Gordius

Gordius, sometimes rendered Gordias, is a figure of Greek mythology associated with Phrygia in Anatolia. He is commonly described as a legendary king of Phrygia or the founder of the city of Gordium, and the name Gordius serves as the eponym for Gordium in many retellings.

The most enduring element of Gordius’s story is the Gordian Knot. According to the legend, a complex knot was tied to the axle of Gordium’s sacred wagon, or to a vehicle belonging to Gordius, and an oracle declared that the one who could untie it would rule all of Asia. In some versions the knot was tied by Gordius himself as a vow to the gods; in others it was a ritual knot associated with the city’s foundation. Gordium’s location became a symbol of this legendary challenge.

The knot entered later lore as a symbol of an intractable problem and bold problem-solving. In popular tradition, Alexander the Great is said to have solved the challenge not by untangling it but by slicing it apart with his sword, thus fulfilling the prophecy through decisive action rather than physical untying.

Historical details about Gordius vary across sources, and the tale likely blends myth, cultic tradition, and dynastic legend surrounding Gordium. The name Gordius/Gordias also appears in other Greek legends and linguistic contexts, but the Gordian Knot remains the defining element of Gordius’s legend.