Mythology Facts for Kids
Epic tales and facts from ancient myths
J.R.R. Tolkien drew heavily on Norse and Celtic mythology when creating the world of Middle-earth.
George Lucas was inspired by Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey when creating Star Wars.
The Marvel Comics characters Thor and Loki are based on gods from Norse mythology.
The Harry Potter series features many creatures from mythology, including hippogriffs, phoenixes, and basilisks.
The Greek alphabet—the basis of Western writing—was adapted from the Phoenician alphabet and used to record myths.
The word 'labyrinth' comes from Greek and refers to the maze built by Daedalus to hold the Minotaur.
The word 'herculean' means requiring enormous strength or effort, derived from the hero Hercules.
Volcanoes are named after Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and the forge, equivalent to Greek Hephaestus.
The element mercury was named after the Roman god Mercury because of the liquid metal's quick, flowing movement.
The ancient Olympic Games were held every four years at Olympia to honor the god Zeus.