Cranaus facts for kids

Cranaus (also spelled Kranaos) was an important figure in ancient Greek mythology. He was the second king of the city of Athens, taking over after the first king, Cecrops I.

Cranaus's Family Life

Cranaus married a woman named Pedias from Sparta. They had three daughters: Cranaë, Cranaechme, and Atthis. It's said that the region of Attica was named after Atthis, perhaps because she died young. Some stories also say she was the mother of Erichthonius with the god Hephaestus. Cranaus also had a son named Rarus.

His Time as King

Cranaus ruled Athens for about nine or ten years. Like the first king, he was believed to be an "autochthon." This means he was thought to have been born directly from the earth itself, not from human parents.

During his rule, a famous event called the Deucalion flood was said to have happened. This was a huge flood that covered much of the world. After the flood, Deucalion and his sons, Hellen and Amphictyon, came to Athens. Deucalion later died and was buried near the city.

How Cranaus Lost His Throne

Eventually, Cranaus was removed from power by Amphictyon, who was Deucalion's son. Amphictyon had married one of Cranaus's daughters. After being overthrown, Cranaus left Athens and went to a place called Lamptrae. He died there and was buried. His tomb was still known many centuries later.

Even after his death, Cranaus was honored as a hero in Athens. Priests from a family called Charidae served him. The people of Attica were sometimes called Kranaoi after him, and Athens itself was sometimes called Kranaa or Kranaai.