Archaeologists discover mural depicting Hades' abduction of Persephone

Archaeologists discover mural depicting Hades' abduction of Persephone

The abduction of Zeus' daughter Persephone by Hades, or as the Greeks referred to the god, Plouton (later known by the Romans as Pluto), is one of Greek mythology's hallmarks. But a mosaic discovered in Greece adds a third figure, the Greek god Hermes, into the mix.

When Greece's Culture Ministry first announced the mosaic find on Sunday, the archaeologists suspected that the pebbled mosaic floor may have depicted Philip II, Alexander the Great's father, as Hermes' passenger. But the discovery of Persephone on the mosaic, found in Amphipolis in northern Greece, has confirmed that the mosaic depicts the classic story of Pluto and Persephone. "It is obvious this is the mythological representation of the abduction of Persephone by Pluto," the Greek ministry said in a statement.

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Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.