JASON, THE ARGONAUTS AND THE REAL HISTORY OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE

Among all the epic ancient Greek quest myths the most legendary is Jason and the Argonauts. Before he could claim his birthright as the King of Iolcos, he had to retrieve the mysterious golden fleece. What actually was the golden fleece, and did it really exist?

HOW JASON LOST HIS BIRTHRIGHT

When King Cretheus of Iolcus died, the tyrant Pelias, half-brother of Jason’s father, Aeson, the rightful heir to the throne, took possession of Iolcus. He imprisoned Aeson and forced him to renounce the throne. He then anointed himself King. Jason’s mother sent him away to be raised by Chiron, the centaur. Had Jason remained in Iolcus, Pelias would have had the infant killed.

Chiron raised him in a secret cave on Mount Pelion. He trained Jason in combat, survival skills and taught him to become proficient in critical thinking. When Jason turned 21, Chiron revealed to him his true identify and told him of his duty to recover his throne.

JASON TRAVELS TO IOICOS

On his way to Iolcos, Jason met an old woman who asked for his help in crossing the River Anauros. While assisting her, he loses one of his sandals when crossing the river. The woman turns out to be Hera (Queen of the Gods) in disguise. She was profoundly insulted when Pelias killed his stepmother at her sacred altar and stopped worshiping her. She had planned the meeting with Jason at the river. Pelias had received a prophecy from the oracle that a man with one sandal would threaten his throne. Hera wanted to arrange Jason’s entry into Iolcos wearing one sandal. When Jason arrived at Iolcos, he was immediately recognized as the man with the missing sandal in the prophecy.

PELIAS’ PROMISE TO JASON

 Jason did not seek revenge. He told Pelias he could take all the treasures he had amassed as King and leave. Pelias agreed and swore before Zeus he would give up the throne on the condition that Jason first retrieved the golden fleece. Pelias believed this to be a suicide mission, and it would free him of Jason forever. Jason, however, was determined to take on the challenge. The golden fleece was located in the faraway land of Colchis.

 THE ARGO

Jason arranged for Argus, a master shipbuilder, to construct a ship with help from the goddess, Athena.  Jason named the ship Argo in honor of the shipbuilder. It had fifty oars and was so large that many people when they first laid eyes on it, thought it was a sea monster.

THE ARGONAUTS

When word spread of Jason’s quest, the greatest heroes in Greek Mythology joined him on the voyage. They named themselves the Argonauts. Fifty heroes including Hercules, Orpheus and the twins Castor and Pollux volunteered. The ship set sail under the protection of Hera.

WHAT DOES THE MYTH SAY ABOUT THE GOLDEN FLEECE

The fleece had belonged to an enchanted flying ram. He had rescued the two children of Athamas, Phrixos and Helle, when their stepmother, Ino, decided to sacrifice them to Zeus. The ram carried the children away on his back. As they flew, Helle slipped off the ram and tumbled into the sea below. The ram did not stop to save him. He flew Phrixos east over the Black Sea until they reached Colchis, at the court of King Aeetes. The boy then sacrificed the ram to Zeus and gave Aeetes his fleece. The King hung it in a sacred grove and dedicated it to Aries, the war god. It was guarded by a fierce dragon who never slept.

THE TRIALS JASON ENCOUNTERED ON THE QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE

On the voyage to Colchis, the Argonauts face the following treacherous hurdles:

The Island of Lemnos

They first lay anchor on the island of Lemnos, an all-female society. When the women had stopped praying to the goddess of love, Aphrodite, she became wrathful. To punish them, she gave all the women an awful stink. Their husbands were repelled by the odor and brought new women from a neighboring island to replace them. In an act of revenge, the women murdered all their husbands. When the Argonauts landed, they convinced the women of their good intentions and the women accepted them. When the Argonauts departed, many of the women were pregnant. The island was then repopulated and the new generation were named the Minyans.

Bear Mountain

The Argonauts next stop was Bear Mountain where they received a cordial reception from King Cyzicus. When the majority of the crew hunted for supplies, the remaining men were attacked by Gegeines, giants with six arms. Hercules killed most of the monsters by himself before the men returned. They then departed back to the sea. During the night a raging storm blew them back to Bear Mountain. In the dark, the King’s men mistook the Argonauts for the enemy. During an intense battle, the Argonauts accidently killed the King. In the morning, they realized what had happened. Devastated, the crew mourned the kind King and left the island heartbroken.

The Island of Mysia

On the island of Mysia, Hylas went to seek out fresh water. At a spring, he encountered water nymphs who fell in love with him. They pulled him under the water and assaulted him. Polyphemus and Hercules heard his screams and rushed to help. After a very long unsuccessful search, the Argo decided to continue their journey. Polyphemus remained on the island and founded the City of Cius in Mysia, where he ruled as King. Hercules was deeply affected by the loss of Hylas. Hercules had killed Hylas’ father during an argument over an ox. He had then raised Hylas as his own, teaching him to be a warrior. He was so inconsolable after losing Hylas that he abandoned the Argonauts.

The Land of the Bebryces

They then landed on Bebryces, located in the northern part of Turkey along the coast of the Black Sea. It was a land of savage warriors. Their King, Amycus, was the giant son of Poseidon. He forced all that entered his kingdom to box with him, to the death. When King Amycus challenged the Argonauts, Pollux, the young son of Zeus stepped forward and killed Amycus with a fatal blow.

The Land of Salmydessus

In Salmydessus, the Argonauts encountered Phineus. He reigned over the coastal town in Thace. The gods had given him the gift of prophecy which he had abused by sharing the gods’ secret plans. Zeus punished him by blinding him and sending Harpies, winged monsters with the faces of women to him each day. They stole his food and left behind their foul waste making the remaining food scraps inedible. When the Argonauts found him, he was near death from starvation. They rid Phineus of the Harpies. In return, he revealed how to pilot their ship around the obstacles of the Clashing Rocks.

Symplegades (The Clashing Rocks)

These were enormous rocky cliffs that smashed together from strong winds destroying any vessel that attempted to pass through them. Phineus revealed that they needed to have a dove fly between the rocks. If the dove passed safely, they could proceed but if the dove was killed, they needed to wait. As they approached the rocks, they released the dove. As the bird flew past the rocks, they smashed together, taking off the end of the dove’s tail. They waited until the rocks had retreated. They were then able to pass safely. After this, the passage became safe for all ships. This was due to a divine decree requiring the rocks to be affixed in place if any ship was able to pass between without being destroyed.

The Land of Mariandynians  

After leaving the clashing rocks, they entered the Euxine Sea. They arrived at Mariandynians, along the southern coast of the Black Sea. They were warmly welcomed by King Lycus. He was grateful that they had slayed Amycus of Bebryces who was always attacking his lands. While on Mariandynians, two of the Argonauts died. Idmon, son of Apollo was killed by a wild boar and Tiphys who piloted the Argo fell ill and died. The Argonauts held funeral rites for their departed friends. They then chose Ancaeus as their ship’s new captain before continuing on their journey.

Island of Dia

On Dia in the Black Sea, there was a shrine to Ares protected by a flock of giant birds (Stymphalians) who used their feathers as weapons. These sacred birds assault their enemies by dropping piercing, arrow feathers from the sky. The Argonauts held up their shields and slammed them with their bronze spears, making a deafening noise. This startled and frightened the birds away long enough so they could escape. While on Dia, the Argonauts rescued the shipwrecked grandsons of King Aeetes of Colchis. They guided the Argonauts to Colchis.

 FINALLY ARRIVING ON COLCHIS

 When Jason arrived on Colchis he asked King Aeetes to give him the golden fleece so he could reclaim his throne. Rather than denying the request, the king agreed to it but only after Jason completed a series of tasks which the king believed would result in Jason’s death. The King’s daughter, Medea, fell in love with Jason and agreed to help him win the fleece, betraying her father.

KING AEETES REQUIRED JASON TO COMPLETE A SET OF IMPOSSIBLE TRIALS

Yoke the Bulls

The Khalkotauroi were two fire breathing bronze hooved bulls. Jason was required to have them plow the sacred field of Ares. Medea presented Jason with a magical potion which he slathered all over his weapons and himself. He was then immune to their fire and became powerful enough to yoke the bulls. Once yoked, Jason used the bulls to plow the field.

Sow Dragon’s Teeth

King Aeetes gave Jason dragon’s teeth which he had received from the goddess Athena. The magical teeth were removed from the Ismenian dragon slain by the Phoenician Prince Cadmus. The dragon had guarded the sacred spring of Ares near Thebes. When companions of Cadmus attempted to get water from the spring, the dragon slain them. Cadmus then killed the dragon. Jason was instructed to plant the teeth into the freshly plowed soil as if they were seeds.

Defeat the Spout Warriors

Jason then had to fight an army of stone warriors that sprang up from the planted teeth. Medea instructed him to trick them by throwing a big rock into their midst. In their confusion, the soldiers fought and killed their fellow warriors believing they had turned on each other.

THE GUARDIAN DRAGON

After completing the trials, Jason had to face the sleepless dragon that guarded the fleece in a sacred grove. Medea gave him a potion made from herbs which he threw onto the dragon. It made the sleepless dragon fall asleep. Jason then grabbed the golden fleece.

As Jason fled with Medea, her father chased them. To divert him, she killed her brother and threw him in pieces into the sea. Aeetes went to rescue his son. As he did, they escaped. As punishment for killing her brother, Zeus sent violent storms across the sea, blowing the Argo off course. They went to the island of Aeaea seeking to be cleaned of their sins from Circe, a nymph. After this they continued their journey back to Iolcos.

THE SIRENS

On their voyage back, they had to pass the deadly Sirens, half bird, half women creatures who sang magical songs. When men heard their songs, they jumped into the sea. Chiron, the centaur warned Jason not to pass Sirenum scopuli where the Sirens lived on three little rocky skerries without help from Orpheus. When the Argo passed the Sirens, Orpheus played his Lute louder than the Sirens could sing, drowning out their songs. One of the men on the Argo, Butes, however, still heard their songs and jumped into the sea, but Aphrodite saved him.

 THE ISLAND OF CRETE

Crete was protected by Talos, a giant bronze man. He protected the coastline by hurling rocks at passing ships. The god, Hephaestus had constructed him with a vein of divine blood sealed by a nail in his ankle. Talos was able to turn his body boiling hot to hug and burn intruders. Medea using her sorcery sedated him, then she removed his nail and drained the life out of him.

JASON RETURNS TO IOLCUS

When Jason returned to Iolcus with the golden fleece, King Pelias refused to give up the throne. Medea deceived Pelias’ daughters into believing that if they killed their father, she would bring him back as a young man. This led to Jason and Medea being driven into exile. They escaped to Corinth.

JASON ABANDONS MEDEA

To deepen political alliances, Jason abandoned Medea and became engaged to Creusa, the daughter of the King Creon of Corinth. Breaking his vow to stay with Medea forever, she became enraged and plotted her revenge. Medea gifted Creusa with a cursed wedding gown which burned her to death. In an attempt to save his daughter, Creon was also burned to death. Medea then murdered her two sons with Jason. She quickly fled in a chariot sent to her by her grandfather, the sun-god Helios.

JASON RECLAIMS THE THRONE OF IOLCUS

Jason reclaims the throne of Iolcus and his son, Thessalus becomes king. He falls out of favor with Hera after breaking his vow to Medea, dying alone and miserable. He is killed when the stern of the rotting Argo falls on top of him, while he slept under it.

WAS THE GOLDEN FLEECE REAL?

Geologist Avtandil Okrostsvaridze of Ilia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia discovered that streams in the mountainous Svaneti region of northwest Georgia, carry large pieces of gold, that have eroded out of bordering rock formations. In a technique dating back thousands of years, the villagers put sheepskins in these briskly flowing streams to catch floating gold. Researchers have concluded that this strongly suggests this region was the Kingdom of Colchis, an ancient region at the east end of the Black Sea. This was the Argonauts destination in Greek Mythology of the golden fleece. Studies have shown that the area geology has not changed in the Svaneti region in the last 3,500 years, when Jason’s ship would have set sail for Colchis.

In present times, miners still lay whole sheepskins into the streams near gold deposits. Pieces of gold wear away from rocks and wash downstream getting caught in the sheepskins. Further downstream, the gold is strained through perforated basins. Historical descriptions of this technique were documented 2,000 years ago.

Although Archaeologists have found no evidence of Colchis’s existence, scientists believe the physical evidence was destroyed in landslides and earthquakes in the distant past.

While this does strongly suggest the concept of the Golden Fleece was based on facts, it does not prove the quest of Jason and the Argonauts actually happened.