Gordius

king of Phrygia

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Gordius was a legendary peasant who became king of Phrygia, an ancient kingdom in Anatolia. He founded the city of Gordium, which became the capital of Phrygia. According to legend, Gordius tied an intricate knot connecting his chariot's yoke to its pole. An oracle declared that whoever could untie this complex knot would rule all of Asia. In 333 BC, Alexander the Great arrived in Gordium and, unable to untie the knot, famously cut it with his sword, fulfilling the prophecy and conquering Asia. The term "Gordian knot" now symbolizes a complex problem, and "cutting the Gordian knot" refers to a bold, decisive solution.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Gordium
…was founded by the peasant Gordius, who contrived the knot later cut by Alexander the Great. Gordium remained the political centre of Phrygia until the Cimmerians burned the city and shattered Phrygian power in Anatolia in the early 7th century bc. Though rebuilt under the Persians, Gordium never regained its…
Read More
…was founded by the peasant Gordius, who contrived the knot later cut by Alexander the Great. Gordium remained the political centre of Phrygia until the Cimmerians burned the city and shattered Phrygian power in Anatolia in the early 7th century bc. Though rebuilt under the Persians, Gordium never regained its…
Read More