Aloadae
In its own language: Ἀλωάδαι (Aloadai)
from Ancient Greek Aloadai, named after their father Aloeus; Otus means insatiate and Ephialtes means nightmare
Twin giants of Thessaly who challenged the gods and built mountains to reach Olympus.
The Aloadae were twin giants from ancient Greek mythology, sons of Iphimedia and either Poseidon or Aloeus. They sought to storm Mount Olympus and seize goddesses, leading to their deaths by Artemis's hand in some accounts or Apollo's in others.
- Twin giants who grew nine fingers monthly
- Sons of Iphimedia and Poseidon or Aloeus
- Attempted to pile mountains to reach Olympus
- Killed each other by Artemis's trick
- Ephialtes means nightmare in Greek
What it is
The Aloadae were twin giants in Greek myth, known for immense strength and rapid growth. They grew nine fingers tall each month and reached nine fathoms high by age nine. Their names, Otus and Ephialtes, reflect their nature: one meant insatiate and the other nightmare. They were sons of Princess Iphimedia, who became pregnant with them through Poseidon or her husband Aloeus. The brothers were aggressive figures who sought to challenge the divine order of the Olympian gods.
Where it comes from
They hailed from ancient Thessaly as members of the royal family. Their mother, Iphimedia, induced Poseidon to impregnate her by bathing in the sea. While often called sons of Poseidon, they also took the name Aloadae from Aloeus, who may have been their biological father. They had a sister, Pancratis, celebrated for her beauty, and later traditions mention two other sisters, Elate and Platanus, who mourned the twins' deaths.
Aloadae, drawn and placed
- Living
- Revived
- Fading
- Historical
- Legendary
- Performed
- Lineage
- Greek mythology
Peoples and places
In Thessaly, they were viewed as heroes who founded cities like Aloïum. On Naxos, locals worshipped them as cultural founders who taught civilization and dedicated Mount Helicon to the Muses Melete, Mneme, and Aoede. Pausanias recorded this positive view, contrasting with stories of their violent rebellion. In Boeotian Ascra, they were also venerated for bringing culture to humanity before their tragic end.
At a glance: who, where and when
Peoples
Belief worlds
What people believe
Myths describe their attempt to pile Mount Ossa upon Pelion to storm Olympus. They aimed to capture Artemis and Hera. In another version, they trapped the war god Ares in a bronze jar for thirteen months until Eriboea alerted Hermes. Their defiance led to their demise. Artemis transformed into a doe, causing the brothers to kill each other while throwing spears at it. Apollo also killed them in some accounts before they could grow beards.
Compare and confuse
Ephialtes shares his name with the Greek word for nightmare and was sometimes seen as the spirit of nightmares. Dante placed him among giants in Hell for challenging Jupiter. The dinosaur Otozoum is named after Otus. Unlike typical titans, they are distinct figures who bridge hero worship and monstrous rebellion, depending on the regional tradition recording their deeds.
Questions people ask about Aloadae
Who were the Aloadae?
They were twin giants from Thessaly named Otus and Ephialtes, known for their massive size and aggression against the gods.
What does their name mean?
Otus means insatiate, while Ephialtes translates to nightmare, reflecting their terrifying reputation in Greek myth.
How did they die?
Artemis turned into a doe between them, causing the brothers to throw their spears and accidentally kill each other.
Were they always villains?
Some traditions honored them as civilizing heroes who founded cities and dedicated Mount Helicon to the Muses.
Good reading and sources
- Aloadae on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Aloadae", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-07.
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