The Bellerophon Myth in Early Corinthian History and Art

Abstract:In the 7th century b.c., the popularity of the Bellerophon myth in Corinthian art and textual references argues for the importance of this story in the early history of the community. The myth connects Corinth with both the imagined land of Ephyre referenced in the Iliad and the fountain of Peirene, a prominent landmark in the city. In the 6th century and later, however, Herakles, another monster-slayer associated with the Peloponnese and water sources, usurped facets of Bellerophon's character in Corinthian vase painting. The author explores the reasons for the changing interpretation of the myth of Bellerophon in Archaic Corinth.