So far, both myths discussed have set the stage for the creation of humanity. The ancient myths vary on exactly how people were created. This section looks at two of the most popular theories.

One myth, popular with Greeks and Romans alike, states that man simply sprang up from the earth. Remember the seeds of the universe buried in Chaos? This myth contains a similar idea about humanity: The seeds of man were buried in the earth. These seeds produced men, who were considered the children of Gaia.

Another myth held that Prometheus created man. Prometheus was a Titan and one of Gaia's many grand-children. Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus were given the tasks of creating man and giving protection to the other beasts. Epimetheus took it upon himself to present the beasts with gifts of preservation and protection: He gave turtles their shells, leopards their spots, bears their claws, and so on.

Prometheus created man, using clay and water as his materials. He fashioned the form of man in the likeness of the gods. But Prometheus's first attempt would not be recognizable as a human today. Humans went through several prototypes before Prometheus was satisfied with his creation.