Which figure ferries souls across the River Styx in Greek mythology? Charon is the ferryman of the Greek underworld, carrying the souls of the dead across a boundary river commonly identified in popular retellings as the Styx.
Charon was associated with Hades’ realm and usually transported only those who had received proper funeral rites. Ancient burial customs sometimes included a small coin, known as Charon’s obol, placed with the deceased as payment for the journey. This practice helps explain the later image of a coin placed in or near the mouth of the dead.
The river’s name is a frequent source of confusion. Many ancient Greek writers place Charon on the Acheron, while Roman poets often associate him with the Styx. The quiz’s answer remains Charon because the ferryman, not the river name, is the defining figure.
Charon is not Hades, the ruler of the underworld, nor Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog. In some myths, he also carried living heroes such as Heracles and Aeneas into the underworld.