Atlas the Titan

greek mythology · titans · ancient stories

Holds the heavens. Atlas was condemned by Zeus to stand at the western edge of the earth and support the entire sky on his shoulders for all eternity. This was his punishment for fighting against the gods during the Titanomachy, the war between the Titans and the Olympians.

Real mountain named after him. The Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa are named after this legendary Titan because ancient Greeks believed that's where he actually stood holding up the sky. When people created maps, they called the book of maps an 'atlas' in his honor.

Inventor of astronomy. Atlas was famous for being incredibly smart and skilled in math, philosophy, and studying the stars. Some ancient Greeks even said he invented the first celestial sphere, a globe showing all the constellations and stars in the sky.

Helped famous heroes. Atlas appears in the adventures of two of the greatest Greek heroes, Heracles and Perseus, and actually helps them on their quests. He wasn't just a punished prisoner, but also a wise being that heroes would seek out for aid.