Top 10 Ancient Greek Myths That Turned Out To Be True
#10: The City of Tenea
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According to mythology, after the Trojan War, a bunch of prisoners were taken to the island of Tenedos. Eventually, Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, allowed them to create a settlement, which became the city of Tenea. The location also played a part in the story of Oedipus, who infamously had a whole complex named after him. But Tenea eventually vanished from the records and was seemingly a fictional place. That was until 1846 when the Kouros of Tenea was found in the area. Then, in 1984, a sarcophagus was discovered by local villagers and archaeologist Eleni Korka. In 2013, Korka led an excavation of the site. Since then, various ancient items and the remains of Tenea's buildings have been discovered.
#9: Orichalcum
When you think of the most precious materials in the world, orichalcum wouldn’t be considered. However, to the ancient Greeks, this metal was believed to only be behind gold in value. In Plato’s Critias, he speaks of the walls of some of Atlantis’s buildings being decked out with the unusual material. He described the metal as “[flashing] with the red light.” While many believed orichalcum to be a work of fiction, in 2015, a discovery was made. Off the coast of Gela in Sicily, a 2,600-year-old shipwreck was located. Onboard were thirty-nine ingots made from seemingly orichalcum. Scientists discovered the material was an alloy, primarily made from copper and zinc, but also had traces of lead, nickel, and iron.
#8: The Golden Fleece
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In mythology, looking to become king of Iolcus, Jason and the Argonauts set out to claim the golden fleece of Chrysomallos, which has long ties to his heritage. As the name suggests, the sought-after item was a fleece made from gold. During a perilous journey filled with one ridiculous task after another, Jason manages to get the iconic item from a grove in Colchis, located in modern-day Georgia. Well, this tale might be based on fact. Back then, sheep fleeces were used to collect gold flakes from rivers and streams. And several of these gold-rich water sources were in Georgia and mentioned in Jason’s tale. As such, it’s likely the golden fleece is talking about this ancient way of prospecting.
#7: The Chimera
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Probably one of the most terrifying creatures from Greek mythology, the fire-breathing Chimera is typically depicted as having the head of a lion, a goat, and a snake-headed tail. According to Homer’s Iliad, Bellerophon defeated the beast in Lycia, modern-day Turkey. Well, it’s likely a real location that inspired this story. In Yanartaş, near the ancient city of Olympus, in Turkey, is Mount Chimaera. On the slopes are fires that are still burning centuries later, which have natural gas vents below feeding them. On top of this, the area is said to have been inhabited by lions, snakes, and goats at one point. Suspicious.
#6: Ploutonion at Hierapolis
Nicknamed “Pluto’s Gate,” these areas were thought to be entrances to the underworld in ancient Greece. Named Ploutonion after the god Pluto, who was previously called Hades, animal sacrifice was a common practice there. Especially at the site in ancient Hierapolis in modern-day Turkey. During a ceremony, a priest would take an animal into the eerie depths. The rising toxic gas would then cause the creature to pass away, but the human to live. They believed the gas was sent by Pluto. However, after the cave was discovered in 2011, studies have shown the gas is pockets of carbon dioxide from seismic activity. The priests would hold their breaths to escape the effects and be celebrated for making it through Pluto’s sacrifice.
#5: The Oracle at Delphi
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One of the top jobs in ancient Greece involved being the Pythia at the Temple of Apollo. Also known as the oracle of Delphi, the high priestess was visited by many, including rulers. She would go to a chamber and inhale the vapors from a crack in a rock, putting her into a trance as she gave advice. However, this occasionally caused delirium or led to their demise. When the temple was excavated in the late 1800s, the mystical vapor wasn’t present. So, it was thought of as a myth. However, in 2001, geological studies found fault zones underneath the site. Researchers believe the vapor was a hydrocarbon gas. In a nearby water source, ethylene was discovered, which was once used as an anesthetic.
#4: Amazon Warriors
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When thinking of Amazon warriors, Wonder Woman would probably be the first thing to spring to mind. The second is that they’re fictional. But are they? Ancient Greece was fascinated by them. As such, they were featured in many stories, including the “Labours of Hercules,” and showcased their superior combat skills and strength over Greek folk. In 2019, a tomb in the Voronezh region in Russia was excavated. The archaeologists found the remains of four women warriors from three generations buried together. They found an elaborate golden headdress, weapons, and other goods within. While the remains were officially credited to be Scythian nomads, some researchers believe they are the basis for the Amazon legend.
#3: Atlantis
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Since Plato wrote about the island of Atlantis in his work, the human race has been fascinated with the place. Within his tales, Plato describes the utopian island from its highest point to its lowest when the gods sunk it into the ocean’s depths. While Atlantis is thought of being fictional, the story might not be. Instead, it could be based on an actual natural disaster that swallowed an island. One example is the volcanic eruption and earthquake that turned the singular island of Santorini, previously known as Thera, into an archipelago. The quake also created tsunamis, which swept over other settlements. This devastated the highly-advanced Minoan civilization, which was effectively wiped out.
#2: Giant Squid
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Many ancient civilizations have tales about the monstrous giant squid that destroys boats and terrorizes the oceans. And the Greeks were no different. In Homer’s “Odyssey,” he describes the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis that resided in a narrow strait. The latter was known for creating whirlpools, while the former had six heads, was twelve feet, and had rows of sharp teeth. Scylla would use her multiple noggins to devour six sailors that got too close to her rock. It wasn’t until 2004 that scientists managed to get a photo of a giant squid in its natural habitat. And it had some resemblance to the legend of Scylla.
#1: The City of Troy
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To the ancient Greeks, the city of Troy in Turkey was a powerful kingdom that had its downfall during the Trojan War. Detailed in Homer’s work in “Iliad” and “Odyssey,” after ten years of besiegement, it was conquered by the Greek army led by Agamemnon. It’s also the setting for Achilles and Hector’s legendary fight. But then, Troy fell to history and was considered a myth. That was until 1865 when Frank Calvert began excavating a site in Hisarlik and found evidence of its existence. He brought in Heinrich Schliemann, who was notorious for his reckless methods. In 1871, they found multiple ruins believed to be attributed to Troy. Since then, archaeologists have discovered further evidence that the legendary city may have existed.
