Oreios (Ancient Greek: Ὀρείου, Ὄρειον or Ὄρειος means ‘of the mountain’) was a mountain-god of central Greece--probably Mount Othrys or Oita in Malis or else the Pindus mountain range.
He was an Ouros (singular of Ourea, the mountain gods), and along with his brothers and sisters they were the offspring of Gaia.
He was the father of Oxylos "Mountain-Forests" and Hamadryas "Joined-with-Tree" who, in turn, were the parents of a bevy of tree-specific Hamadryad Nymphs.
Mythology[]
The only source we have of this figure comes from Athenaeus' Deipnosophistae:
| “ | The Epic poet Pherenikos (Pherenicus), a Herakleto by birth, declares that the fig (Sykon) was named from Syke (Fig-Tree), the daughter of Oxylos (Beech-Tree); for Oxylos, son of Oreios (Mountain), married his sister Hamadryas (With-Oak) and begot among others, Karya (Walnut-Tree), Balanos (Oak-Nut Tree), Kraneia (Cornel-Tree), Morea (Mulberry-Bush), Aigeiros (Poplar-Tree), Ptelea (Elm-Tree), Ampelos (Grape-Vine), and Syke (Fig-Tree); and these are called Nymphai Hamadryades (Hamadryad Nymphs), and from them many trees derive their names. | ” |
External Links[]
- Oreios at Theoi