The Ancient Greeks
Mythology
Source of Image: http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/200/4/9/god_of_war_mount_olympus_by_nichtelf-d40z92d.jpg
Zeus
GOD OF THE SKIES AND KING OF THE GODS
SYMBOL: MASTER BOLT
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: JUPITER
GOD OF THE SEAS
SYMBOL(S): TRIDENT, HORSES, DOLPHIN
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: NEPTUNE
GODDESS OF MARRIAGE, WOMEN AND BIRTH AND QUEEN OF THE GODS
SYMBOL(S): PEACOCK, DIADEM, POMEGRANATE
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: JUNO
GODDESS OF WISDOM, BATTLE STRATEGY. POT-MAKING AND WOOL-WORKING
SYMBOL(S): OWL, GOAT-SKIN CLOAK, OLIVE TREE
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: MINERVA
GOD OF THE SUN, TRUTH, MUSIC, POETRY, DANCE AND HEALING
SYMBOL(S): LYRE, BOW, WOLF, RAVEN, LAUREL TREE
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: N/A
Poseidon
Hera
Apollo
Athena
GOD OF WAR AND DEFENCE
SYMBOL(S): SPEAR, DOG
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: MARS
GODDESS OF LOVE, PLEASURE AND BEAUTY
SYMBOL(S): GIRDLE, SEASHELL, MIRROR, DOVE
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: VENUS
GODDESS OF THE HUNT AND THE MOON
SYMBOL(S): BOW, PIKE, CEDAR TREE, SNAKE, BEAR AND DEAR
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: DIANA
GOD OF WINE, THEATRE AND JOY
SYMBOL(S): THYRSOS, FLUTE, WINE BARRELS, PANTHER AND TIGER
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: BACCHUS
THE MESSENGER OF THE GODS
SYMBOL(S): CADUCEUS, LEATHER POUCH, WINGED SANDALS, RAM AND A PETASUS
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: MERCURY
GODDESS OF AGRICULTURE
SYMBOL(S): EAR OF WHEAT AND GRAIN
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: CERES
GOD OF THE FORGES AND FIRE
SYMBOL(S): FIRE, AXE, PINCERS, HAMMER
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: VULCAN
GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD
SYMBOL(S): HIS HELMET OF INVISIBILITY, CERBERUS (THREE HEADED DOG)
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: PLUTO
GODDESS OF OF THE HEARTH AND DOMESTIC LIFE
SYMBOL(S): FIREPLACE
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: VESTA
Apart from these twelve there were three other gods that were important; Hades, Persephone and Hestia. Hades lived in the Underworld, for a few months every year his wife, Persephone, lived with him. He was only allowed on Olympus when invited which was usually when an important decision had to be made. To read Persephone's story go here.
Hestia used to be a part of the twelve Olympians but then Zeus' son, Dionysus, wanted to be one. She gave up her throne so not to cause a war between the Gods. She sits by the hearth in the main throne room of Olympus, keeping it warm so she is still part of the Olympians.
Here is one interesting fact about each of the Gods and Goddesses I've mentioned:
-
Since Kronos ate all of his children except Zeus, he was the youngest of his siblings but also the oldest because he was around the longest.
-
Poseidon was an unruly god with hot temper. He is linked to earthquakes which were thought to take place when he got angry.
-
Hera was jealous of Athena and Aphrodite. It was said that she gave her support to the Greeks during the Trojan War because Paris, a prince of Troy, said that Aphrodite, and not Hera, was the most beautiful of the gods.
-
Athena is the daughter of Zeus but has no mother since she sprang out of his forehead in full body armour.
-
Apollo had one of he most important jobs of the day. He had to harness his chariot to horses and drive the sun across the sky.
-
Ares had an affair with Aphrodite. They had a son and a daughter names Eros and Harmonia.
-
Aphrodite was forced to marry Hephaestus by Zeus but she was not faithful and had many affairs with mortals and gods alike, including Ares.
QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD
SYMBOL(S): ALSO THE POMEGRANATE, FLOWERS
ROMAN EQUIVILANT: PROSERPINA
ARES
Aphrodite
Artemis
HEPHAESTUS
Demeter
HERMES
Dionysus
Hades
Hestia
Persephone
8. Artemis was Apollo's older twin sister and was her mother, Leto's midwife during his birth.
9. Hepahestus was the only god to be born physically ugly. It was said that he was so ugly that Hera threw him off of Mount Olympus when she got a good look at him, breaking his legs in the process.
10. Demeter was very attached to her daughter, Persephone, so when she was abducted by Hades, Demeter set a curse on the land that made all the plants wither and die. The curse was only lifted when a deal was made with Hades.
11. Hermes wore winged sandals and was said to be one of the fastest of the gods.
12. Dionysus was married to Ariadne, princess/priestess of Crete, and they had several children, but like all gods and goddesses he had affairs with mortals and somtimes even other gods.
13. Hades was the God/Lord of the Underworld but not the God of Death, that was Thanatos. However, Hades has power over the dead and can control them if need be.
14. Not much is known about Hestia but it is said that rarely ever left her home at the Hearth of the throne room of Olympus.
15. Persephone was considered goddess of Spring before she married Hades. Some people still think she is and that's why when she leaves for the Underworld in those three months everything goes cold (i.e. Winter) but others say that it is Demeter who does that.
Gods and Godesses had affairs with other Gods and mortals, except for the few who were sworn virgins. If they were to have an affair with a mortal, they might have ended up having a child with said mortal. These children were therefore half human, half god making him or her a demigod or, as they were often called, a hero. Demigods feature in a majority of Greek myths. Some well known ones are Achilles, Heracles and Perseus.
To read some of the Greek myths, visit the following site:
This site is a list of different myths which you just have to click on to read. The myths are also easy to read.
Visit this site for a summary of the legendary story of Odysseus.
For more information general Greek mythology visit these sites:
This is an easy to read introduction to Greek mythology made by sith grade students.
This detailed site categorises the Gods.
The Ancient Greeks told myths about Gods and Goddesses. These Gods were considered deities and were worshipped by the Greeks. Myths often explained phenomena that could not be explained by the science of the times. Twelve of these Gods and Goddesses made up a council and they were known as the Olympians. Other Gods were divided into categories according to their domain such as sky, sea, or earth. Other Gods were personifications representing certain human emotions.