In Greek mythology, centaurs were creatures that were half man and half horse. They had the head, neck, chest, and arms of a man and the body and legs of a horse. Most centaurs were brutal, violent creatures known for their drunkenness and lawless behavior. They lived mainly around Mount Pelion in Thessaly, a region of northeastern Greece.

Origin of the Centaurs. According to one account, centaurs were descended from Centaurus, a son of ApolloGreek god of the sun, the arts, medicine, and herdsmen; son of Zeus and Leto and twin brother of Artemis. A more widely accepted account of their origin, however, is that they were descendants of Ixion, the son of AresGreek god of war; son of Zeus and Hera (identified with the Roman god Mars) and king of the Lapiths, a people who lived in...