Cronus

Who was Cronus?
Cronus was the Titan god of time and the ages and one of the extraordinary number of gods and goddesses worshipped by the Ancient Greeks. The Titans were the descendents of the first gods or divinities, called the primordial or primeval gods, who were born out of Chaos. The first 12 Titans, that included Cronus were a race of powerful, giant gods from the union of the primordial deities Gaia and Uranus. Cronus was the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus who became the ruler of the Titans. He married his sister Rhea, one of the Titanides. Their children were Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. Cronus who was de-throned by his son Zeus in the Titanomachy. The legend and myth about Cronus, the god of time and the ages, and the Titans has been passed down through the ages and plays an important role in the history of the Ancient World of Greece and the study of the Greek classics.

Cronus attacking his father Uranus

Facts about Cronus
Cronus features in the Creation myth of the ancient Greeks which are based on the idea that these supernatural beings resembled mortals but were of gigantic proportions and possessed great magical and mystic powers. The following information, facts and profile provides a fast overview of Cronus:

Cronus Profile & Fact File
Name: Cronus
Alternate Names: Kronos, Cronos
Role & Function: The function of Cronus is described as being the god of time and the ages
Status: A principle god in the first dynasty of Titans
Gender: Male
Name of Wife / Consort: Rhea
Name of Father: Uranus
Name of Mother: Gaia
Names of Brothers (Titans): Oceanus, Hyperion, Coeus, Crius and Iapetus
Names of Sisters (Titanides): Mnemosyne, Tethys, Theia, Phoebe, Rhea and Themis
Names of Children: Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus

The Children of Cronus and Rhea
The famous children of Cronus and Rhea were Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus.

• Zeus became the king of the Olympian gods and was the god of the heavens. He married his sister Hera and together they had three children, Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus
• Hera became the Queen of the Olympian gods and was the Greek goddess of the family
• Hestia became the goddess of the hearth and the home
• Hades became the god of the Underworld and the dead
• Poseidon became the god god of the sea, tempests, storms and earthquakes

Cronus was also the grandfather of Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus and Persephone.

The Imprisonment of Cronus and the Titans
According to the ancient Greek Creation myth Uranus, the father of Cronus and the other Titans, was terrified of the massive size and strength of his gigantic children and to prevent them rebelling against him, Uranus seized them immediately after their birth and hurled them down into a dark abyss called Tartarus, where he kept his Titan children in chains.

The race of giant Titans, imprisoned by their father Uranus

Their mother, Gaia, helped them to escape and, led by Cronus, they overthrew their father and took power as the Titan gods. Cronus was no better than his father which led to the War of the Titans.

The Titanomachy in Greek Mythology
The Battle of the Titans, called the Titanomachy, was a 10 year war and power struggle that was fought between the Titans and the gods and goddesses who would become known as the Olympians. In ancient Greek mythology Mount Othrys was the base of the Titans during the Battle of the Titans and Mount Olympus was the base of the Olympian gods and goddesses led by Zeus. Mnemosyne, Themis, Cronus, and Hyperion choose to join the Olympians.

Facts about Cronus in Greek Mythology
Discover interesting information and facts about Cronus, the Titan god of time and the ages. The facts about him provides a list detailing fascinating additional info to increase your knowledge about Cronus in Greek Mythology, stories and legends.

Mythical Facts about Cronus
Fact 1: Cronus led the Titans against the Olympians in the War of the Titans

Fact 2: Cronus was kept in chains by his father Uranus in the dark abyss of Tartarus in the Underworld

Fact 3: His mother Gaia helped him to escape from Tartarus and rebel against his father

Fact 4: According to ancient Greek mythology he castrated his father with a sickle

Fact 5: He released all of his siblings from their prison in Tartarus and took the position as the supreme ruler of the Titan gods

Fact 6: His father prophesied that a day would come when Cronus would also be supplanted by his children

Fact 7: To avoid the prophecy from coming true, he swallowed all of his children when they were born. As the children were immortal, he could not kill them, they remained trapped inside his body

Fact 8: Rhea tricked her husband and Zeus fought his father and released his siblings who were still living in the stomach of Cronus

Fact 9: The children of Cronus, led by Zeus, fought a ten year battle against the Titans in the Titanomachy, which ended in victory for the Olympians

Fact 10: He eventually withdrew to found a new kingdom where he reigned in peace

The Family of Cronus - The Titans Family Tree and Genealogy

Cronus - The Titan Gods Family Tree

The family members and genealogy of Cronus can be established via the Titan gods family tree, providing an instant overview of the relationships between the major Titan gods and goddesses and their children. The Titans Family Tree is a 'who's who' of the family connections, genealogy and relationships between the main characters who feature in the mythology of the Titans.

Cronus

• Interesting information and Facts about the Titan god Cronus
• Cronus, the Greek Titan god of time and the ages
• Stories and Legends in Greek Mythology associated with Cronus
• Facts and information about the Gods and Deities of the Ancient World for schools and kids
• Cronus, the Titan god of time and the ages