Chimera
The monstrous Chimera wasn’t your typical beast. Imagine a fire-breathing nightmare cobbled together from various predators. A lion’s powerful body formed the core, but sprouting from its back emerged a ferocious goat’s head. As if that wasn’t enough, a deadly serpent with venomous fangs coiled around its haunches, completing this bizarre fusion of creatures. This monstrous anomaly terrorized the countryside of Lycia in Anatolia, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Parents: Echidna and Typhon
Offspring: Sphinx and Nemean Lion
Killed by: Bellerophon
King Iobates, desperate to save his land, issued a seemingly impossible task – slay the beast. Yet, Bellerophon, a young hero with unwavering resolve, dared to accept the challenge. His advantage? Pegasus, the magnificent winged horse, a gift from the gods themselves.
Bellerophon soared into the sky on Pegasus’ back, a breathtaking sight against the churning clouds. From this vantage point, he could see the full fury of the Chimera – the lion’s roar, the goat’s snorting challenge, and the serpent’s deadly coils. Undeterred, he devised a cunning plan. With a well-aimed thrust, he drove his spear, tipped with a massive block of lead, straight into the Chimera’s flaming maw. The searing breath instantly melted the lead, transforming it into a molten glob that choked the beast from within. The once-mighty monster writhed and convulsed before collapsing, its reign of terror finally ended. Bellerophon, the hero on the winged horse, had triumphed.
Digital Maps of the Ancient World 