Hippodamia of the Lapiths
heroLapith princess whose wedding to Pirithous was disrupted when centaurs attempted to abduct her, triggering the Centauromachy.
The Myth
Her wedding turned into a bloodbath — a centaur grabbed her mid-ceremony and sparked a war between two species. Hippodamia's marriage to Pirithous should have been a celebration uniting Lapiths and centaurs. But when the centaur Eurytion seized the bride, the battle erupted. Theseus fought beside Pirithous, and the Lapiths drove the centaurs from Thessaly. The event became one of the defining mythological scenes in Greek art and architecture. Hippodamia herself is rarely given agency in the sources — she is the catalyst but not the actor. Her name means "horse-tamer," an irony given that the horse-men (centaurs) tried to claim her. She is often confused with the other Hippodamia, wife of Pelops.
Symbols
Fun Fact
There are two famous Hippodamias in myth — this Lapith princess and the wife of Pelops — and they are constantly confused.
Explore Further
Pelops
heroPelops was the prince served as food to the gods by his father Tantalus, restored to life with an...
Pelops (King)
heroSon of Tantalus, restored to life by the gods with an ivory shoulder, who won his bride by cheating...
Pirithous
heroKing of the Lapiths and best friend of Theseus who attempted to kidnap Persephone from the...
Centauromachy
conceptThe Centauromachy was the famous battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs at the wedding of...
Centauromachy (Event)
conceptThe battle between Lapiths and Centaurs at the wedding of Pirithous when drunken centaurs tried to...
Theseus
heroThe hero who navigated the Labyrinth, slew the Minotaur, and became the legendary king of Athens....
Theseus (Athenian)
heroTheseus was the great hero of Athens who slew the Minotaur, united Attica, and established Athenian...
Theseus (Labyrinth)
heroAthenian prince who entered the Cretan Labyrinth, killed the Minotaur with Ariadne's help, then...
Atreus
heroKing of Mycenae who murdered his nephews and fed them to his brother Thyestes, establishing the...
Myrtilus
heroCharioteer of King Oenomaus bribed by Pelops to sabotage his master's chariot, then murdered by...
Thyestes
heroBrother of Atreus who seduced his sister-in-law and was tricked into eating his own children at the...
Centaur (Nessus)
creatureNessus was the centaur whose poisoned blood, given as a false love charm, ultimately destroyed the...