Mountains

Mount Zaphon held a prominent position in mythological and religious texts and was often associated with the chief deity Baal.

In Phoenician belief systems, the significance of high mountains like Hermon was related to their use as places of ascent.

Mount Sinai, also referred to as Horeb in some biblical texts, is traditionally identified in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

A place where the orderly civilization of the plains meets the untamed wilderness of the mountains.

Mount Sabu is most closely associated with the god Ninurta, who is a warrior deity known for his role in battles against chaos and disorder.

Inside Mount Mashu, Gilgamesh traverses a long, dark tunnel, representing a passage through the unknown or the underworld.

Ekur was considered the divine dwelling place of Enlil, one of the chief deities in the Sumerian pantheon. Enlil was the god of air, wind, and storms.

Mount Tmolus was historically significant due to its proximity to Sardis, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia.

Cronus, the leader of the Titans and father of Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon, ruled from Mount Othrys before being overthrown by his sons.

The sanctuary on Mount Lycaeus is one of the oldest in Greece with rituals that may have included animal and possibly even human sacrifices.

Mount Arachnaeus was home to an ancient sanctuary dedicated to Zeus, people would offer sacrifices, particularly during times of drought.

The Virgin Mary visited Mount Athos during her lifetime and blessed the land, making it her “garden” and vowing to protect it.

Mount Cithaeron was a key site for Dionysian rites, where women known as Maenads held frenzied rituals in worship of Dionysus.

Mount Etna is also associated with the myth of Typhon, a monstrous giant who challenged the Olympian gods.

Mount Ossa is known for its role in the Gigantomachy, the battle between the Olympian gods and the Giants.

Mount Pelion is famed for the Argonauts’ legend, where Jason, raised by Chiron, set sail from Iolcus on his quest for the Golden Fleece.

Centaurs were known for their wild and unruly behavior. The famous centaur Pholus lived in a cave on Mount Erymanthos.

Poseidon, the god of the sea, intervened by striking the mountain with his trident, causing it to stop its ascent and remain at its current height.

A myth linked to Mount Parnassus is the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha, who, after surviving Zeus’s great flood, landed on the mountain when the waters receded.

The sacred cows of Mount Ida, watched over by the gods, were considered a divine gift and a sign of their favor.

Talos circled the island, hurling stones at ships. Linked to Mount Ida, he was created by Hephaestus or Zeus, embodying the mountain’s protective power.

After their victory, the Olympians established their rule from Mount Olympus

This table includes the height of each mountain, its locations, and detailed descriptions of its significance in Greek mythology.