The Strange, Incredible Lives of Giants and Superhumans Hidden from Human Eyes

According to Saed News, citing Bitoothe, giants have played a significant role in ancient Greek, Roman, and Celtic mythology. But giants were not merely fictional—they also existed as a distinct group of people throughout history who were larger in size than the average human. In modern medicine, their condition is described as a rare disorder.

Giants in Mythology and Reality
In ancient times, the term “giant” was attributed to individuals who were physically enormous and often considered supernatural. Greek mythology also refers to Titans, and even the Bible mentions Goliath as a giant.

The word “giant” first appeared in 1297 AD in Greek mythology. Today, individuals of extraordinary height are medically described as having gigantism.

This rare condition occurs when a child is exposed to unusually high levels of growth hormone before the growth plates close. Approximately three in every million people worldwide are affected. In most cases, excessive growth is a sign of hyperplasia (abnormal tumors) in the pituitary gland.

The Archetypal Giant in Ancient Myths
Mythologists and scholars believe that the archetypal giant in ancient mythology symbolizes humanity’s struggle against the destructive forces of Mother Earth (nature). Perhaps this is why clever giant-slayers prevail: in these tales, intelligence triumphs over brute strength.

Across Celtic, Scandinavian, and Greek mythology, early races of giants existed before humans and the giants of Norse legend ruled the world—until the gods defeated them.

Many historians suggest that violent battles between gods and giants reflect how Vikings dealt with other tribes. Vikings were considered godlike, while other peoples were likened to giants slain in battle.

Later, the Normans translated the Old Norse word Jötunn into geant, inspired by the Latin Gigans, which referred to the Greek Titans. This merged Greek, Roman, and Norse giants into a single mythological concept.

In the image below, Poseidon is shown on the left battling a giant on the right (likely Polypus).

Ancient mythology often describes giants living beyond human sight, behind the farthest mountains or on remote islands.