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Table of Contents
Achelous was originally the deity of all rivers and water in Greek mythology. He was exclusively affiliated with the Achelous River during Hellenistic times. This is Greece‘s largest river. Every river has a river spirit, and Achelous was revered as the supreme river deity.
See the fact file below for more information on Achelous, or you can download our 26-page Achelous worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Life of Achelous
- Achelous, Greek Akheloios, a shape-shifting Greek river deity, personified the Achelous River, one of Greece’s longest rivers. Achelous, the deity of fresh water, was the most powerful of his 3,000 siblings, and all springs, rivers, and seas were said to flow from him. Although some texts claim he was the son of Gaea and Oceanus, it was widely assumed that all river deities descended from Tethys and Oceanus.
- Achelous was represented as either a gray-haired old guy or a youthful man with a beard.
Achelous the Greek God
- Name(s): Achelous
- Rules over: The River Achelous
- Title: God patron of the “silver-swirling” Achelous River
- Gender: Male
- Symbols: Cornucopia
- Sacred animals: Bull
- Parents: Oceanus and Tethys
- Consort: —
- Other significant others: Retinue:- Naiad Nymphs
- Children: The Sirens by Terpsicore, The Acheloides, Calliope
- Roman name: Achelous
Etruscan Mythology
- Achelous was a significant deity in Etruscan mythology. He had a close relationship with water. This has become a Greek custom.
- He also had strong ties to the underworld. Because Achelous was regarded as an Etruscan deity in the 8th century, iconography depicting a man-faced bull was first created for him.
- The Greeks eventually accepted his image as a custom.
Important Divinity
- From the beginning of time, Achelous was revered as an important god across Greece. He was summoned when people took vows, performed prayers, sacrifices, and so forth.
- An oracle was thought to be a method to learn the gods’ will. Zeus at Dodoma is said to have contributed to every oracle Achelous offered to humanity.
- It included an instruction to offer sacrifices to Achelous. The extensive devotion of Achelous exemplifies the meaning of the deity himself to Greeks.
- Some say this explains why he is regarded as the symbol of sweet water in general. This implies that they considered Achelous to be the source of all food.
Seer-Healer and Mercenaries
- Mercenaries and seer-healers were prominent figures in Etruscan and Greek civilizations during the iron age. Achelous was portrayed as a guy with a bull’s face.
- For hundreds of years, he was a symbol employed by mercenaries and seer-healers in Greek society. This early figure is said to have been influenced by the iconographic and mythical traditions of Asalluhi, the deity of sorcery and incantations.
- For hundreds of years, he was a symbol employed by mercenaries and seer-healers in Greek society.
- This early figure is said to have been influenced by the iconographic and mythical traditions of Asalluhi, the deity of sorcery and incantations.
- This was done because, in Near Eastern traditions, he was also regarded as a royal bison character.
- Achelous was said to travel to the earth’s surface in marshes and spring. He would ultimately begin to flow as rivers.
Achelous Mythology
- Oeneus was the king of Calydon. Achelous was a suitor for the king’s daughter, Deianeira. The struggle between Hercules and Achelous was depicted on various thrones in ancient Greece.
- In the treasury of Megarians at Olympic, a statue of Achelous made of gold and cedar wood was carved by a Greek named Dontas.
- There are also several portrayals of him as a young bearded man or an older gray-haired man.
- Achelous was frequently depicted as a man-faced bull in Classical and Archaic eras.
- A man-faced bull was also commonly depicted on a city’s coins.
Heracles Battle
- He famously wrestled Heracles (Hercules) for Deianeira’s hand, she was a nymph of the river, and was defeated, an incident represented on Greek pottery. He was thought to have had the Sirens with one of the Muses.
- Heracles vanquished Achelous in a struggle to win over the river nymph Deianeira, daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon.
- The competition between Achelous and Heracles was shown on many Acarnanian coins and a statue found at Olympia and on Amyclae’s throne.
- During the battle, Achelous changed into a bull, but Heracles tore one of his horns off, forcing him to submit. To reclaim Amalthea’s horn, Achelous was obliged to exchange it.
- Heracles then gave Amalthea’s horn to the Naiads, who converted it into the cornucopia, a container filled with fruit, vegetables, and other products. Deianira was overjoyed. She was appalled by the prospect of being courted by an underworld river deity.
Achelous Children
- Some believe Achelous fathered the Sirens of Terpsichore, Calliope, and Melpomene.
- They were made from the blood he shed when Heracles severed his horn. Alcmaeon was a deity who was the son of Eriphyle and Amphiaraus.
- It was here that Achelous proposed marriage to Alcameon’s daughter Callirhoe.
- Before this could happen, Achelous ordered Alcmaeon to get jewelry and clothing from his mother, Eriphyle.
- This is the outfit Eriphyle wore when she sentenced Achelous’ father to death. Alcameon agreed and planned to collect the garments from King Phegeus as well. This is the man who had sent his sons to kill.
Italian Middy Feast
- Theseus was Achelous’ guest as he waited for a river’s furious flood to recede.
- The structure where Theseus resided was characterized as rough and spongy pumice.
- It had a nice moss floor. The roof was covered in oyster and freshwater mussel shells.
- In the sixteenth century, there was a yearning in Italy to reproduce this Classical environment.
- It also spurred the construction of similar structures in France. The supper given at Achelous’ home was written about and established a model for noon feasts throughout Italy. They would take place in garden grottoes shaded by fountains.
Origin of River Achelous
- It is reported that Achelous lost one of the Sirens, who was one of his daughters. During his deep grief, he invoked his mother, Gaea. She took Achelous into her bosom. Gaea created a river called Achelous to spring up on where this occurred. The river is reported to have a bull’s voice.
- The river’s twisting is claimed to have been created by Achelous’ ability to transform himself into a snake.
- According to recent research, the substance of Achelous as a deity dates back to the Bronze Age in Old Europe.
- Some Old European civilizations vanished during this period. These customs subsequently spread to Greece, Sardinia, Italy, and Sicily. Although no single group of people followed the Achelous, his image has endured for many centuries. Many areas in the Mediterranean have a deity who is a man-faced bull.
Achelous (Greek God) Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Achelous (Greek God) across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Achelous, the deity of all rivers and water in Greek mythology.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Achelous Greek God Facts
- Match Made in Heaven
- Keep in Mind
- Make It Right
- 4 Pics 1 Word
- Search the Treasure!
- Trace of the Legend
- You Can Fix This
- In the Name of Love
- That’s My God
- A Face to Remember
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the god Achelous preside over?
Achelous was the chief of all river gods because he was the god of the most strongly flowing river in Greece. The king of Calydon’s city domain ruled over the land along the river. King Dejanira had a gorgeous daughter named Dejanira.
How did Hercules defeat Achelous?
Achelous became angry during flood season and carved new pathways through the ground with his horns. Hercules subdued him by removing one of his horns, which became known as nature’s cornucopia or horn of plenty.
Who are Achelous parents?
The mythical father of Achelous was Oceanus, and his mother was either Tethys or Gaea, depending on the account.
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Use With Any Curriculum
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