Athos (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Athos (Template:IPAc-en; Template:Langx, {{#invoke:IPA|main}}) was a giant that Poseidon fought. He is best known for the creation of Mount Athos, a mountain and peninsula in Chalcidice, northern Greece, which is now an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. In Greek it is commonly called {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, meaning 'Holy Mountain'.
Family
In one account however, he was said to be the son of Poseidon himself by the Naiad nymph Rhodope, daughter of the river-god Strymon (the modern Struma).<ref>Scholia on Theocritus, Idylls 7.76</ref>Template:Sfn
Mythology
The mountain took its name after this Athos, who was attacked by Poseidon, the god of the sea.<ref>Scholia on the Iliad 14.229b</ref> The citation is incomplete, as it fails to establish that the mountain was named from the giant.Template:Sfn Stephanus of Byzantium attributed the story to some lost work by Nicander, where he apparently described Poseidon hurling two blocks with his hands against the gigantic Athos.Template:Sfn Eustathius of Thessalonica says that then Poseidon trapped Athos under the mountain.Template:Sfn