Cronus is tricked into swallowing a stone, rather than his son Zeus, by his wife Rhea. |
Cronus
Roman name: Saturn
Cronus overthrew his father to become ruler of the Universe, but was later usurped by his own son, Zeus.
Associated iconography: Cronus is often depicted with sickle, representing both the weapon with which he castrated his father and Saturn’s status as a corn-god. Cronus’ name may derive from the Greek verb kreno, which means ‘to reign over’, or ‘to govern’.
Cronus overthrows his father, Uranus
According to Greek Creation Myths, Cronus was the youngest of the twelve Titans - a race of godlike giants, born from the union of Uranus (the god of the sky and first ruler of the Universe), and Gaia (the goddess of the Earth).
Uranus was fearful of his offspring’s power, and hid them away in the darkest regions of the underworld, Tartarus. Gaia, wanting to free her children, and also wanting to save herself from the pain of carrying and giving birth to any more giants, asked her offspring to help her to castrate Uranus. Cronus agreed to help, and sought assistance in the battle that followed from Uranus’ other sons - the one-eyed Cyclopes and the Hecatoncheires (Briareus, Cottus and Gyes: three fifty-headed, hundred-handed giants).
Gaia gave Cronus an adamantine sickle, with which he severed his father’s genitals with one mighty blow. Where Uranus’ blood fell to the earth, the Erinyes (Furies), the Giants and the Meliae (nymphs of the manna ash trees) were born. Cronus threw his father’s genitals into the sea, and Aphrodite was created out of the sea foam.
Cronus is overthrown by his son, Zeus
Cronus then became the ruler of the universe, with his wife (and sister) Rhea. A Golden Age of harmony and prosperity ensued. However, power made Cronus increasingly tyrannical, and he replicated his father’s mistakes. He re-imprisoned the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires in Tarturus. Frightened by the prophecy that his son would overthrow him, he swallowed all his children as soon as they were born.
Rhea tricked her husband into swallowing a swaddled stone in place of his son Zeus, who was secretly raised in Crete and returned to overthrow his father. Cronus was tricked into swallowing an emetic so that he vomited out his five previous children: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon. Together the six children, led by Zeus, overthrew Cronus and he was consigned to Tarturus in the underworld.
Cronus/Saturn: god of the harvest
The Romans integrated the stories of Cronus into their mythology surrounding the god Saturn. Cronus’ association with the Golden Age fitted with the Roman veneration of Saturn as a corn-god. The ancient Athenians celebrated an annual harvest festival known as the ‘Kronia’.