![]() Helios has four horses – Aethon (Blazing), Aeos (He who turns the sky), Phlegon (Burning) and Pyrois (Fiery One). Drawn by several horses, Helios rides the golden Sun Chariot each day, crossing the sky from East to West which is symbolic of the sun’s journey.Īnother popular symbol of Helios is the horse, the animal that pulls the chariot across the sky. Helios’ most popular symbol is his chariot. Helios is described as a handsome god with bright, curly hair and piercing eyes. He was the brother of Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and Selene, goddess of the moon. ![]() Helios was born to Theia, the goddess of sight and Hyperion, the Titan god of light. However, he does appear as a side character in the myths of mortals and other gods. Helios didn’t play a major role in Greek mythology since he was gradually replaced by Apollo after the Olympian gods took over from the Titans. Known as ‘the sun god’, Helios was also the god of sight and the guardian of oaths. He is often portrayed as a handsome young man driving a chariot with four horses across the sky from the east to the west. Read more on this site if you want to learn more about Greek mythology.In Greek mythology, Helios was the personification of the Sun and one of the strongest Titan gods. It is believed that Helios drives his chariot every day through the sky circling Oceanus and returns at night. Helios had a number of partners from whom he fathered a number of children. His Titan parents are Hyperion and Theia. He is often portrayed as a handsome man driving a chariot with a shining crown of the sun. Helios is known in Greek mythology as the god of the sun. In Helios’ honor, annual gymnastics were held and Colossus of Rhodes was devoted to him. This was in reenactment to the Phaethon myth. His worship involved a ritual in which a chariot pulled by four horses was driven into the sea over a height. It’s at this Island that Helios was worshiped as a major Greek god. Helios’ main cult was found at the Island of Rhodes. That’s why he is worshiped as a god of creation and life. Helios is considered the personification and the power behind the sun. This is why the horses were later given fire-connected names, such as Aeos (He who turns the sky), Pyrois (The Firey One), Phlegon (Burning), and Aethon (Blazing). ![]() In the Homeric Hymn, Helios is believed to drive a golden chariot with fire-darting steeds. It is believed he drives his chariot every day to the earth circling Oceans and returns to the East at night only to repeat the same process the next day. Helios is described as a handsome young man with a crown of the sun and drives the chariot of the sun through the sky each day. They include Elektor (translated as radiant or beaming), Hyperion (Superus “high up”), Terpsimbrotos (gladdens mortals), Hekatos (far shooter in regards to the sun’s rays), among others. The Greek sun god had numerous epithets which later became separate gods associated with the sun. His female Children were called Heliades. They are The Phaethon, Charites, The Aeetes, Horae, Perses, Circe, Pasiphae, Heliades, Phaethusa and Lampetia. Given his number of wives, Helios had several children. They include Rhodos, Klytie, Clymene, Perse, and Leucothea. Helios is said to have had a number of partners. However, his revival that took place in the 4th century AD was short-lived. Julian, a Roman Emperor made Helios the main god to worship during his traditional Roman religious practices. Helios worship became prominent because of his identification with many major solar gods of the Roman period. Late antiquity is the time historians use to describe the shift from classical antiquity to middle ages. Helios is believed to have been a minor god in Classical Greece, but his worship gained prominence in late antiquity. He had two siblings Selene and Eos who are goddesses of the moon and dawn respectively. Helios is believed to have been born of titan parents Hyperion and Theia.
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