Half-Olympian son of Poseidon by Aethra; legal son of Aegeus, king of Athens. Athens's central founding-hero; the synoikismos (unification of the Attic demes into one polis) traced to him. Cleared the Isthmus road of bandits in six labors. Killed the Minotaur in the Cretan Labyrinth with Ariadne's thread. Abandoned Ariadne on Naxos. Forgot to switch the white sail, causing Aegeus's suicide and the eponymous origin of the Aegean Sea. Inseparable friend of Pirithous; imprisoned with him in Hades on the Persephone-abduction attempt; rescued by Heracles. Killed on Skyros by King Lycomedes. Bones returned to Athens by Cimon in 476 BCE and housed in the Theseion (now identified with the Hephaisteion).