Centauromachy

• The Lapiths were a tribe of men that lived in Thessaly and were initially ruled by Ixion. Zeus invited Ixion to Olympus, Ixion took a liking to Hera. In order to trick Ixion, Zeus made an image of Hera out of the clouds. Ixion slept with the cloud and the next rains gave birth to the Centaurs.
• Centauromachy means a battle between the mythical race of Centaurs and human Lapiths at the wedding of the Lapith king
• The king invited Theseus and the centaurs to his wedding
• The centaurs were insolent to the women and had unmixed wine
• Theseus started to fight the centaurs and after the long battel the Lapiths and Theseus had driven to the Centaurs out of the wedding
• This story represented civilisation versus barbarism. The uncivilised creatures the centaurs and the Lapiths are the civilised
• The centauromachy as a symbol of the Greek victory over the Persians held great significance to the Athenians.