Crommyonian Sow
A wild pig slain by Theseus, sometimes called Phaea.
The Crommyonian Sow (Ancient Greek: Ὕς Κρομμύων Hus Krommúōn) was a pig from Greek mythology, owned by a woman named Phaea (Φαιά Phaiā́, meaning "grey"). The animal was sometimes referred to by that name as well. This wild pig terrorized the area around the village of Crommyon, located between Megara and Corinth, until Theseus killed it during his early exploits. According to Pseudo-Apollodorus's *Bibliotheca*, some sources claimed the sow was the offspring of Echidna and Typhon, and that it was named after the old woman who raised it. Strabo wrote that the sow was the mother of the Calydonian Boar. Gaius Julius Hyginus, however, described the animal Theseus killed at Crommyon as a boar. Plutarch repeats the story but adds that he had also heard a different version: that Phaia herself was a murderous female robber, nicknamed "Sow" because of her obese children and coarse behavior, and that she was the "sow" Theseus actually killed.
- type
- Mythological pig
- also_known_as
- Phaea
- owner
- Phaea
- region
- Crommyon (between Megara and Corinth)
- slain_by
- Theseus
- notable_offspring
- Calydonian Boar (according to Strabo)
Lore & Background
According to the Bibliotheca of Pseudo-Apollodorus, it was said by some to be the daughter of Echidna and Typhon, and was named after the old woman who raised it. According to Strabo, the sow was said to be the mother of the Calydonian Boar. Gaius Julius Hyginus says that the pig Theseus killed at Crommyon was a boar.
Reader's Guide
Plutarch repeats the story, but states that he had also been told that Phaia herself was a murderous female robber, and was nicknamed "Sow" because of her obese children and uncouth manners, and that she was the "sow" killed by Theseus. This ambiguity—whether the creature was a literal monstrous pig or a human criminal metaphorically called a sow—reflects the fluid nature of Greek mythological tradition. The Crommyonian Sow is significant as one of the early labors of Theseus, establishing his heroic credentials before his later feats. Its connection to the Calydonian Boar (via Strabo) and to the monstrous lineage of Echidna and Typhon (via Pseudo-Apollodorus) ties it to broader cycles of Greek myth. The differing accounts by Hyginus (calling it a boar) and Plutarch (offering the human-robber interpretation) show how ancient sources often disagreed on details, leaving the sow's true nature unresolved.
Did You Know?
- The sow was sometimes called by the name of its owner, Phaea, meaning 'grey'.
- According to Strabo, the sow was said to be the mother of the Calydonian Boar.
- Gaius Julius Hyginus states that the pig Theseus killed at Crommyon was a boar.
- Plutarch reports a version where Phaia herself was a murderous robber nicknamed 'Sow'.
More in Female legendary creatures 1-24
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