Cadmus
The Phoenician prince who founded Thebes, sowed dragon's teeth to raise an army, and gave Greece the gift of writing.
The Legend of Cadmus
Cadmus was a prince of Phoenicia sent by his father Agenor to find his sister Europa, who had been abducted by Zeus in the form of a white bull. Unable to find her, Cadmus consulted the Oracle at Delphi, which told him to abandon the search and instead follow a cow marked with a moon-sign on each flank. Where the cow collapsed from exhaustion, he should found a city. The cow led him to Boeotia (land of the cow), where he planned to sacrifice it to Athena. When he sent men to fetch water from a nearby spring, they were killed by a dragon sacred to Ares. Cadmus slew the dragon and, on Athena's instruction, sowed its teeth in the earth. Armed warriors — the Spartoi (sown men) — sprang up and fought each other until only five survived. These five became the founding families of Thebes. The Greeks credited Cadmus with introducing the Phoenician alphabet — the foundation of all Greek and Roman writing systems.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Cadmus and the Spartoi
🗡 herofoundation, writing
The Phoenician prince who founded Thebes and introduced the Greek alphabet, whose sowing of dragon teeth produced the first Theban warriors.
Cadmus
🗡 heroFounder of Thebes
Cadmus was the Phoenician prince who founded Thebes, sowed dragon's teeth, and brought the alphabet from Phoenicia to Greece.
Bellerophon
🗡 heroThe hero who tamed Pegasus
The Corinthian hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus and slew the Chimera, but fell from heaven when he tried to reach Olympus.
Anchises
🗡 heroLove, royalty, Troy
Trojan prince beloved by Aphrodite and father of Aeneas, the legendary founder of Rome
Theseus
🗡 heroSlayer of the Minotaur, king of Athens
The hero who navigated the Labyrinth, slew the Minotaur, and became the legendary king of Athens. Theseus was considered Athens's national hero.
Jason
🗡 heroLeader of the Argonauts
The hero who assembled the Argonauts and sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece, aided by Medea's sorcery.
Perseus
🗡 heroSlayer of Medusa, founder of Mycenae
Perseus was the demigod son of Zeus and Danaë who slew Medusa, rescued Andromeda, and founded the great city of Mycenae.
Erichthonius
🗡 heroNone recorded
Earth-born king of Athens raised by Athena, credited with inventing the four-horse chariot
Theseus
🗡 heroheroism
Athenian prince who entered the Cretan Labyrinth, killed the Minotaur with Ariadne's help, then abandoned her on Naxos.
Europa
🗡 heroPrincess who gave her name to a continent
Europa was the Phoenician princess whom Zeus, in the form of a white bull, carried across the sea to Crete — her name was given to the continent of Europe.
Theseus
🗡 heroFounder-hero of Athens
Theseus was the great hero of Athens who slew the Minotaur, united Attica, and established Athenian democracy — Athens' answer to Heracles.
Paris
🗡 heroPrince who caused the Trojan War
Paris was the Trojan prince whose judgement of three goddesses and abduction of Helen ignited the Trojan War — the most consequential act of desire in Western mythology.