1.4 foundation stories

• What role did Theseus have in Attica?

  He united Attica under Athens
• Who was Theseus' father?

  Aegeus
• Who was king of Troezen?

  King Pittheus
• Why did Aegeus visit Troezen?

  To have an oracle of Delphi interpreted by Pittheus
• What was Aegeus keen to get?


  An heir
• What did Pittheus realise?

  The next lady Aegeus slept with would produce a son
• What did Pittheus do? (2)

  1 Got Aegeus drunk 2 and got him to sleep with Aethra, the king's daughter
• What message did Aethra receive that night?

  Swim to the island of Sphairia
• What happened to Aethra on Sphairia?

  She slept with Poseidon
• What did Aegeus do before he left Troezen? (2)

  1 He left sandals and sword 2 under a rock
• What did Aegeus tell Aethra?

  When Theseus could left the rock, he should come to Athens
• What two ways were there to Athens for Theseus? (2)


  1 By boat (easy) 2 by land (hard)
• Who did Theseus want to copy?

  Heracles
• What is the evidence for Theseus' labours?


  A drinking cup
• What seven labours are shown on the drinking cup?

  1 Sinis 2 Sow of Crommyon 3 Sciron 4 Cercyon 5 Procrustes 6 Bull of Marathon 7 the Minotaur
• What did Sinis used to do? (2)

  1 Tie people to two pines 2 tear them to pieces
• What did Sciron used to do?

  1 Ask people to wash his feet 2 kick them into the sea 3 they were eaten by a giant turtle
• What did Cercyon used to do? (2)

  1 Wrestle people 2 to see who would be king of Eleusis
• What did Procrustes do? (3)


  1 Invite people to stay the night in his bed 2 if too small, he stretched them 3 if too long, he chopped off their feet and head
• Who tried to kill Theseus in Athens? (2)

  1 Medea 2 Aegeus' new wife
• What labour did Medea arrange for Theseus to do?

  Defeat the bull of Marathon
• Who had brought this bull to Attica?

  Heracles
• How did Medea later try to kill Theseus? (2)


  1 She put poison in his cup 2 at a sacrifice
• How was Theseus saved?

  Aegeus recognised the sword
• Why did Athens send seven boys and seven girls to Crete each year?

  Minos' son Androgeus had been killed in Attica
• What did Theseus volunteer to do?

  Travel to Crete
• Who helped Theseus?


  Ariadne, daughter of Minos
• What did Ariadne give Theseus? (2)

  1 A ball of wool, to avoid getting lost in the labyrinth 2 A sword to kill the Minotaur
• What happened to Ariadne on the way to Athens? (2)

  1 She was left behind on Naxos 2 Dionysos fell in love with her
• What did Theseus forget to do?

  Change his black sail to white
• What did Aegeus do when he saw the black sail?


  Threw himself from the city walls into the sea
• What benefits did Theseus bring to Athens? (4)

  1 He united Attica 2 he made Athens the centre of political power 3 he established democracy 4 He started the Panathenaic Games
• What did Theseus do as a demigod at Marathon?

  Ran in front of the forces of Athens against the Persians
• What did Theseus' tomb become in Athens?


  A place of refuge for runaway slaves
• What are the good things about Livy as a source? (2)

  1 He lived through the period of Augustus 2 He was a full time historian
• What are the problems with Livy as a source? (2)

  1 Many sources was lost in 387BC when Rome was destroyed by the Gauls 2 he saw no need to separate fact and fiction
• Why did Livy want to write about early Rome? (3)

  1 to explain Rome's greatness 2 to forget the troubles of his own times 3 to provide examples for people to copy
• Who were Aeneas' parents? (2)

  1 Venus, goddess of love 2 Anchises (of the royal household of Troy)
• Who did Aeneas flee Troy with? (2)

  1 His father Anchises 2 His son Ascanius
• What does his departure from Troy reveal about Aeneas?

  He did his duty to his family (pietas)