Thebes (1)

The city of seven gates; the principal city in the province of Boeotia; founded by the legendary Kadmus (Cadmus) when he was searching for his sister Europa.

After Zeus abducted Europa, Kadmus conducted an unsuccessful search for his sister; finally, in desperation, Kadmus went to the oracle at Delphi for assistance; the Pythia (priestess) told Kadmus to leave the temple and follow a cow until it laid down to rest and to build a city on that site; Kadmus did as he was told and built the city of Thebes.

Kadmus went to a nearby spring and was forced to kill the dragon which protected the spring; he took the teeth of the dragon and, on the advice of the goddess, Athene (Athena), sowed them in the earth; a crop of warriors, called Sparti, sprang from the dragon’s teeth; Kadmus threw a stone in their midst and the Sparti fought amongst themselves until only five remained; these remaining five warriors became the founding families of Thebes.

Approximate east longitude 23.19 and north latitude 38.21.