The myth of the centaur originated in the Near East between 1750 and 1150 B.C. Centaurs originally functioned as guardian spirits and were depicted as hunters. Their principal weapon was the bow and arrow. As the myth of centaurs grew, it is thought that the Hittite culture may have imported tales of half-men and half-horse beings to the Mycenean Greeks.

Once adopted into Greek culture, centaurs became associated with drunkenness and physical violence as well as followers of Dionysus; the god of wine. However, the centaur Cheiron was cherished within Greek culture and was known for his wisdom and healing abilities.

In Greece, centaurs were presumed to inhabit Mount Pelion in Thessaly, located in northern Greece. The father of the Centaurs was believed to be Centaurus who was held in disrepute by both men and gods. Some accounts claim that he was the son of Apollo and Stilbe but, the more interesting accounts say he was the offspring of Ixion (the king of Thessaly) and a cloud shaped into the form of Hera by Zeus. Centaurus gave birth to the race of Centaurs by mating with Magnesian mares.

The pivotal event in the history of the Centaurs was their war with the Lapiths. King Peirithous of the Lapiths inherited part of Thessaly from his father Ixion. The Centaurs, as grandsons of Ixion, claimed that they were entitled to part of the land. After a first round of fighting a peace was arranged. Peirithous invited the Centaurs to his wedding. Here the Centaurs became drunk and violent. Under the leadership of Eurytion they attempted to carry off the Lapith women. In the resulting battle the Centaurs were defeated and driven from the area.

Early Greek drawings show men wearing fetishes of hindquarters of horses joined to their waists. These hobby-horse fetishes later became depictions of human torsos joined to actual horse bodies. Fights between humans and centaurs in myth became a popular feature of Greek art. The depiction of centaurs were also used by some to symbolize man's dual nature as an intellectual creature (the human half) and a physical animal (the horse half).