| This article is about the unit in the PC game. For the unit in the handheld video game, see Minotaur (Age of Empires: Mythologies). |
The Minotaur is a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a human. In Age of Mythology, it is a Greek myth unit available through the worship of Athena.
Special Attack 
Edit
Gore – sends an enemy unit flying away, causing 60 hack damage. This works on all human units plus the following humanoid, infantry-like myth units: other Minotaurs, the Cyclops, Anubite, Einherjar, Scorpion Man, Mummy, Avenger and Jiangshi. Recharge time: 15 seconds.
Attack Bonuses Edit
- Myth Units x2
- Heroes x0.5
Upgrades Edit
Specific Edit
- Labyrinth of Minos (Athena): Upgrades Minotaurs to Bull Minotaurs, which are cheaper and have 40% more hit points.
General Edit
- Oracle (Apollo): increases LOS by 6.
- Bacchanalia (Dionysus): increases hit points by 5%.
- Monstrous Rage (Hera + Zeus): increases hack and crush attacks by 25%.
StrategyEdit
Minotaurs are one of the most powerful Classical Age myth units in the game, with excellent attack, high HP and reasonable speed. They can easily kill any human soldier as well as almost all other Classical Age myth units. Their special attack helps with this, as it works as an instant kill against weaker units such as archers. In large groups Minotaurs can raze towns with the proper support as they do a fair amount of crush damage.
MythologyEdit
Scientific name: Homo taurus
Size: about 9' tall
Diet: humans, especially maidens
King Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull as a sign he was fit to rule Crete. He promised to sacrifice the animal, but when it appeared, he kept it for his own. In retribution, Poseidon cause Minos' wife to fall in love with the bull. Their offspring was the Minotaur, a beast with the head of a bull and the body of a man. Minos had a huge labyrinth constructed under Crete where the Minotaur could be kept. Each year seven boys and seven girls were sent into the maze to be eaten by the beast. Eventually the Minotaur was slain by Theseus who unraveled a ball of twine as he moved into the labyrinth so he could find his way out.
The legend of the minotaur may have originated because of the importance of the bull in Minoan ritual. Minoan buildings were adorned with bull horns, their hourglass shields covered with bull hide. Early frescoes show Minoan youths leaping over the horns of bulls as a form of sport.
GalleryEdit
| Myth units | ||
|---|---|---|
| Culture | Age | Units |
| Greek | 
|  Pegasus ·  Hippocampus
|
|  Centaur ·  Minotaur ·  Cyclops
| |
|  Nemean Lion ·  Hydra ·  Scylla ·  Manticore
| |
|  Colossus ·  Medusa ·  Carcinos ·  Chimera
| |
| Egyptian |
|  Anubite ·  Serpent / Sea Snake ·  Sphinx ·  Wadjet
|
|
|  Petsuchos ·  Roc ·  Scarab ·  Leviathan ·  Scorpion Man ·  Minion
| |
|
|  Phoenix ·  War Turtle ·  Avenger ·  Mummy
| |
| Norse |
|  Raven
|
|
|  Troll ·  Valkyrie ·  Einherjar
| |
|
|  Kraken ·  Mountain Giant ·  Walking Tree ·  Frost Giant ·  Battle Boar
| |
|
|  Jormund Elver ·  Fimbulwinter Wolf ·  Fenris Wolf Brood ·  Fire Giant ·  Nidhogg
| |
| Atlantean |
|  Automaton ·  Promethean (Offspring) ·  Caladria ·  Servant ·  Carnivora
|
|
|  Nereid ·  Satyr ·  Stymphalian Bird ·  Dryad ·  Behemoth
| |
|
|  Heka Gigantes ·  Man O' War ·  Argus ·  Lampades ·  Tartarian Spawn
| |
| Chinese |
|  Qilin ·  Monkey King ·  Terracotta Warrior
|
|
|  War Salamander ·  Jiangshi ·  Pixiu
| |
|
|  Azure Dragon ·  Dragon Turtle ·  Vermilion Bird ·  White Tiger ·  Earth Dragon
| |
 Titans
| ||
| All |
| |
