Theano

This article is about the mythological figures. For the philosopher, see Theano (philosopher). For other uses, see Theano (disambiguation).

Theano (Ancient Greek: Θεανώ) was the priestess of Athena in Troy. She was the daughter of the Thracian king Cisseus and Telecleia, wife of Antenor, and mother of many sons and a daughter Crino. The household of Antenor and Theano advocated peace and advised Helen's return to the Greeks. Because of their support (some say treason), the Greeks spared their household when they sacked the city. One story has Theano and Antenor sailing with Aeneas to Italy and founding the city of Padua. Another story is that she took the Palladium, an image of Athena that had fallen from the sky and supposedly provided Troy its protection, with her. In Book VI of the Iliad, with Hecuba and the Trojan women, Theano offered a gift and plea to Athena for the life of the city, but was rebuffed.

Other uses

Theano is also the name of three more (minor) figures in Greek and Roman mythology.

• Theano, one of the Danaids, daughter of Danaus and Polyxo. She married (and murdered) Phantes, son of Aegyptus and Caliadne.

• Theano or Theona, a character appearing in the Aeneid, consort of Amycus. She gave birth to her son, Mimas, on the same night queen Hecabe's son Paris was born. Mimas was killed in exile, fighting alongside Aeneas in Italy, by Mezentius, king of the Etruscans.

• Theano, wife of Metapontus, king of Icaria. Metapontus demanded that she bear him children, or leave the kingdom. She presented the children of Melanippe to her husband, as if they were her own. Later Theano bore him two sons of her own and, wishing to leave the kingdom to her own children, sent them to kill Melanippe's. In the fight that ensued, her two sons were killed, and she committed suicide upon hearing the news.