Mythology

Prometheus: Titan of fire, creator of humanity, and cultural symbol Prometheus Prometheus, a Titan in Greek myth, is famed for creating humans and stealing fire for them; his suffering and defiance have inspired ancient drama and modern symbolism.

Promised Land The Promised Land is the territory promised by God to Abraham and his descendants in the Hebrew Bible; it has religious, historical and political meanings across Judaism, Christian…

Proserpina — Roman goddess of spring and queen of the underworld Proserpina Proserpina is the Roman goddess associated with springtime, vegetation and the queen of the underworld. Daughter of Ceres, her abduction by Pluto explains seasonal change and influ…

Psyche (Greek mythology): the mortal who became goddess of the soul Psyche (mythology) Psyche, a figure from Greek and Roman myth best known from Apuleius's The Golden Ass, personifies the soul. Her tale of love, trials, and apotheosis influenced art, literature, and…

Ptah — Egyptian god of craftsmen, architects, and creation Ptah Ptah was the chief deity of Memphis in ancient Egypt, patron of craftsmen and builders; depicted as a mummiform creator-god who fashions the world by thought and word, with endurin…

Python (Greek mythology) Python (mythology) Python was a chthonic serpent in Greek myth, offspring of Gaia who guarded Delphi and was slain by Apollo; the story explains the founding of the Delphic oracle and the Pythian Gam…

Qetesh — Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Sacred Ecstasy Qetesh Qetesh, a goddess assimilated into New Kingdom Egypt from the Levant, associated with fertility, sexual pleasure, and sacred ecstasy; known from art, amulets, and limited cult prac…

Queen Mab: Shakespeare’s fairy and her literary afterlife Queen Mab Queen Mab is a tiny fairy figure best known from Mercutio’s speech in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. She became a recurring image in later literature and a symbol of dreams, desir…

Queen of Sheba Historic and legendary ruler associated with the ancient kingdom of Sheba; known from biblical, Qur'anic, Ethiopian and Arabian traditions and influential in art, literature, and n…

Quetzalcoatl: the Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent Deity Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl, often called the Feathered Serpent, is a central Mesoamerican deity associated with the sky, wind, learning and the planet Venus; venerated across cultures from Teoti…

Quirinus: Roman god of the civic community Quirinus Quirinus was an early Roman deity associated with the citizen body, civic order and the Quirinal Hill; later linked with Romulus and subject to religious syncretism in Augustan Rom…

Ra — ancient Egyptian sun god Ra Ra (or Re) is the principal sun deity of ancient Egypt, central to Egyptian cosmology, kingship, and solar theology; worshiped in many forms including Amun‑Ra and Ra‑Horakhty.

Rachel Elizabeth Dare Fictional character in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series: a mortal artist who can see through the Mist and becomes the Oracle of Delphi, sacrificing a romantic future to serve th…

Ragnarök: The Norse Cataclysm and the World’s Renewal Ragnarök Ragnarök is the Norse myth of a final series of battles and calamities that destroy much of the old world and allow a new, reborn world to arise. Its details come chiefly from the…

Rainbow Serpent — Australian Aboriginal creator-being and water spirit Rainbow Serpent The Rainbow Serpent is a central ancestral being across many Australian Aboriginal cultures, linked to water, landscape formation, law, ceremony and enduring artistic traditions.

Rama (Hindu deity and epic hero) Rama Rama, also called Ramachandra, is a principal avatar of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana; revered as an exemplar of duty, kingship, and moral integrity across South and Southeas…

Ramayana: Epic of Rama and Sita — overview, structure, history and influence Ramayana The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic traditionally attributed to Valmiki. It recounts Rama's exile, Sita's abduction by Ravana, and the struggle to restore dharma; it shaped So…

Ramus Pomifer (Apple Branch): an obsolete constellation Ramus Pomifer Ramus Pomifer, Latin for 'apple branch', was an obsolete constellation located between Hercules and Lyra. It depicted a branch held by Hercules and later became part of Cerberus et…

Rán — Norse goddess of the sea and the drowned Rán Rán is a Norse sea-goddess associated with storms, drowning and the recovery of lost goods. Wife of Ægir and mother of the Nine Waves, she is remembered through skaldic poetry and…

Rassilon — founder and legendary figure of the Time Lords Rassilon Rassilon is a central, often-mythic figure in Doctor Who credited with founding Gallifrey's Time Lord civilization and associated with major artifacts and shifting portrayals acros…

Ravana — the Rakshasa King of Lanka in the Ramayana Ravana Ravana is a central figure in the Hindu epic Ramayana: a powerful rakshasa king, scholar and devotee of Shiva, famed as the antagonist who abducted Sita. He appears in varied relig…

Rhea: Titaness, South American birds, and Saturn's moon Rhea Rhea refers to a Greek Titaness, a genus of large flightless South American birds (rheas), and one of Saturn's major moons. This article summarizes their origins, traits and signif…

Rhea (mythology) — Titaness and mother of the Olympians Rhea (mythology) Rhea, a Titaness in Greek mythology, daughter of Gaia and Ouranos, consort of Kronos and mother of the first Olympian gods. Often called a great mother and later identified with Cy…

Rhea Silvia: Mother of Romulus and Remus in Roman Myth Rhea Silvia Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin in Roman legend, is the mother of Romulus and Remus. Her tale explains Rome's origins, survives in multiple versions, and has symbolic and political si…

Rindr: a jötunn and mother of Vál in Norse mythology Rindr Rindr (also Rinda) is a giantess in Norse myth, known chiefly as the mother of Vál by Odin. Attested sparsely in medieval sources, she figures in narratives of vengeance and has be…

Robin Hood: English folk legend and cultural icon Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary English outlaw associated with Sherwood Forest, social justice, and the Merry Men. Stories evolved from medieval ballads into literature, theater, film, a…

Roman Mythology: Gods, Heroes, and Rituals of Ancient Rome Roman mythology A concise overview of Roman mythology: its gods and personifications, major tales and heroes, cult practices and temples, Greek influence, literary sources, and lasting cultural le…

Romulus and Remus: Legendary Founders of Rome Romulus and Remus Twin brothers of Roman legend credited with founding Rome. Their myth includes divine parentage, abandonment and rescue, a she-wolf, fratricide, and a lasting cultural legacy.

Round Table (Arthurian legend and legacy) Round Table The Round Table: a legendary assembly symbolizing equality among King Arthur's knights, its literary origins, variations, historic associations like the Winchester table, and moder…

Rowena Ravenclaw One of the four legendary founders of Hogwarts, creator of Ravenclaw House; associated with learning, wit, the lost diadem, and the Grey Lady ghost in the Harry Potter stories.

Rumor (unverified information) Rumor An overview of rumors: informal, unverified claims that spread socially; their features, history, social effects, research perspectives, and ways to distinguish or counter them.

Ryūjin: Japanese dragon god of the sea Ryūjin Ryūjin (also Owatatsumi) is the dragon deity of the sea in Japanese mythology. He dwells in the undersea palace Ryūgū-jō, controls tides with magical jewels, appears in many folkta…

Saga: medieval Norse prose narratives Saga Sagas are medieval Old Norse prose narratives—mixing history, legend and poetry—written largely in Iceland. They recount voyages, feuds, law, and heroic deeds and shaped later lite…

Sage (wise old man) — literary and mythic archetype Sage A concise overview of the sage or 'wise old man' archetype: its traits, narrative functions, historical and cultural variations, Jungian interpretation, and modern examples.

Salmacis: the naiad of myth and the merging with Hermaphroditus Salmacis Salmacis, a naiad linked to a Carian spring, appears in classical myth for uniting with Hermaphroditus. The story raises themes of transformation, desire, and gender and influenced…

Saturn (mythology): Roman god of agriculture, time and the Saturnalia Saturn (mythology) Saturn (Latin Sāturnus) is a major Roman deity linked to agriculture, wealth, liberation and time; his cult, temple, and the Saturnalia festival were central to Roman religion and…

Satyr: The Goat‑Legged Figure of Greek Myth and Art Satyr Satyrs are mythic companions of Dionysian revelry, depicted as part human, part goat; their portrayal evolved in Greek and Roman art and literature and influenced later culture and…

Sæhrímnir — the ever-renewing boar of Norse myth Sæhrímnir In Norse tradition, Sæhrímnir is a magical boar cooked daily in Valhalla to feed the fallen warriors; he is restored each evening. The figure appears in medieval sources and invite…

Scheherazade Scheherazade is the legendary storyteller of the One Thousand and One Nights whose cunning and narrative gift save her life and transform a vindictive king; she is a lasting symbol…

Scylla: the sea monster of Greek myth and its cultural legacy Scylla Scylla, a monstrous figure from Greek mythology associated with the Strait of Messina, appears in varied origin stories and literary accounts. She symbolizes a deadly maritime haza…

Sekhmet: Egyptian lioness goddess of war, healing, and the sun Sekhmet Sekhmet, the lioness-headed deity of ancient Egypt, embodied destructive force and restorative power: associated with the sun, fire, plagues, healing, war and the Memphis cult.

Selene — Greek goddess and personification of the Moon Selene Selene is the ancient Greek goddess who personifies the Moon. Daughter of Hyperion and Theia, she is depicted driving a moon-chariot and figures in myths such as her love for Endym…

Semele — mortal mother of Dionysus in Greek mythology Semele Semele, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, is a mortal princess of Greek myth who becomes the mother of the god Dionysus. Her story explores themes of divine encounter, mortality and…

Serket — Ancient Egyptian Scorpion Goddess and Protector Serket Serket (also Selket) is an ancient Egyptian goddess depicted as a scorpion or woman with a scorpion headdress, associated with protection from venom, funerary rites, canopic jars,…

Seshat — Egyptian goddess of writing, measurement and knowledge Seshat Seshat is the ancient Egyptian deity who personified writing, recordkeeping, measurement and related sciences. She assisted rulers in foundation rituals and is often linked with Th…

Sessrumnir — Freyja’s Hall in Norse Mythology Sessrumnir Sessrumnir is the great hall of the goddess Freyja in Norse myth, described as a vast, many-seated dwelling where she receives half of those slain in battle, chosen by the Valkyrie…

Seth Seth: a name with ancient roots and multiple meanings — a biblical son of Adam, an Egyptian god of chaos, and a modern given name used across culture and media.

Seven Cities of Gold: legend, exploration, and legacy Seven Cities of Gold A concise, balanced overview of the Seven Cities of Gold legend: its origins in early colonial reports, the expeditions it inspired, and its cultural and historical consequences.