Culture Explorer Profile picture
May 9, 2024 14 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Ancient Greeks crafted mythological creatures to embody the chaos of nature and the human psyche.

These beings, as varied as their imaginations, helped them navigate the complexities of existence. 🧵⤵️ Bellerophon on Pegasus by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
1. Minotaur - Symbol of chaos and violence, confined within the labyrinth, the Minotaur’s story explores themes of ingenuity and bravery through Theseus's quest to defeat it. Wikimedia: Edward Burne-Jones's illustration of Theseus and the Minotaur in the Labyrinth, 1861
2. Cerberus - As the guardian of the Underworld, Cerberus represents the final barrier between life and death, preventing the dead from leaving and the living from entering without permission. Hercules and Cerberus. Oil on canvas, by Peter Paul Rubens 1636, Prado Museum.
3. Sphinx - Known for her riddles, the Sphinx's encounters with Oedipus highlight themes of destiny and intelligence, crucial elements in the myth of Theban drama. Oedipus and the Sphinx by Gustave Moreau, 1864 (MET)
4. Gorgons - Especially Medusa, embody the concept of danger and protection, as Medusa’s head was used by Perseus as a weapon to turn enemies to stone. Perseus with the Head of Medusa, in the Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence.  Public Domain,
5. Satyr - Associated with Dionysus, satyrs symbolize unbridled freedom, fertility, and the natural forces of the wild, reflecting the primal aspects of human nature and indulgence. Wikimedia: A satyr holding a fruit basket with a nymph by Peter Paul Rubens, clearly another attempt by a satyr to seduce a nymph
6. Cyclops - These one-eyed giants symbolize brute force and primitive power, often portrayed as both craftsmen and destructive beings in various myths. Odysseus and Polyphemus by Arnold Böcklin
7. Harpies - As spirits of wind and agents of punishment, they represent the swift and often harsh justice meted out by the gods, enforcing divine will upon mortals. La persecución de las Harpías by Erasmus Quellinus,
8. Chimera - Represents hybrid terror and the inexplicable nature of the universe, often encountered in hero myths as a challenge to be overcome, symbolizing the victory of civilization over chaos. Wikimedia: Bellerophon riding Pegasus and slaying the Chimera, central medallion of a Roman mosaic from Autun, Musée Rolin, 2nd to 3rd century AD
9. Nymphs - These personifications of natural elements highlight the Greeks' reverence for nature and its beauty, often involved in the tales of gods and heroes, symbolizing fertility and the pastoral ideal. Wikimedia: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Nymphs and Satyr (1873) HQ
10. Pegasus - The winged horse stands for poetic inspiration and heroic quests, symbolizing transcendence, freedom, and the pursuit of glory. Bellerophon on Pegasus, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
11. Phoenix - Often seen as a symbol of rebirth and immortality, the phoenix represents transformation and renewal, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life and the potential for growth and rebirth through trials. A depiction of a phoenix by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (1806)
12. Hydra - A multi-headed serpent where each decapitated head regrows multiple others, symbolizing the unending battle against adversity and the idea that some struggles become more complex over time. Hercules and the Hydra Gustave Moreau (1861)
13. Hecatoncheires - These hundred-armed giants signify the overwhelming power of natural forces, their loyalty to Zeus and role in the Titanomachy symbolize the chaos of primordial times. The Fall of the Titans by Cornelis van Haarlem 1588-90

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Culture Explorer

Culture Explorer Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @CultureExploreX

Apr 17
You think you know ancient history?
Greece. Rome. Egypt.

But what about the civilizations we forgot?

They built wonders, ruled empires, and shaped the world… Only to vanish.

Let me show you 15 ancient cultures you’ve never heard of—but should have. 🧵👇 "Al-Khazneh" Photo by Stefan Liebermann  Credit: @archeohistories
Let’s begin…

1. The Nabataeans (Jordan)

Yes, Petra. But they weren’t just stonemasons.
They hacked the desert—building hidden cisterns, channels, and reservoirs that still function.

Water was power. They mastered it. Hegra, also known as Mada’in Salih, is Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, carved into rock by the Nabataeans before the 1st century AD. Once a bustling trade hub, its 111 rock-cut tombs and unique blend of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian influences now captivate travelers seeking its mysteries. Credit: @histories_arch
A Nabatean sculpture of Atargatis Credit: By Dennis G. Jarvis - flickr/photos/archer10/2217600108/, CC BY-SA 2.0
2. The Kingdom of Elam (Iran)

Long before Persia, Elam built ziggurats like Chogha Zanbil—older than most pyramids.

They wrote clay tablets with laws, recipes, and love letters.

It was a city of stories. The Ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil is an ancient temple complex located in the Khuzestan province of southwestern Iran. Photo Credit: @johnlopez2nd John the Alchemist
Elamite Ibex Statue from 2nd Millennium BC, Persia (ancient Iran). Photo credit: @Dr_TheHistories
Read 18 tweets
Apr 16
You walk into a Gothic cathedral thinking it’s just another old church.

But what if I told you, it was once the most advanced structures ever built?

A place where light was engineered, sound was weaponized, and stone was used to tell stories.

Let me show you. 🧵👇 Basilica of Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis. The Basilica of Saint-Denis is the first Gothic cathedral and the burial place of French kings and queens. Its innovative architecture marked the beginning of Gothic art. Credit: Gothic Churches @GothicChurches
These weren’t just places of worship.

They were power statements. Engineering marvels.

And France built more of them than anywhere else on earth.

But the reason why? That’s where the story gets wild. Interior of Chatres Cathedral
Start in Strasbourg—for over 200 years, its cathedral was the tallest structure in the world.

It’s not just big. It’s precise.

Every statue, every arch, serves a purpose: to control light, space, and the mind. Image
Read 16 tweets
Apr 15
Most people know Leonardo da Vinci as a painter. But the truth is far more complicated.

He was a bastard child, accused of a crime that could have killed him, and nearly erased by history.

Today is his birthday. Here is what no one teaches you in school about him. 🧵 Lucan Portrait of Da Vinci at the Museo delle Antiche Genti di Lucania, Vaglio Basilicata  A painting discovered in 2008 near Naples, which closely resembles the Uffizi's 17th-century copy of the "Self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci", is currently undergoing restoration and investigation. - Wikimedia Creative Commons
Born April 15, 1452, Leonardo was the illegitimate son of the Florentine notary Piero di Antonio da Vinci and the orphan girl Caterina di Meo Lippi

He grew up in his father’s house—but never fully belonged.

No formal education. No noble title.

Just raw talent, relentless curiosity, and something to prove.La Scapigliata, c. 1506–1508 (unfinished), Galleria Nazionale di Parma, Parma
He didn’t even write like other people.

Leonardo wrote from right to left, in mirror script.
For centuries, scholars believed he was hiding his secrets.

The truth? He was left-handed.

That writing style kept his hand from smudging the ink. Image
Read 16 tweets
Apr 14
Europe wasn’t just built by kings and armies.

It was carved by stories.

Ink, not iron, shaped its soul.

Here are the 15 books that made Europe what it is and we should read them at least once in our lives. 🧵👇 Biblioteca de El Escorial, Spain
Dante wasn’t just a poet.

The Divine Comedy dragged a broken man through hell and gave the world a vision of paradise.

He turned personal exile into the foundation of European literature—and made the afterlife feel real. Dante shown holding a copy of the Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, with the spheres of Heaven above, in Domenico di Michelino's 1465 fresco.
Cervantes watched his world lose faith in heroes.

So he gave us Don Quixote—a madman who sees beauty in a world gone cold.

The book begins as satire, but ends in sorrow. It laughs at knights and then weeps for their absence. Bronze statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, at the Plaza de España in Madrid. Photo By רנדום - Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Read 18 tweets
Apr 13
They told us Classical Art was dead.

They lied.

These living painters prove the Old Masters never left—they just changed names. 🧵👇 Starlight Cafe in Italy by Jon McNaughton
1. Graydon Parrish

Imagine a mind trained like Da Vinci but shaped by modern catastrophe.

Parrish paints our age the way Michelangelo painted the Divine. Realism figure painting - Graydon Parrish, "Carmen," 2019, oil on polyester, 78 x 60 1/4 in., private collection Graydon Parrish, “Carmen,” 2019, oil on polyester, 78 x 60 1/4 in., private collection
2. Erik Armusik

If you think drama belongs to Caravaggio, you haven’t seen Erik Armusik.

His scenes don’t whisper—they roar. Dante and Virgil Visit the Great Poets of Antiquity in Limbo
Read 21 tweets
Apr 12
You walk through Europe, marveling at its cathedrals and palaces ...

And then it hits you that some of its breathtaking architectures weren’t built by Christians. It was built by Muslims.

And that forces a question, Europe refuses to answer ... 🧵👇 Alhambra in Granada, Spain
Is this a legacy to honor or a threat to erase?

From Spain to Sicily, from the Balkans to Paris, Islamic architecture shaped Europe in ways most history books ignore.

This isn’t just about domes and minarets.
It’s about memory, identity… and a battle still being fought. Royal Alcazar of Seville Credit: @BaytAlFann
Let’s start in Granada.

The Alhambra was the crown jewel of a civilization that ruled southern Spain for 800 years.

Its geometry, calligraphy, and flowing water systems influenced Renaissance design and inspired awe in Christian conquerors.
Read 14 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(