Jason was the son of Polymela and Aeson, the expelled king of Iolcus in Thessaly, who was unjustly overthrown from his throne by his half brother Pelion.

Upon his birth, his parents pretended that Jason had died at birth and secretly gave the child to the wise Centaur Chiron to be protected from the enemies. Jason grew up safely in the Mountains of Pelion, practicing perfectly his body and mind under the guidance of the gentle Centaur.

At the age of 20, Jason, with the help of goddess Hera, decided to return to his father’s kingdom in Iolcus to re-claim his family’s throne. On his way, Jason encountered a helpless old woman and offered himself to carry her across a river; the old woman, in fact, was no other than Hera in disguise who was putting Jason’s kind soul to a test. While crossing the river, Jason lost his sandal and therefore arrived at Iolcus with only one sandal.