Tartarus

In Greek mythology, Tartarus is a deep, gloomy abyss that exists beneath the Earth, far below the realm of Hades, and is often depicted as a place of punishment. While Hades is the god of the underworld, Tartarus serves as a specific region within it, reserved for the most severe punishments and the eternal imprisonment of wrongdoers. It is both a deity and a place, often personified as a primordial force born from Chaos, the first entity in the universe.

Tartarus is frequently mentioned in ancient Greek texts, including Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", where it is described as being deeper than the deepest part of the Earth, symbolizing absolute despair and suffering. The ancient Greeks believed that Tartarus was a place for the most infamous beings, such as the Titans, who were overthrown by the Olympian gods. The Titans were imprisoned there after their defeat in the Titanomachy, the great battle between the Olympian gods and the Titans. Tartarus was also the home of Cronus, the father of Zeus, and other figures like Prometheus (who was later freed by Heracles).

The conditions of Tartarus were harsh, with no escape. Those sent to Tartarus were subjected to eternal torment. For example, in Greek mythology, Sisyphus was condemned to push a boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down every time he neared the top, symbolizing futile, endless punishment. Thus, Tartarus is a place associated with ultimate justice, retribution, and the inescapable consequences of sin.