Hippocentaur (Equus centaurus) (also known as Horsetaur, Hippotaur, Equinocentaur, Equinotaur, Equitaur, and numerous alias in variations) or better known in both modern-mainstreams and commonly historical myths as just Centaur is an equine centaur from within the origin of Ancient Greek, Roman and Etruscan mythology. These horse-centaurs have the waist up of a human and the waist down of a horse.
There are 3 different versions of centaurs that exist within Greek art:
- The more common ones with horse forelegs and hooves.
- The slightly rare ones with human forelegs and feet.
- The rarest ones with human forelegs and horse hooves.
The Mating Season of the Centaurs. Painting by Rubens (circa 1635), Calouste-Gulbenkian Museum
According to the original ancient greek myths, The origin of Hippocentaurs lies upon Ixion, an evil human king, who was tricked by Zeus to sleep with a cloud (Nephele) that looked like Hera. The union resulted in a hideous creature, hippocentaurus. Hippocentaurus mated with local mares to create the first ever hippocentaurs. Most hippocentaurs were depicted as barbaric and violent in nature, and having a strong love for wine, so much so that they would become drunkards. Hippocentaurs in greek art, also have been shown, albeit rare, to be able to pull chariots, much like normal horses. Hippocentaurs are capable of mating with Nereids to create Ichthyocentaurs. Only 2 hippocentaurs out of the rest were not depicted acting as most hippocentaurs do. They were Chiron and Pholus. These 2 centaurs came from a different lineage, with their father being the titan Chronus.
Articulated hippocentaur dummy skeleton
The hippocentaur's half-human, half-horse composition has led many writers to treat them as liminal beings, caught between the two natures they embody in contrasting myths; they are both the embodiment of untamed nature, as in their battle with the Lapiths (their kin), and conversely, teachers like Chiron.
The female hippocentaur is called a Hippocentauride, the hippocentaurides are usually depicted as a female centaur with pretty much all the nature’s beauty, but even they’re smaller than male hippocentaurs.
If a hippocentaur needs to sleep, then they can sleep standing up, like horses, but it does require both a special harness or corset and practice. And it's not very comfortable for anything deeper than a doze or catnap for most, so it's mostly reserved for bad situations, naps, or guard duty. Most common are recliners, or 'hammocks'.
Evolution of Hippocentaur[]
The evolution of hippocentaur by Catpixels
The hippocentaur (Kentauros miribilis), a prehistoric centaur with the upper body of a humanoid and the lower body of an equine, but it has long been regarded as a product of folklore. However, a growing body of speculative paleomythology has begun to reconstruct a plausible evolutionary lineage. From aquatic tetrapods to spear-wielding hunters, this overview presents the hypothetical prehistoric progression of the centaur.
Stage 1: Desmospondylus (c. 370 MYA – Late Devonian)[]
- Environment: Shallow freshwater estuaries.
- Description: A lobe-finned fish similar to Tiktaalik, showing the first development of weight-bearing limbs.
- Significance: Marks the transition from aquatic to semi-terrestrial life. This early ancestor gave rise to the diverse lineage of land-dwelling vertebrates—including proto-centauriforms.
Stage 2: Arquatus (c. 340 MYA – Early Carboniferous)[]
- Environment: Swampy lowlands.
- Description: A small, amphibian-like vertebrate capable of walking on land. It featured strong limbs and a tail used for balance.
- Significance: This species marks the beginning of limb specialization, an essential trait in later centaur locomotion.
Stage 3: Strenunyx (c. 220 MYA – Late Triassic)[]
- Environment: Arid plains and conifer forests.
- Description: A bipedal, lightly feathered theropod with forward-facing eyes and clawed hands.
- Significance: Strenunyx represents the transition from sprawling to upright gaits and the first emergence of hunting behavior using tools or forelimbs.
Stage 4: Allosomorphotherium (c. 80 MYA – Late Cretaceous)[]
- Environment: Dense forests and scrubland.
- Description: A small, warm-blooded mammal with high intelligence and semi-upright posture.
- Significance: Considered the basal mammalian ancestor of centaurs, combining predatory behavior with dexterous paws.
Stage 5: Cryptovulpes (c. 45 MYA – Early Eocene)[]
- Environment: Temperate woodlands.
- Description: A fox-sized omnivore capable of rearing up to manipulate objects with forelimbs.
- Significance: Showed initial adaptations for bipedal posture and social coordination. Some fossilized tools suggest early proto-sapient behavior.
Stage 6: Camptospondylus (c. 1.8 MYA – Pleistocene Epoch)[]
- Environment: Grasslands and savannas.
- Description: A large-bodied centauroid with a humanoid torso and equine lower body. Hair-covered with primitive tool use, likely in tribal bands.
- Significance: Displays the full centauriform skeletal morphology. Strong evidence of complex hunting, group tactics, and primitive language use.
Stage 7: Kentauros miribilis (c. 15,000 years ago – Late Pleistocene to Holocene)[]
- Environment: Mixed woodland and open steppe.
- Description: Fully evolved centaur. Large, intelligent, fully bipedal upper torso seamlessly fused with a quadrupedal horse-like lower body.
- Significance: Reached cognitive and anatomical peak. Likely coexisted with early humans, giving rise to myths and oral traditions in ancient civilizations.
Conclusion[]
Sketch of Hippocentaur evolution by Viergacht (on Deviantart)
The hippocentaur’s evolutionary lineage—though entirely fictional—follows a surprisingly consistent pattern when viewed through the lens of speculative biology. The anatomical transition from aquatic tetrapods to large-brained hybrid quadrupeds would require extreme evolutionary pressures and convergent adaptations. While hippocentaurs remain mythic, their imagined history serves as a mirror to our own evolutionary journey—part truth, part dream, galloping always toward mystery.