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Greek Mythology Notes

Skiron

godΣκίρων
Wind, northwest

God of the northwest wind associated with the onset of winter and the cold dry air from the Adriatic‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌

The Myth of Skiron

Skiron was the divine personification of the northwest wind in Greek meteorological religion.‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌ His wind blew from the direction of the Scironian Rocks on the Saronic Gulf coast, bringing cold dry air from the Adriatic and western Greece. The northwest wind heralded the approach of winter and was associated with the clearing of autumn rains, producing bright but cold weather. On the Tower of the Winds in Athens, Skiron is depicted as a bearded man tipping a bronze vessel of charcoal or ashes, representing the dry cold his wind brought. The name Skiron was also associated with the legendary bandit Sciron who kicked travellers off the cliffs on the road between Athens and Megara, a villain eventually killed by Theseus. The wind god and the bandit share the name because both were connected to the same geographic feature: the rocky northwestern coast of the Saronic Gulf.

Parents

Eos and Astraeus

Symbols

charcoal vesselrocks

Fun Fact

Skiron the wind god shares his name with the infamous cliff-kicking bandit killed by Theseus on the same northwestern coast

Explore Further

Argestes

god

Wind, west-northwest

God of the west-northwest wind whose name means clearing or brightening, associated with fair weather after storms

Aparctias

god

Wind, north

Alternative name for the god of the true north wind, sometimes distinguished from Boreas as a calmer northern breeze

Kaikias

god

Wind, northeast

God of the northeast wind associated with cold weather and hailstorms in the Greek wind system

Lips

god

Wind, southwest

God of the southwest wind associated with warm weather and favourable sailing conditions from Libya

Apeliotes

god

Wind, east

God of the east wind who brought warm rain beneficial to crops and was considered a gentle and favourable deity

Zephyrus

god

God of the west wind

Zephyrus was the god of the gentle west wind, bringer of spring.

zephyr

Boreas

god

God of the north wind

Boreas was the god of the cold north wind, bringer of winter.

borealaurora borealishyperborean

Euronotus

god

Wind, south-southeast

God of the south-southeast wind that brought warm humid air from the eastern Mediterranean and Egypt

Libonotus

god

Wind, south-southwest

God of the south-southwest wind blowing from the direction of Libya, bringing warm air and occasional sandstorms

Venti

🐉 creature

personifications

The four wind gods — Boreas, Notus, Eurus, and Zephyrus — each ruling a cardinal direction

borealzephyr

Eurus

god

wind

God of the east wind, the only one of the four Anemoi not given a specific seasonal role by Hesiod.

Notus

god

wind

God of the south wind, bringer of late summer storms and the hot, damp winds feared by sailors and farmers.

austral