Titans are the older generation of Olympian deities, and are actually the parents or grandparents of many of the later Olympian gods and goddesses. However, sentimental family ties extend very little with the Titans and the Olympians.
The (generally) twelve Titans are children of a pair of an even older layer of divinities: Gaia and Ouranos, Earth and the Cosmos or time. They and their associates are sometimes called “primordial” deities. The other names for Titan in Greek mythology are Chaos, Aether, Hemera, Eros, Erebus, Nyx, Ophion, and Tartarus. These are the “grandparents” of the Olympians.
The Titans
Oceanus (Oceans): God of the oceans
Coeus (Koios): a dark Titan who mated with his sister Phoebe and fathered the goddesses Leto and Asteria.
Crius, Crios, Kreios – Possibly associated with flocks of animals on Crete, but information about him is very limited. Father with Eurybia of Astraios, Pallas and Perses. He is seen primarily as a divine ancestor.
Hyperion: Associated with light, both physical and wisdom. His children were all related to light: Eos (goddess of the dawn), Helios (god of the sun), and Selene (goddess of the moon).
Iapetos, Iapetus: associated with the westernmost of the four pillars that separate earth and sky. He had four children: Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus and Menoetius.
Theia, Thia, Thyia: Ancient goddess whose name means divine.
Rhea Ancient Mother Goddess, similar in some respects to her own mother Gaia.
Themis: Goddess of Law, similar to Dike, who in turn may reflect something of the ancient Minoan goddess Dicte or Dictynna.
Mnemosyne: Goddess of memory, later a muse.
Phoebe: Goddess of Light
Tethys: Goddess of the Sea
Kronos (Cronus, Cronos) God of time, but not as “universal” as his father.
With his brothers Coeus, Crius, Hyperion and Iapetos, he captured his father Ouranos and castrated him to allow the Titans to leave Gaia, the land where they were held captive in their mother’s womb.
Dione or Dion: who was the wife of Zeus in the ancient site of Dodona, is sometimes added or replaced by Theia.
Another female Titan, Asteria, presided over divination and dreams. Her name is preserved in the Asterousia mountains of Crete, and “King” Asterion may have actually been “Queen” Asteria.
While some of the Titans became parents to major Olympian deities, many of their descendants were not so illustrious. Family disputes were the norm; Titanomachy is the name given to the eleven-year war between the Titans and their descendants, the Olympians, led by Zeus.
The Titans are enjoying the attention of a new generation in the remake of the classic film “The Clash of the Titans.” Learn more about Clash of the Titans ‘Greek’ movie locations.
The Kraken also appears in “Clash of the Titans,” but it is not a Titan, just a modern, invented beast created for the purposes of the film. It has no place in ancient Greek mythology.
The term “Titanic” came to mean something exceptionally large and strong, which is why it was used to name the famous ship “The Titanic”, which turned out to be a little less than divine.
The Titans also appear in the “Percy Jackson” books, and some of them appear or are mentioned in “The Lightning Thief.”
More quick facts on Greek gods and goddesses:
The 12 Olympians – Gods and Goddesses – Greek Gods and Goddesses – Temple Sites – Rhea – Selene – Zeus.
