Theban

From Oedipus's city

Theban refers to a person or thing from Thebes, an ancient Greek city-state in Boeotia that rivaled Athens and Sparta for power.

The adjective describes anything relating to this city, its people, or its culture: the Theban army, Theban legends.

Classical literature features famous Thebans including the tragic figure Oedipus and the military commander Epaminondas.

Theban can also refer to the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, though this usage is less common.

mythology

Oedipus

Tragic Greek king

  • SphinxMythic creature posing puzzles
  • AntigoneTheban princess who honored forbidden burial
  • CreonLegendary Theban king

Jocasta · Tiresias · Dionysus · Cadmus · Niobe · curse

drama

Sophocles

Classical Athenian playwright

Antigone · tragedy · chorus · fate · hubris · prophecy · catharsis · hamartia · oracle · patricide

Greek

Cadmus

Legendary Theban founder

  • hopliteAncient Greek heavy infantry
  • phalanxMassed infantry formation
  • polisGreek sovereign urban center

agora · amphora · drachma · symposium · democracy · oligarchy · hegemony · citadel · Corinna · autochthon

Egyptian

Luxor

Egyptian city of ruins

pharaohs · Nile · temples · dynasties · Hatshepsut · Ramses · Amenhotep · Tutankhamun · Akhenaten · hieroglyphics

Categories
Opposites
greek city-state rivalry

ThebanAthenian

Ancient Greek city-dweller

Macedonian · Alexander the Great · Corinthian

greek vs non-greek identity

ThebanPersian

Of or from Iran

barbarian · Egyptian · Carthaginian · Roman

Phrases
Family

Thebes

Familiarity
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Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G