Gaia (mythology) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gaia |
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|---|---|
| Primordial Deity of the Earth | |
| Member of the Protogenoi | |
| Abode | Earth |
| Personal information | |
| Consort | Uranus, Pontus, Aether and Tartarus |
| Offspring | Uranus, Pontus, the Ourea, Hecatonchires, Cyclopes, Titans, The Gigantes, Nereus, Thaumus, Phorcys, Ceto, Eurybia, Aergia, Typhon, and Python |
| Parents | None, or Chaos (Hesiod), or Aether and Hemera (Hyginus) |
| Siblings | None, or Nyx, Erebus, Tartarus, Eros, or Uranus, Thalassa |
| Roman equivalent | Terra, Tellus |
Gaia (pronounced GUY-uh), also spelled Gaea, is a very important figure in Greek mythology. She is the personification of the Earth itself. Imagine the Earth as a living being; that's Gaia!
She was one of the very first beings to exist. She came out of the empty space called Chaos. Gaia is known as the great mother of many gods and monsters. Her Roman equivalent is Terra.
Contents
Gaia's Family and Children
Gaia is the goddess of the Earth. She had many children, sometimes on her own and sometimes with other powerful beings. Here are some of her most famous offspring from different myths.
Children Born Alone
Gaia had some children all by herself, without a partner.
Children with Uranus (Sky)
Gaia and Uranus, her son, became partners. Together, they had many powerful children.
- The Titans: These were twelve powerful gods and goddesses. They included Kronos, Rhea, Oceanus, and Mnemosyne.
- The Elder Cyclopes: These were giants with only one eye. They were very strong and skilled craftsmen.
- The Hecatonchires: These were huge giants with 100 hands and 50 heads each. They were incredibly powerful.
Children with Pontus (Sea)
Gaia also had children with Pontus, the Sea.
- Nereus (the Old Man of the Sea)
- Thaumas (god of sea wonders)
- Phorcys (god of the hidden dangers of the deep)
- Ceto (goddess of sea monsters)
- Eurybia (goddess of the mastery of the seas)
Children with Tartarus (Underworld Pit)
With Tartarus, a deep pit in the underworld, Gaia had two fearsome monsters.
- Typhon: A monstrous giant, often called the "Father of all Monsters."
- Echidna: A half-woman, half-snake monster, known as the "Mother of all Monsters."
Other Notable Children
Gaia had other children with different gods or sometimes alone.
- Antaeus: A giant who gained strength by touching the Earth. He was a son of Gaia and Poseidon.
- Erichthonius of Athens: An early king of Athens, born from Gaia and Hephaestus.
- Python: A huge serpent or dragon that guarded the oracle at Delphi.
Gaia in Modern Stories: Rick Riordan's Books
For many young readers, Gaia is well-known from Rick Riordan's book series, The Heroes of Olympus. In these stories, Gaia is the main villain. She is shown as a powerful and ancient evil goddess.
In the books, Gaia is usually sleeping deep within the Earth. She tries to wake up to take over the world and defeat the gods of Mount Olympus. She often appears in the dreams of the main characters, like Percy Jackson, trying to trick them.
Gaia is shown to be very dangerous. She hurts characters like Leo Valdez and Piper McLean. The heroes learn that if Gaia fully awakens, everyone will be in great danger. To rise, she needs the blood of both a male and female demigod. She eventually wakes up in The Blood of Olympus. The heroes, especially Leo and Jason Grace, must work together to stop her.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Gaia (bottom-right) rises out of the ground, detail of the Gigantomachy frieze, Pergamon Altar, Pergamon museum, Berlin.
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Gaia hands her newborn, Erichthonius, to Athena as Hephaestus watches – an Attic red-figure stamnos, 470–460 BC
See also
In Spanish: Gea para niños
