Upon returning to Athens after defeating the Minotaur in Crete, Theseus replaced King Aegeus, leading Athens into a new era of success.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: True
Explanation
The statement is true. After slaying the Minotaur in Crete, Theseus returned to Athens and eventually became king, succeeding his father, King Aegeus. This marked the beginning of a new era for Athens in both myth and the cultural imagination of the Greeks.
In the myth, Theseus travels to Crete to stop the tribute of young Athenians being sent to be devoured by the Minotaur—a punishment imposed on Athens by King Minos. With the help of Minos’s daughter, Ariadne, Theseus defeats the Minotaur and escapes the Labyrinth. However, on his return voyage, he forgets to replace the black sails of mourning with white ones, as he had promised his father if he succeeded. Seeing the black sails, King Aegeus assumes his son is dead and throws himself into the sea, which was henceforth called the Aegean Sea.
Theseus then becomes king of Athens. As a ruler, he is celebrated in mythology for uniting the scattered communities of Attica under a single political entity, thus laying the groundwork for the democratic city-state that Athens would become. His leadership was considered wise and just, and he introduced many reforms that helped stabilize and elevate Athens politically and culturally.
Theseus’s reign is often associated with the early foundations of democracy. Though much of his story is mythical, later Athenians regarded him as a historical figure who contributed to the civic unity and political organization of the city. As such, Theseus became a national hero in classical Athens, symbolizing bravery, self-sacrifice, and the triumph of civilization over chaos and barbarism.
Therefore, Theseus replacing Aegeus and leading Athens into a new and successful era is a key element of his myth and aligns with how ancient Athenians understood their own origins.
