The Titanomachy
10000 BCE
Primordial war between the Titans and the Olympians.
Historical Context
According to Greek theogony, the universe was first ruled by Uranus (the Sky), then by his son Cronus, leader of the Titans. Cronus devoured his own children for fear of being overthrown.
The Event
Saved by his mother Rhea, Zeus grew up in secret. As an adult, he forced Cronus to regurgitate his siblings. A ten-year cosmic war ensued: the Olympian gods against the Titans.
Key Figures
Zeus, Cronus, Poseidon, Hades, the Hecatoncheires (hundred-handed giants), the Cyclopes (forgers of lightning).
Aftermath
Crushing victory for the Olympians. The Titans were cast into Tartarus (the abyss). Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided the sky, sea, and underworld respectively.
Legacy & Culture
This myth establishes cosmic order and Olympian justice (Dike) against primordial chaos (Titan hubris). The archetype of the 'young god overthrowing the old' infused all Western culture.
Historiography
For mythographers, the Titanomachy symbolizes the victory of patriarchal Greek civilization (the Olympians) over ancient, pre-Hellenic matriarchal and chthonic cults.
Sources and References
Pseudo-Apollodore, Bibliothèque (Livre I)
Homère, L'Iliade (Livre VIII, mentions du Tartare)
Fragments de poèmes épiques grecs perdus (La Titanomachie)