Zeus, guided by Rhea, eventually fought his father Cronus.
Zeus was victorious over Cronus and
released his brothers and sisters, who were still living in the stomach of Cronus. Zeus gave his
siblings a fair share of his new kingdom. The wisest amongst the older Titans, Mnemosyne,
Themis, Oceanus, and Hyperion, submitted to the new king of the gods without murmur, but the
other older gods refused to give Zeus their allegiance. Their refusal led the deadly conflict of the
Battle of the Titans.
The Titanomachy, meaning the Battle of the Titans, was a fierce ten year war between the 12
young Olympians against their older predecessors. In Greek mythology Mount Othrys was the
base of the older Titans during the Battle of the Titans and Mount Olympus was the base of the
younger generation, led by Zeus.
The Main Combatants in the Battle of the Titans - The Titanomachy
The family of supreme beings and Immortals took sides.
The main combatants for the Battle of the Titans were:
The Othrysians including Cronus, Coeus, Crius, Iapetus, Menoetius and Atlas
Who were opposed by:
The Olympians including Hyperion, Oceanus, Themis, Helios, Eos, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades,
Prometheus and Epimetheus
The Battle of the Titans lasted for ten years with the elder Titans based on Mount Othrys and the
younger Titans who were based on Mount Olympus. All of the family of Titans were gods and
therefore immortal so no permanent casualties were possible in the Battle of the Titans - the
victors would have to capture and imprison the losers or the losers would have to surrender.
At the beginning of the Battle of the Titans the Olympians were defeated in the first conflicts by
the experienced and powerful Othrysians. Zeus realised that he would need reinforcements. He
therefore released the three Cyclopes and the three Centimani (Hundred-Handed Ones) from
Tartarus, where they had languished so long, stipulating that in exchange for their freedom they
should supply him with thunderbolts, powerful weapons which only they knew how to forge.
The Olympian gods used of the powerful thunderbolts and the help of the Cyclopes and the
'Hundred-handers', who had kept the gods on Mount Othrys under attack from a constant barrage
of massive rocks.
The Battle of the Titans lasted for ten years with the elder Titans based on Mount Othrys and the
younger Titans who were based on Mount Olympus. All of the family of Titans were gods and
therefore immortal so no permanent casualties were possible in the Battle of the Titans - the
victors would have to capture and imprison the losers or the losers would have to surrender.
At the beginning of the Battle of the Titans the Olympians were defeated in the first conflicts by
the experienced and powerful Othrysians. Zeus realised that he would need reinforcements. He
therefore released the three Cyclopes and the three Centimani (Hundred-Handed Ones) from
Tartarus, where they had languished so long, stipulating that in exchange for their freedom they
should supply him with thunderbolts, powerful weapons which only they knew how to forge.
The Olympian gods used of the powerful thunderbolts and the help of the Cyclopes and the
'Hundred-handers', who had kept the gods on Mount Othrys under attack from a constant barrage
of massive rocks.
Gaia continued to meddle and encouraged the Gigantes (Giants) to revolt against Zeus and the
Olympians. The Gigantes were angry with Zeus because he had established laws that they
refused to obey. Gaia encouraged the Gigantes to rebel against the Olympians and at the
instigation of Gaia they made war on the gods of Mount Olympus. In Greek mythology and
legend the war would be referred to as the Battle of the Giants or the Gigantomachy, or following
the final victory of the Titans, some call the conflict the Revenge of the Titans.
