing https://www.instagram.com/apricvsclothing/ — SUPPORT US VIA OUR PATREON— https://www.patreon.com/join/whencyclopedia — BUY OUR MERCH — https://www.worldhistory.store​/​ — CHAPTERS — 0:00​ Introduction 1:14 Hades God of the Underworld 3:15 Myths Associated with Hades 6:21 The House of Hades and Tartarus (The Underworld) 9:16 Tantalus, Ixion and Sisyphus 13:57 Outro — WANT TO KNOW MORE? — Hades https://www.worldhistory.org/Hades/ Charon https://www.worldhistory.org/Charon/ Persephone https://www.worldhistory.org/persephone/ Tartarus https://www.worldhistory.org/Tartarus/ Furies https://www.worldhistory.org/Furies/ Tantalus https://www.worldhistory.org/Tantalus/ Ixion https://www.worldhistory.org/Ixion/ Sisyphus https://www.worldhistory.org/sisyphus/ Greek Mythology https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Mythology/ — WATCH NEXT — Medusa, the Snake Haired Gorgon in Greek Mythology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTfoViYZJzg The Greek Goddess Hera, Queen of the Olympian Gods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMTJ14MiGxs The Odyssey Summarised - Context, Themes and Importance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSna4tLyq-A Hecate the Goddess of Witchcraft and Magic in Greek Mythology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FH-DKJ0WCM The 12 Olympians: The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greek Mythology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k4w_yNlE1g — ATTRIBUTIONS — You can find all attribution and credits for images, animations, graphics and music here - https://worldhistory.typehut.com/hades-tartarus-and-the-underworld-in-greek-mythology-images-and-attributions-10273 The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on: https://www.ancientlyre.com https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2vFEg8DmOJ5YCRm4A5v?si=emacIH9CRieFNGXRUyJ9 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ1X6F7lGMEadnNETSzTv8A — THUMBNAIL IMAGE — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Persephone_Hades_BM_Vase_E82.jpg Marie-Lan Nguyen (User:Jastrow), 2007 CC BY 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Museum_of_Side_029.jpg user:bgds CC BY SA 3.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ World History Encyclopedia www.worldhistory.org #hades #tartarus #greekunderworld

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About the Author

Kelly Macquire
Kelly is a graduate from Monash University who has completed her BA (Honours) in Ancient History and Archaeology, focussing on iconography and status in Pylos burials. She has a passion for mythology and the Aegean Bronze Age.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Macquire, K. (2022, July 12). Hades, Tartarus and the Underworld in Greek Mythology. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2804/hades-tartarus-and-the-underworld-in-greek-mytholo/

Chicago Style

Macquire, Kelly. "Hades, Tartarus and the Underworld in Greek Mythology." World History Encyclopedia, July 12, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2804/hades-tartarus-and-the-underworld-in-greek-mytholo/.

MLA Style

Macquire, Kelly. "Hades, Tartarus and the Underworld in Greek Mythology." World History Encyclopedia, 12 Jul 2022, https://www.worldhistory.org/video/2804/hades-tartarus-and-the-underworld-in-greek-mytholo/.

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