Sciron

Sciron is a figure in Greek mythology remembered as a notorious robber who haunted the road from Megara to Athens. He is primarily known for a trap in which he forced travelers to wash his feet and then hurled them from a cliff into the sea, where a giant sea-turtle would devour them. This story places Sciron among the infamous highwaymen that Theseus is said to defeat on his journey to Athens, alongside Sinis, Cercyon, and Procrustes.

In the most common version, Theseus encounters Sciron during his return to Athens. Sciron again demands that Theseus wash his feet; Theseus complies or uses the moment to strike, and he pushes Sciron from the cliff. Sciron falls into the sea and is killed, while the turtle that scavenged the victims remains a lasting symbol of the hazard on the road. The tale emphasizes Theseus’s cunning and strength as part of his broader descent toward kingship in Athens.

Variations of the legend exist. Some accounts downplay the mechanical detail of the foot-washing ruse or offer differing moralizing embellishments, but the core motif—Theseus defeating a ruthless highwayman and ending the feared practice—remains constant. The episode is often grouped with other Thesean exploits that dramatize the hero’s cleansing of the road to Athens.

Legacy and locale: The Sciron episode is associated with a coastal cliff along the ancient highway between Megara and Athens, sometimes linked to a feature known as the Scironian Rocks. The story has been referenced in later literature and art as an example of Theseus’s[the hero's] early trials and the dangers faced on his path to rule.