In ancient Greek mythology, which dragon guarded the Golden Fleece in Colchis?

In ancient Greek mythology, the Colchian dragon guarded the Golden Fleece in Colchis.

The Golden Fleece belonged to the winged ram whose fleece helped save Phrixus and Helle. Phrixus eventually reached Colchis, sacrificed the ram, and presented the fleece to King Aeëtes. Aeëtes hung it in a sacred grove dedicated to Ares, where the sleepless Colchian dragon guarded it.

Jason and the Argonauts later came to Colchis to claim the fleece as part of Jason’s quest for the throne of Iolcus. Medea, Aeëtes’ daughter and a skilled sorceress, helped Jason overcome the dragon. Ancient accounts differ in the details: Medea may have used drugs, charms, or songs to put it to sleep, allowing Jason to take the fleece.

The Colchian dragon is sometimes mistakenly identified as Ladon, the guardian of the Hesperides’ apples. Both are treasure-guarding dragons in Greek mythology, but they protect different objects and belong to different stories. The adjective “Colchian” identifies the dragon’s location in the Black Sea region.