The Titanomachy, otherwise known as the war of the titans, was a ten year war fought through
a series of battles between the titans and the younger Olympian gods, with each side
fighting for dominion over the universe.
So what started this legendary war, and who won?
Let’s find out together, right now.
Prior to the Titans the cosmos was ruled by Ouranos, one of the Protogenoi, but insecure
in his position he locked up his own children the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes within the
belly of the earth.
This angered Gaia, the mother of Ouranos’ children, who then plotted with another group
of Ouranos’ children, the Titans.
She attempted to convince them to join her plot, but only one was willing.
Cronus.
Cronus would wield an adamantine sickle forged by Gaia against his father, castrating Ouranos,
and removing most of the sky god’s powers.
As Ouranos retreated to the heavens, the god would inflict a curse to ensure that just
as he had been overthrown, so Cronus himself would be overthrown by his own son.
Cronus took his father's title of ruler of the land, sky and sea.
He then secured his power by forcing his siblings to bow down to his will.
Instead of releasing the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes as Gaia wished however, Cronus imprisoned
them in Tartarus, even adding an extra guard in the form of the dragon Campe.
Cronus, paranoid of Ouranos's curse and fearing the end of his rule, now turned into the tyrant
his father Ouranos had once been, swallowing each of his children whole as they were born
from his sister-wife Rhea.
Rhea, who began to resent Cronus, managed to hide her youngest newborn child Zeus, by
tricking Cronus into swallowing a magnetite rock, given to her by her mother Gaia, wrapped
in a blanket instead.
Rhea brought Zeus to a cave in Crete, where he was raised by Amalthea and the Meliae.
Upon reaching adulthood, he masqueraded as Cronus' cupbearer.
Once Zeus had been established as a servant of Cronus, he secretly fed his father a mixture
of mustard and wine which caused Cronus to vomit out his swallowed children, now fully
grown.
The six siblings retreated to Mount Olympus, and it was there that Zeus called an assembly
of the gods, proclaiming that any who sided with him would retain all their rights and
privileges, but those who opposed him would lose everything.
War was inevitable, and the female siblings, Demeter, Hestia and Hera were sent to safety.
Hera it was said went to live with Oceanus and Tethys, for Oceanus would later, when
she was married to Zeus, aide her with her husband’s infidelities.
It might seem strange that Hera went to Oceanus and Tethys, for they were first generation
Titans, but not all Titans sided with Cronus and his cause.
Oceanus decided to remain neutral, and the female Titans did not fight either.
The basic Titan army therefore consisted of Cronus, Iapetus, Hyperion, Coeus and Crius,
and two sons of Iapetus, Atlas and Menoetius.
Iapetus was known for his fierceness as was Menoetius, but it was Atlas who was given
the role of battlefield leader.
Two further sons of Iapetus, Prometheus and Epimetheus, did not fight though, for Prometheus
was forewarned about how the war would end through his prophetic abilities.
Other named allies of the Titans included the Gorgon Aix (the Terrible Goat) and the
god of stormy seas, Aegaeon.
The Olympians side originally consisted of Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, but they were soon
joined by others.
First to join was the goddess Styx, a daughter of Oceanus, who was urged by her father to
join the side of Zeus.
Styx brought along her four children Nike, Cratos, Zelos and Bia.
Nike would become the charioteer of Zeus during the war, whilst all four children of Styx
would also act as the guardians of Zeus’ throne later on.
Another child of Oceanus, Metis, also joined the forces of the Olympians, and the goddess
of Wisdom would act as counsel to Zeus during the war.
Battle-lines were drawn with Zeus and his allies based upon Mount Olympus and the Titans
upon Mount Othrys.
Aegaeon and the Gorgon Aix were vanquished by Zeus during the Titanomachy, but ultimately
both sides proved evenly matched.
As the war went on so the earth trembled, the air burned, the waters boiled and the
sky creaked and groaned.
Gaia then intervened and told Zeus that victory could be assured if he released the Hecatonchires
and Cyclopes from their imprisonment.
So Zeus travelled deep into Tartarus , and there he fought with the mighty Campe, killing
the dragon guard and freeing the prisoners.
This possibly occurred as late as the tenth year of the war.
This proved to be a master stroke for upon their release the Cyclopes, who were skilled
artisans, crafted weapons for Zeus and his brothers.
Zeus was furnished with his lightning bolts, Poseidon was given a mighty trident, and Hades
was presented with the Helmet of Invisibility.
Even more useful to Zeus’ cause were the hundred handed Hecatonchires, for when restored
after partaking of ambrosia and nectar, they were mighty in strength and able to throw
mountains as artillery shells.
The Titans were said to have strengthened their ranks, but Zeus was now unstoppable,
and from his chariot, guided by Nike, Zeus threw down his lightning bolts.
One such bolt struck Menoetius, sending him straight into the depths of Tartarus.
One version of the end of the war sees Hades don the Helmet of Invisibility and enter the
very camp of the Titans upon Mount Othrys, proceeding to destroy their weapons and armaments,
crippling the Titans ability to fight, ending the war after ten years of fighting.
At the conclusion of the war, as promised, Zeus punished those who had opposed him.
The male Titans were sent to Tartarus to be imprisoned by new bronze gates crafted by
Poseidon and the Hecatonchires were given the position of prison guards.
Atlas was given a special punishment, for he was charged with holding up the damaged
sky or heavens for all eternity.
The Cyclopes would not return to Tartarus and would become craftsmen for the gods with
forges upon Mount Olympus and beneath various volcanoes.
The female Titans remained free for they had taken no part in the war, Oceanus retained
his privileged position as god of freshwater, and Prometheus and Epimetheus were given the
job of bringing forth life to the earth.
The allies of Zeus were also rewarded.
Styx was made a powerful river goddess whose name was invoked for unbreakable oaths, whilst
her children would be given privileged positions upon Mount Olympus.
Metis would become the first wife of Zeus.
The cosmos was itself divided amongst the three male Olympians through the drawing of
lots.
This is how Hades came to be given dominion over the Underworld, Poseidon became lord
of the world’s waters, and Zeus became lord of the heavens, and with it the position of
supreme deity.
One deity though who was not satisfied with the outcome of the Titanomachy was Gaia, for
although her children, the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes had been released as she had originally
desired, they had been replaced in Tartarus with other children of hers, the titans.
Ultimately, Gaia would cajole the Gigantes, another set of children of Mother Earth, to
rise up against Zeus in the Gigantomachy.
But that is most definitely a story for another day.