The Ancients

The Minotaur

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Episode notes

Half man and half bull, the Minotaur is one of the most famous, and scariest, monsters of Greek mythology.

The story goes that it was trapped in a great labyrinth beneath Knossos on the island of Crete and feasted on human flesh until it was slain by the hero Theseus with the help of the princess Ariadne. But what exactly was the minotaur? What did the Ancients Greeks perceive it to be? In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes talks to Caroline Lawrence to delve deep into this mythology, and the complex and enduring legacy the Minotaur still holds in modern media today.

Presented by Tristan Hughes. The audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, it was produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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