In Greek mythology, Minos became a judge of the dead after his death.
Minos is best known as the king of Crete who ordered the Labyrinth built for the Minotaur. In later Greek tradition, his reputation continued beyond the earthly story: he became one of the judges who determined the fate of souls in the underworld.
The other judges were usually named Rhadamanthus and Aeacus. Rhadamanthus was Minos’s brother in the myths of Zeus and Europa, while Aeacus was associated with the island of Aegina. Some accounts give Minos the leading role, portraying him as the final arbiter when the other judges disagreed.
This underworld role is separate from the earlier Cretan legend, although both traditions concern Minos’s authority and judgment. Roman authors, including Virgil, helped make the image of Minos as an underworld judge especially familiar to later readers.