Theseus

• Although not the founder of Athens, King Theseus united Attica under the political leadership of Athens and so was a great reformer.
• Theseus' parents were Aegeus, ing of Athens, and Aethra
• Aegeus placed his sandals and sword beneath a rock and told Aethra that if, one day, he could lift this rock that he was worthy to be his heir.
• How many labours did Theseus have?

  7
• What was his 1st Labour?

  1st labour: Periphetes

  Event: This bandit would hide on the side of the road and beat travellers to death with his club. Theseus spotted him before he could pounce and beat him with his own club.
• What was Theseus' 2nd Labour?

  2nd Labour: Sinis

  Event: A robber tied his victims to bent pine trees and released them tearing them into pieces

  Version 1 = Theseus tricks him and asks him for help, as they were both pulling the tree back he flung Sinus to his death.

  Version 2 = Theseus ties Sinus to 2 pine trees and he was torn in 2.
• After killing Sinus, Theseus courted his daughter Perigune and she bore him a son called Melanippus.
• What was Theseus' 3rd labour?


  3rd Labour: Crommyonian Sow

  Event: Version 1 = The sow was a female pig

  Version 2 = The 'sow' referred to a female thief, nicknamed this due to her behaviour

  In both version the sow is killed by Theseus
• What was Theseus' 4th labour?

  4th labour: Sciron

  Event: Sciron was a old man who would ask people to wash his feat then push them off a cliff and then they would be eaten by a giant turtle. Theseus caught the old man by his feet and threw him off the cliff
• What was Theseus' 5th labour?

  5th Labour: Cercyon

  Event: Cercyon challenges passers by to wrestle with him to prove his strength. If the passerby wins they become king of Eleusis. When Cercyon challenges Theseus to wrestle him, Theseus defeats Cercyon, and Theseus becomes king of Eleusis.
• What was Theseus' 6th labour?

  6th Labour: Procrustes

  Event: He would invite visitors to stay a night on a 'Magical' bead that would fit anyone. If you were too tall he would cut of your feet and head. If you were too short he would stretch them out. Theseus convinced him to lay in his bed and cut off his head.
• When Theseus arrived in Athens, he found his father under the control of the witch Medea
• Theseus did not reveal himself to his father until he had a plan of action
• Medea already knew who Theseus was and convinced his father that the stranger posed a threat to Athens
• Medea arranged for Theseus to prove his heroism by defeating the Bull of Marathon that had terrorised Attica since Heracles brought it to king Eurystheus as part of his labours
• Theseus easily mastered the bull and marched it through Athens before sacrificing it
• Medea arranged to have Theseus poisoned during the sacrifice
• During the meal, Theseus pulled out his father’s sword. Aegeus immediately recognised the sword and in his excitement knocked over the poison
• Theseus is recognised as heir in front of the citizens of Athens to establish his right to the throne
• The spilling of the poison exposed Medea’s wickedness and she was forced to flee Athens
• What was Theseus' 7th Labour?


  7th Labour: The Minotaur

  Event: The king of Crete demanded that 7 girls and boys were sacrificed to a Minotaur, for his son. Aridane fell in love with Theseus and gave him a ball of wool so he wouldn't get lost and a sword so he could slay the Minotaur. Theseus was successful in and left the labyrinth having killed the beast.
• When returning to Athens, Theseus forgot to remove the black sail of grief and replace it with a white sail that signified that he was safe and that his mission had been successful. When Aegeus saw the black sail, believing Theseus to be dead, he threw himself from the city walls into the sea, leaving Theseus to become king.
• What did theseus do after becoming king of Athens?

  He made alliances all the surrounding towns. He destroyed all the town halls in the smaller cities and built a single town hall chamber in Athens. He started the Panathenaic Games, he gave them democracy