Greek Mythology has always been fascinating. That is why countless generations have been transmitting their extraordinary lives and adventures for about 3000 years.
There were numerous gods and goddesses in Ancient Greece, each river, each whiff of wind was represented by a dedicated god or goddess.
It allowed the men to understand their universe, to make it comprehensible. Even abstract concepts such as justice or retribution were personalised by dedicated gods and thus were easy to apprehend.
According to the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus , Homer and especially Hesiod have written down the genealogy of the gods as we know it.
The growth of the cities -polis- around 800 BCE gave an increased interest in religion with the construction of dedicated temples and sanctuaries.
It is also important to understand that each city had her own specific gods and heroes, thus their own dedicated temples and priests their own festivals and celebrations.
The cult of Heracles, the only hero to have been granted immortality was the only one which was celebrated every where in Ancient Greece.
For the Ancient Greeks there was a common understanding between them and the gods. The men had the obligation to perform the rituals and sacrifices requested by the gods who will then in return accept to protect them.
And therefore to stay on the safe side of the mighty and susceptible gods, one should consult the oracle before taking any important decision .
There was no worse offence than to be charged of atheism. It was precisely the accusation against Socrates and the main reason why he was condemned.
The Olympian Gods
The most most important gods, the most powerful were the twelve Olympians Gods .
Six of them were the children of the Titans Chronos and Rhea and helped their youngest brother Zeus overthrown their father and the Titans, the other six were their most important children.
They all lived most of the time on the top of the secret Mount Olympus where they would eat ambrosias and drink nectar.
These gods and goddesses, with their rivalries, their passions were the reasons for the chaos of life.
So all the conundrums, the chaos, the ups and downs , the ups and downs in every one’s ’s life were explainable either by the direct intervention of a deity or by the indirect consequences of their actions.
No mortal had a complete responsibility for his life, which is important.
How many gods lived on Mount Olympus ?
All the different authors agree that only a minority lived there permanently, the most important ones surrounded Zeus.
A list of 12 Olympian gods and goddesses has been even established by some authors with Dionysus taking the place of Hera when she would storm out, in fury because of one more infidelity of Zeus.
The only fact that all the distinguished authors agree about is that Hares lived permanently in his Underworld kingdom.
1- ZEUS
Roman name : Jupiter
Zeus was the most powerful of the gods . He was the leader and therefore he ruled over all the gods and goddesses. He was the God of the sky , the earth and of course the lightning.
He was the youngest of the children of Cronus and Rhea, the poor queen could not accept any longer having her children swallowed by her brother and husband Cronus who after overthrowing his own father Uranus was terrified to be doomed by the same fate.
So Rhea decided to hid the newborn Zeus and left him under the care of the nymphs of Mount Ida and let the goat Amalthea feed the baby. She gave a stone in place of the newborn for Cronus to swallow..
Zeus grew up happily happily on the island of Crete until he was ready to confront his mighty and pitiless father. He managed to drug Chronos, forcing him to vomit his siblings.
In the Great War that followed, known as the Titanomachy, the Olympian Gods, with the help of the giants and some Titans such as Prometheus defeated the Titans and became the rulers of the world.
Cronus was condemned to live forever in exile in Tartarus . The Titans were entrapped deep below the ground which by the way explain all the tremors and disastrous earthquakes. Grateful to the goat Amalthea, Zeus transformed her into a shiny constellation . But before putting her among the shiny stars he ripped her horn to give it to the nymphs who raised him.
The horn, better known as “ Cornucopia “, was gifted to the nymphs with the power to produce endlessly what the nymphs loved above all : blossoming flowers, delicious fruits, expensive jewellery…
After an attack of the Giants which failed thanks to the watch of Zeus faithful eagle, Zeus wisely understood that he could not rule alone and divided his ruling power into 3 main separate powers : he kept for himself the sky and the earth, gave to Poseidon the seas and to Hades the Underworld.
So before the American Constitution, Zeus introduced the rule of the separation of powers.
How to recognise him ?
His attributes are the thunderbolt, made for him by the Cyclops and the mighty staff. He is also represented by an eagle or with an eagle, mastering the sky, but also by an oak.
The Olympic Games were created and held in honour of Zeus.
2- PASEIDON
Roman name : Neptune
Poseidon was also the child of the ruler of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, thus one older brother of Zeus.
After their victory against their father , Zeus gave to his brother Poseidon the power over the sea, the earthquakes and the horses, as they were created out of the foam of the waves.
Poseidon is not an easy going god, nor a forgiving god as Odysseus can testify.
“ Zeus may be strong, but he is over-reaching himself if he threatens me with violence as I am the same rank as he.”
Homer The Iliad 15-191
How to recognise him ?
Poseidon’s attribute is a trident, also forged by the Cyclops, and by striking it, he would cause natural disasters, storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc…
He is also represented by a horse, a dolphin, both his creations.
Ancient Greeks had a calendar period dedicated exclusively to Poseidon which they named after him : Poseideon (between the months of November and December). During that month, they would hold a festival in his honor, called Poseidea.
3- HADES
Roman name : Pluto
Hades, the somber other brother of Zeus was given the Kingdom of the Underworld, the place down below where all the souls end up after death.
The main entry of the underworld is guarded by the ferocious dog with 3 heads Cerberus . All dead souls need to pay Charon, the ferryman, for the passage through the Styx river. Another entry, located under the lake of Leornean is guarded by the monstrous Hydra with multiple heads.
Hades’s appearance is considered to be terrifying for the living. For many, just mentioning his name was frightening. When the Greeks were praying to him, they would clapped their hands on the ground to make sure he heard them performing their duties towards him. No one wanted to seem disrespectful to such a terrible god.
All the black animals, such as sheep, had to be sacrificed in his honour.
He is the reason why there is a winter.
After he felt in love with his niece Persephone and abducted her into his Underworld kingdom, his sister Demeter decided that nothing will grow till her beloved daughter wasn’t given back to her. As Persephone has eaten a seed of pomegranate in the underworld, her father Zeus had to find a compromise as there is an obscure divine law that whoever eats in the underworld is bound to stay.
So as there was an obscure law that whoever eats in the underworld is bound to stay.
So the lovely Persephone would have to have to spend 4 months in the underworld and nothing on earth would grow; the other months she would returned to her mother and the earth would rejoice and be fertile. and be fertile.
Hades had a helmet that made its bearer invisible to all.
He was also the god of wealth as all the precious minerals came from beneath the ground.
How to recognise him ?
His attributes are the cornucopia, a key, a sceptre and the 3 headed dog Cerberus.
4- HERA
Roman name : Juno
Hera is both a sister and the wife of Zeus. She is the goddess of marriage and the protector of women. She is tortured by her jealousy as her husband has so many extra marital affairs and she is famous for her vindictiveness.
She is the protector of the institution of mariage.
In honor of Hera, festivals were held in many cities of ancient Greece and were called Heraia. The most famous Heraia was held in Argos, Samos and Olympia.
How to recognise her ?
The attributes of Hera are either a sceptre as a symbol of sovereignty or a pomegranate as a symbol of fertility, but also a peacock or a cuckoo or a cow.
5- DEMETER
Roman name : Ceres
Demeter is the sister of Zeus and had a daughter with him the lovely the lovely Persephone.
She is the Goddess of vegetation and agriculture, of fertility and newly married couples.
The capture of her daughter Persephone by her other brother Hades broke the heart of Demeter. She wandered silently the Earth, wearing black scrutinising all the mortals in search of her darling daughter . The fields became barren. Zeus had to find a compromise and allowed Persephone to be reunited with her beloved mother 8 for 9 months of the year. During these 9 months the nature blossoms : there are spring, summer and autumn. In winter , when Persephone must rejoin her husband Hades in his Underworld kingdom nothing grows : it is winter, cold, harsh and barren .
The Eleusinian Mysteries
Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, were central characters in the Eleusinian Mysteries, where initiates would accomplish rites from 1600 BCE to 392 CE.
Every year in spring time , the Ancient Athenians would celebrate this renaissance with the mystical Eleusinian festivals.
The Eleusinian were a secretive school in Eleusis in the northwest of Athens dedicated to celebrate Demeter and Persephone but as the initiated were condemned to death if they talked about the rituals performed, the mystery is still intact.
It is only known that during these rituals the initiates would be given such a vivid vision of their afterlife that it would free them from the fear of death as they understood that the soul stay intact through a continuous change of mortal bodies.
How to recognise her ?
Demeter attributes are a sceptre, a cornucopia, a torch and a wheat sheaf.
6- HESTIA
Roman name : Vesta
Hestia, the first child and eldest daughter of Cronus and Rhea was the quietest and most peaceful goddess : she was the goddess of family, home and hearth, she was the eternal flame that would keep the family’s home warm.
The Ancients’ houses would always have a sanctuary in the center of them and the woman of the house would be responsible for keeping Hestia’s flame burning.
The fire of Hestia did travel as when a Greek city founded a new colony, they brought the sacred fire with them.
Hestia is permanently staying on mount Olympus, taking care of the sacred flame.
How to recognise her ?
Hestia’s attribute is a sceptre ( just like Hera which makes it some times difficult to identify one from the other).
7- APHRODITE
Roman name : Venus
“ The power of Aphrodite is irresistible “
Hippolytus by Euripides
Aphrodite emerged from the sea foam after Uranus blood was spilled in the sea after being castrated by his own son Chronos .
Driven by Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, she was then transferred to Mount Olympus, where she was introduced to Zeus and the other gods, all were immediately and absolutely subdued.
She was and still is the symbol of feminine beauty.
She was quite naturally the goddess of love and desire, of beauty and pleasure.
Gods and mortals alike were all entangled and subdued by her beauty.
Aphrodite had many lovers but her greatest love was the God of War, Ares. Quite surprisingly she was tricked to marry the ugliest god : Hephaestus.
How to recognise her ?
Well, she can’t be missed as she is always so spectacularly beautiful with perfect features and proportions.
Still the list of her attributes are : the dove, the swan, the bee, the rose, the myrtle and the scallop shell.
The children of Zeus
Remember the rule : the child of two gods is a god, the child of one god and a mortal is a Demi or semi god ,: the child of 2 mortals can only be a hero at best.
But as with most rules there were exceptions.
8- ARES
Roman name : Mars
Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera.
He was the god of war, of violent battles, of bloodshed.
He is provocative and impulsive in nature. He symbolises the more violent aspects of war, ignoring any rule or law, in contrast to the other Goddess of war, Athena, celebrated for her strategic sense.
He is usually represented either naked with a powerful body dressed only with a helmet and a spear or as an armed warrior.
He was absolutely terrifying as he rushed to battle with scary eyes while screaming as loudly as ten thousands soldiers yelling. He was constantly thirsty for blood. He knew no mercy.
According to Homer all the gods despised him except his brother’s wife the goddess Aphrodite with whom he had a love affair.
How to recognise him ?
His attributes are either the boar, the serpent, the dog, the vulture, the spear and the shield.
9- HEPHAESTUS
Roman name : Vulcan
“Oh, Muses, sing in your clear voices of Hephaestus glorified for his inventions. With Athena the bright-eyed he showed men throughout the world how to use his wonderful gifts.
For until they had learned the crafts of Hephaestus, men lived like wild beasts in the mountain caves”…
Homeric Hymn to Hephaestus 2.1-7
The son of Zeus and Hera and in some versions the son of Hera alone as he was so hideous that some authors believed that Hera was responsible alone for his poor appearance. He could not possibly have any link to the majestic Zeus.
Hephaestus was such an ugly baby, that as soon as Hera, his mother, saw him, she threw him out of Olympus without a second thought. He ended up in the depths of the ocean and as a consequence would limped all his life. Thankfully the Nereid Thetis (who was to become Achilles mother) took care of him on the island of Lemnos.
Despite his unbecoming appearance which singled him out in Olympus, he was one of the most dedicated god to his trade : he was the god of construction and metallurgy, but also of craftsmanship, of fire and of volcanoes.
He was a master blacksmith and spend most of his time in his forge. That’s why all the myths related to him are related to his work : the winged sandals of Hermes, the creation of Pandora the first woman, the chain of Prometheus to the rock…..
He tricked her mother by imprisoning her to her throne and won back his destined place in Olympus and the hand of the most beautiful woman in the universe, the most celebrated Aphrodite, who had to marry him.
How to recognise him?
The characteristic symbol of Hephaestus is, of course, his hammer!
The temple of Hephaestus in the Agora in Athens is spectacular and is one of the best preserved Greek temples in the world.
10- ATHENA
Roman name : Minerva
She was the goddess of wisdom, reason and strategic warfare.
Athena was Zeus’ favourite daughter.
The story of her birth is unique, she came out with the help of Hephaestus of Zeus’ forehead (from the centre of reason) in full armour . Her mother is the Oceanid Metis and embodied the concept of pure abstract thought.
She battled with Poseidon over the patronage of the city of Athens and won by offering an olive tree. The olive tree provided olives thus olive oil, fuel and shade from the sun, all more useful than the horses of Poseidon. The inhabitants of Athens voted in favour of Athena and decided to name their city by the name of their powerful protector Athena.
Protector of heroes, Athena is considered to be the wisest and one of the most important Olympian Gods.
How to recognise her?
She is symbolized by an owl and holds a spear and a shield made of goat’s skin. Her attribute could also be the olive tree.
The Temple of the Parthenon of the Acropolis in Athens is the most famous temple dedicated to her.
There were many festivals in honor of the Goddess but the Great Panathenaea in Athens was probably the largest celebration in honour of her.
11. HERMES
Roman name : Mercury
The son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, the cunning and clever Hermes was the messenger of the gods and also the god of roads and trade, of herds and flocks, of diplomacy, of language of writing, of astronomy, astrology, of wealth, thieves and travelers.
He was also the god of athletic competitions.
He was also known as the Messenger God, as he was the one delivering messages between the Gods and the mortals with his golden flying sandals.
Speed was in his essence as he was conceived and born within the course of one single day.
The Olympian God was also known as the soul barer, the one that would lead the soul of the dead to the Gates of the Underworld.
Last but not least he was considered to be the first teacher of the human race, introducing the letters and sciences to mankind and teaching them the use of the intellect.
How to recognise him ?
His symbol is one of the most well known through centuries : the caduceus, a staff given by Apollo with 2 serpents entwined. Not to confuse with the one of Asclepius even more famous symbol : a staff with one serpent entwined.
The caduceus with its 2 snakes symbolised the commerce and the negotiation, both essential for the trade.
The caduceus is often incorrectly used as the symbol of Asclepius and healthcare. Watch out !
12- APOLLO
Roman name : Apollo
Apollo was the most handsome of all the gods, he was also extremely powerful as he was the god of the sunlight, the music , the poetry ,all art, prophecy, medicine and archery.
He was also the god of knowledge, logic, reasoning, rhetoric and harmony.
Born on the sacred island of Delos as his mother Leto, a minor goddess had to hide from the furry of Hera, he climbed Olympus from the very first day and joined the other Olympians.
He was the son of Zeus and the twin brother of Artemis.
Apollo was the teacher of the nine Muses.
Even more importantly he would ride every morning the sun chariot with its 4 horses in order to pull the sun across the sky every day.
He is supposed to have been born the seventh day of the month, the number 7 is sacred for the gods. So every seventh day of each month was dedicated to him and sacrifices were offered to him on this day.
His sanctuary at Delphi became the center of the Ancient World. The Oracle of Delphi was conveying Apollo’s words and the oracles would influence the political scene of the then known world.
The Pythian Games in Delphi were held in honor of Apollo and were one of the four Panhellenic Games of Ancient Greece, like the Olympic Games.
How to recognise him?
His symbols are the laurel wreath, the bow and arrow and the lyre whom he, according to the mythology, invented.
13- ARTEMIS
Roman name : Diane
Apollo’s twin sister, Artemis, was the goddess of the moon, the wildlife and the hunt.
She would hunt but at the same time would protect the young animals from harm.
She the maiden is also the helper of midwives as the goddess of child birth..
The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, or Artemission as it is also known, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The festival of Artemis at Brauron was taking place every four years in honor of the Olympian Goddess, near Athens.
How to recognise her ?
She is usually represented with her bow and her quiver of arrows or by a stag or a hunting dog.
14 — DIONYSUS
Roman name : Bacchus
The son of Zeus, Olympian Dionysus was the god of wine, fertility, festivities, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was a god of contrasts and of supreme exaltation but also horror.
The cult of Dionysus was extremely popular in ancient Greece.
Son of Zeus and either the mortal Semeli or Persephone or Demeter , his father taught him how to grow grapes and make wine.
Dionysus did not want to hold on this secret for himself and began to go from city to city and teach it to mortals. He had many followers, hybrid creatures that accompanied him everywhere, like satyrs and maenads.
The cult of Dionysus also involved a communication between the living and the dead and Dionysus was called the dying and rising god and was considered to be a god of resurrection.
Dionysus succeeded to enter into the Underworld and take back his mother Semele with the help of Heracles who mastered Cerberus.
When Dionysus ‘s old school teacher got lost and was found wondering in the garden of king Midas, the cunning king brought him back to Dionysus who promised to grant him a favour.
The greedy Midas asked that whatever he touched should be turned into gold. Though Dionysus did warned Midas that his wish would turn into a curse he granted it. After his initial overwhelming joy, Midas soon discovered that all is food would turned into solid gold as his beloved daughter. Midas returned to Dionysus to beg him to end his wish, Dionysus agreed and asked Midas to wash his hands in the nearby Pactolus river thus the gold sands of Pactolus.
Many celebrations were dedicated to Dionysus, with the Dionysia festival being one of the largest celebrations in Ancient Greece.
How to recognise him ?
The bull, the snake, the phallus, the fig tree are his most common symbols.
15. PERSEPHONE
Roman name : Proserpine
Persephone was the daughter of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility and Zeus her brother.
The capture of Persephone by her uncle Hades broke the heart of her mother Demeter, who then wandered silently the Earth, wearing black scrutinising all the mortals in search of her darling daughter . The fields became barren. Zeus had to find a compromise and allowed Persephone to be reunited with her beloved mother most of the year. During these months the nature blossoms : there are spring, autumn and summer . The other months, when Persephone must rejoin her husband Hades, nothing grows : it is winter.
The myth of Persephone essentially explained the changing of seasons and the circle of life and was the origin of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the most sacred religious rites in Ancient Greece.
How to recognise her ?
Her symbols are the pomegranate or the torch.
16- HERACLES
Roman name : Hercules
Heracles was the most popular god-hero in Ancient Greece. He was really the greatest of the divine heroes and he was so celebrated by the mortals but also by the gods that he was made a god, by his proud father Zeus, after his death.
Everywhere in Ancient Greece, there would be a temple dedicated to him whereas for the other gods it would depend on their local popularity.
The life of Heracles with its ups and downs enabled everyone to relate to him. For all, he was the perfect hero.
Heracles is another illegitimate son of Zeus, this time with the sweet, beautiful and peaceful mortal Alcmene.
He was tricked by Hera to commit terrible crimes and had to atone by performing 12 Herculean labours.
After these 12 labours he was pardoned by the gods.
Years later he remarried with an obsessively jealous woman who poisoned his cloak.
While he was going through an excruciating painful agony, Hera finally agreed to reconcile and all the gods gleefully welcomed Heracles to Mount Olympus. Zeus, his mighty and proud father, had granted him immortality.
How do we recognise him?
He is almost always portrayed as a bearded muscular man with a club, most of the time wearing his lion’s skin.