A-Z of Ancient Greek Heroes - A Quick Introduction for Kids

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BOOK NOWImagining History Apr 11, 20203 min read

A-Z of Ancient Greek Heroes - A Quick Introduction for Kids

Updated: Jul 25 Looking for some top trivia on the Mythological Heroes of Ancient Greece? Look no further, we've got you covered. We're adding more heroes all the time to this list! br role presentation br role presentation

Achilles

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Famous for: Being the greatest of the Greeks. Achilles fought during the Trojan War in which the Greeks laid siege to the city of Troy. br role presentation Defeated: Achilles was a demi-god - the son of King Pelius and the goddess Thetis. As such he had superhuman speed and strength and was really rather good at killing lots of people. In fact, that's what he spent the majority of the nine-year siege of Troy doing. The most notable foe he defeated during this time was the Trojan prince Hector br role presentation Did You Know: Achilles was invulnerable so couldn't be killed. Well, kind of. The only part of him that could be harmed was his heel. This is unfortunate as that is where the Trojan prince Paris shot Achilles with an arrow - killing him instantly. That's where we get the phrase 'Achilles heel' from. br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation

Atalanta

Famous for: Demanding would-be suiters defeat her in a footrace. Those who lost would be killed. A lot of young men ended up dead. br role presentation Defeated: Drew first blood in the hunt of the Calydonian Boar. Wrestled and defeated Achilles’ dad, Peleus. br role presentation Did You Know: In some accounts, Atalanta joined Jason and the Argonauts on the Argo to quest for the Golden Fleece. br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation

Bellerophon

Famous for: Defeating the fire-breathing creature - The Chimera - and riding the winged horse, Pegasus. br role presentation Defeated: The Chimera, a monstrous creature with a lion's body and three heads - one, unsurprisingly, was a Lion's head, the others the head of a goat and a snake. Bellerophon bested the beast by shooting a lead-tipped arrow into its mouth. The Chimera's fiery breath melted the lead and then the creature swallowed the toxic liquid, thus poisoning itself. br role presentation Did You Know: Things didn't end well for Bellerophon. He decided to fly to Mount Olympus on Pegasus and live with the gods. Zeus had had enough of Bellerophon's impudence and sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus. Bellerophon plummeted to the ground and was crippled and blinded upon crashing into a bush. He spent the rest of his life alone. What a downer! br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation

Hercules

br role presentation Famous for: Being the son of Zeus and completing 12 impossible labours. br role presentation Defeated: Pretty much every monster going, including the Lernean Hydra, Nemean Lion, and entire armies of Centaurs. br role presentation Did You Know: The Ancient Greeks called Hercules, ‘Heracles’. He was renamed ‘Hercules’ by the Romans. br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation

Perseus

Famous for: Slaying the snake-haired Gorgon, Medusa. Perseus was a son of Zeus. br role presentation Defeated: Medusa (as above) and also nobbled Cetus, a giant sea serpent, to save Andromeda. br role presentation Did You Know: Perseus is one of the only Greek Heroes who lived happily ever after. He married Andromeda and ruled as King of Mycenae for a long and successful reign. br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation

Theseus

br role presentation Famous for: Navigating the labyrinth and killing the vicious Bull of Minos; the Minotaur. The Minotaur had the body of a man and the head of a bull - this terrifying creature killed every person it met - until that person was Theseus! br role presentation Defeated: In addition to the above: a variety of bandits and the Crommyonian Sow (a super evil pig - sounds awesome!). br role presentation Did You Know: Theseus wasn’t always a good guy, often he was a baddie. He had an unfortunate habit of kidnapping women. Most notably Hades’ wife, Persephone. br role presentation If you are a primary teacher then you'll definitely want Imagining History to bring their 'Ancient Greece: Hero Training' Interactive workshop to your school. br role presentation Our Award-Winning sessions combine role-play, storytelling, demonstrations, and drama and performance to bring history to life for your students. br role presentation Find out more here. br role presentation Further Reading We found the following books very handy in researching this article. If you'd like to learn more about Ancient Greece then they are well worth a look. br role presentation For Teens and Adults: 30 Second Mythology by Robert A. Segal br role presentation Why we like it: Tons of info about Ancient Greek mythology delivered in teeny articles that only take half a minute to read? Yes please! br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation For Children: Greek Myths by DK Children br role presentation Why we like it: Beautifully illustrated, DK Children's Greek Myths is an excellent introduction to Greek Mythology for 7 to 9 year olds. br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation br role presentation The above links are affiliate links. That means if you buy something through the links above, we will earn a few quid at no extra cost to you. But it’s worth pointing out, we choose these products because we genuinely recommend them. br role presentation If you’re under the age of 16, it’s important that you get a parent or guardian’s permission before you buy anything over the internet. br role presentation Tags: Ancient Greece•Kids History GuidesPost not marked as liked

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