Mythology

Temptation of Christ: Gospel accounts, meaning, and historical significance Temptation of Christ Account of Jesus' temptation after his baptism as told in the Synoptic Gospels, its threefold structure, theological interpretations, and its role in Christian tradition and liturg…

Tengu: Legendary beings of Japanese folklore Tengu Tengu are supernatural beings from Japanese folklore, known for birdlike or long‑nosed human forms. They have complex roles as tricksters, protectors, mountain spirits, and cultura…

Terra (Roman goddess of the Earth) Terra (mythology) Terra, also called Tellus or Terra Mater, is the Roman personification of the Earth. Linked to Greek Gaia, she appears in origin myths, Roman cult practice, iconography and later a…

Tethys: mythic Titaness, Saturnian moon, ancient ocean, and marine gastropod Tethys Tethys is a name applied across disciplines: a Greek Titaness, a moon of Saturn, a Mesozoic ocean between Gondwana and Laurasia, and a genus of sea slugs. This article surveys each…

Tethys — Titaness of Fresh Water in Greek Mythology Tethys (mythology) Tethys, a Titaness in Greek myth, daughter of Gaia and Uranus, consort of Oceanus and mother of river gods and Okeanids; a primordial personification of fresh water with genealogic…

Tezcatlipoca: Aztec deity of the Smoking Mirror Tezcatlipoca Tezcatlipoca, a principal Aztec god associated with the night, wind, obsidian mirrors, conflict and rulership, held diverse roles in religion, myth, iconography and Mesoamerican cu…

Thalia Grace (fictional demigod from Percy Jackson) Thalia Grace Thalia Grace is a fictional demigod in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series: daughter of Zeus and Beryl Grace, known for her courage, distinctive appearance, and pivotal backstory a…

Thanatos — Greek personification of death Thanatos Thanatos is the ancient Greek personification of non‑violent death, twin of Hypnos. He appears across myth and literature and gave his name to modern ideas such as Freud's death dr…

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) The Battle of the Labyrinth A 2008 fantasy-adventure novel by Rick Riordan; fourth in the Percy Jackson series, in which Percy Jackson navigates Daedalus's Labyrinth to stop an invasion of Camp Half-Blood.

The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights) The Book of One Thousand and One Nights A concise encyclopedic overview of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights: origins, structure, major tales, transmission, themes and its global cultural influence.

The Demigod Files (Percy Jackson companion collection) The Demigod Files A companion volume by Rick Riordan with three short stories, character interviews, maps, puzzles and a preview chapter, bridging The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian.

Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus: Modern Adventures in Greek and Roman Mythology The Heroes of Olympus Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus is a five-book fantasy series blending Greek and Roman mythology, following seven demigods who travel modern seas and lands to prevent the rise of…

The Kane Chronicles A young-adult fantasy trilogy by Rick Riordan that retells Egyptian mythology through modern siblings Carter and Sadie Kane, linked to Riordan's larger mythic universe and adapted…

The Labors of Herakles (Hercules): The Twelve Tasks and Their Significance The Labors of Herakles A concise encyclopedic overview of the Labors of Herakles: their nature, the canonical twelve tasks, origins, variations, and cultural impact from ancient Greece to modern art and…

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians) The Lightning Thief A 2005 young-adult fantasy-adventure by Rick Riordan that introduces Percy Jackson, a modern demigod. First in the Percy Jackson series; blends Greek mythology with contemporary qu…

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 2) The Sea of Monsters A concise encyclopedia-style overview of Rick Riordan's The Sea of Monsters: plot, characters, publication, reception, adaptations and its place in the Percy Jackson series.

The Son of Neptune A 2011 fantasy-adventure novel by Rick Riordan, second book in the Heroes of Olympus series. Percy Jackson regains agency amid Roman demigods, new allies, and a quest to stop the a…

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 3) The Titan's Curse Third book in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series: a myth-informed fantasy-adventure in which Percy and friends race to rescue Annabeth and the goddess Artemis from a dangerous thr…

Theia — Titaness of Sight in Greek Mythology Theia Theia is a Titaness in Greek myth, associated with sight and shining light. Daughter of Gaia and Uranus, consort of Hyperion and mother of Helios, Selene and Eos; her name inspired…

Themis — Titaness of Divine Law and Order Themis Themis, a Titaness in Greek mythology, embodies law, order and customary justice. Daughter of Gaia and Uranus, she served as counselor to the gods, had oracular ties, and influence…

Theogony: Hesiod's Account of the Origins and Genealogy of the Gods Theogony Ancient Greek epic poem by Hesiod describing the origins and family tree of the gods; an early cosmogony that organized mythic traditions and influenced classical literature and re…

Theotokos — the title of Mary in Eastern Christianity Theotokos Theotokos (Greek: Θεοτόκος) is a historic Christian title for Mary meaning 'God‑bearer' or 'Mother of God', affirmed at the Council of Ephesus and widely used in Eastern liturgy, t…

Theseus: Legendary Hero and King of Athens Theseus Theseus, a central figure of Greek myth, is famed for his journey to Athens, his list of labors, the slaying of the Minotaur on Crete, and his later role as king and civic reformer…

Thetis: Greek sea nymph, mother of Achilles Thetis Thetis, one of the Nereids in Greek mythology, is a prophetic, shape-changing sea-nymph best known as the wife of Peleus and mother of Achilles; she figures in myths about fate, di…

Thoosa (Greek sea-nymph and mother of Polyphemus) Thoosa Thoosa is a minor sea-nymph in Greek mythology, best known as the mother of the cyclops Polyphemus. She appears briefly in Homeric narrative and has few independent myths or depict…

Thor — Norse god of thunder, storms, and protection Thor Thor is a major deity in Norse tradition associated with thunder, lightning, strength, and protection. This article summarizes his attributes, myths, historical cult, and cultural…

Thoth — Egyptian god of writing, knowledge, measurement and the moon Thoth Thoth is an ancient Egyptian deity associated with writing, knowledge, timekeeping and the moon. He served as scribe and mediator among the gods and influenced later Hellenistic an…

Thrud (Þrúðr) — little-attested Norse figure of strength Thrud Thrud (Old Norse Þrúðr) is a sparsely attested figure in Norse myth, named as a daughter of Thor and listed among valkyries. Her name means "strength" and scholars treat her as a p…

Thumbelina: Hans Christian Andersen’s tiny heroine and her story Thumbelina Overview of Andersen’s 1835 tale "Thumbelina" (Tommelise), its plot, characters, origins, themes, reception and adaptations in children’s literature and popular culture.

Tiki: Polynesian carved figures, meanings, and cultural roles Tiki Tiki are carved humanlike figures from Polynesia, made in wood or stone and used as markers, ornaments, and sacred objects. This article explains their forms, histories, cultural r…

Tinia: Supreme Sky God of the Etruscans Tinia Tinia was the chief deity in Etruscan religion, ruler of the sky and lightning. He is traditionally compared to Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter and appears in Etruscan art, myth, and…

Titan — moon, myth, rockets, and modern uses Titan Overview of principal meanings of Titan: the Titans of Greek myth, Saturn’s moon Titan, the U.S. Titan rocket family, and common modern cultural and technological uses.

Titan (Greek mythology) Titan (mythology) Titans were a generation of powerful deities in Greek myth, born of Gaia and Ouranos, who ruled before the Olympian gods. Their conflict with Zeus and the Olympians reshaped the co…

Titania (Shakespeare's Queen of the Fairies) Titania (Shakespeare) Titania is the fairy queen in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, central to themes of love, power, and transformation; renowned for the comic episode in which she falls for B…

Tityos: Titanic Offender of the Gods and His Eternal Punishment Tityos Tityos, a giant of Greek myth, attacked Leto and was slain by Apollo and Artemis. Sent to Tartarus, he was tormented by vultures that ate his regenerating liver—an enduring symbol…

Tooth fairy A folkloric figure associated with children’s lost teeth, the tooth fairy is a modern tradition in which a tooth left under a pillow is exchanged for a small gift or money.

Tower of Babel Biblical account in Genesis explaining the origin of different languages and human dispersion; its interpretations, parallels with Mesopotamian ziggurats, and cultural reception.

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil Tree of Knowledge The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the biblical tree in Genesis whose forbidden fruit led to Adam and Eve's expulsion; its story informs religious, moral, and cultural discu…

Tristan: Legendary Knight of Love and the Round Table Tristan Tristan is a legendary figure of Celtic and medieval romance known for the tragic love affair with Isolde and his role among Arthurian knights; his story appears in many European t…

Triton: mythological figure, Neptune's moon, and other meanings Triton Triton refers to a Greek sea-god and to Neptune’s largest moon; the name also appears in biology, physics and modern culture. This article outlines the origins, features, and disti…

Triton (Greek mythology) Triton (mythology) Triton is a sea-god in Greek mythology, traditionally the son of Poseidon, depicted as a merman who blows a conch to calm or raise the waves; he appears in ancient art and lends hi…

Trojan Horse: myth, tactics, and modern metaphor Trojan Horse The Trojan Horse is the famous stratagem from the Trojan War in Greek mythology. This article explains the myth, literary sources, interpretations, historical debate, and its lasti…

Trojan War: Myth, Sources, and Historical Context Trojan War An overview of the Trojan War covering its literary sources, principal figures, archaeological discovery, debates over historicity, and cultural legacy.

Troll (mythological creature and modern usage) Troll Troll — a varied creature from Scandinavian folklore, often large and stone‑turning, with roles in myths and modern culture; also the origin of the term for hostile internet behavi…

Troy: ancient city and archaeological site at Hisarlik Troy Troy is the Bronze Age site in northwest Anatolia associated with the Trojan War of Greek epic. The tell at Hisarlik preserves multiple occupation layers and is a UNESCO World Heri…

Tsukuyomi — Moon Deity of Shinto Mythology Tsukuyomi Tsukuyomi (Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto) is the moon deity in Japanese Shinto tradition, sibling of Amaterasu and Susanoo, with varied origin stories, limited cult worship, and influence in…

Turan — Etruscan goddess of love, beauty and vitality Turan (mythology) Turan, an important deity in Etruscan religion, personified love, beauty, fertility and life force; often linked with the war-god Laran and equated to Roman Venus and Greek Aphrodi…

Twelve Olympians (Greek mythology) Twelve Olympians The principal gods of ancient Greek religion who resided on Mount Olympus. This article summarizes their membership, roles, origins, variations in the roster, and cultural importan…