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The 12 gods of Olympus: the Olympians
One of the 12 Titans was called Cronus. He and
his sister-queen, Rhea, became the parents of the
most important gods and goddesses, known as the Olympians. Cronus had been warned that he would be overthrown by one of his own children. To prevent this, he swallowed his first five children as soon as they were born. Rhea did not like this. She substituted a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes for their sixth child, Zeus. He was hidden and when he was older, he returned and forced Cronus to disgorge all the other children, who had grown inside him. Zeus and his brothers and sisters fought a war against Cronus and the other Titans. Zeus won, and the Titans were confined in the deepest part of the underworld.
Zeus became ruler and protector of the gods of Mount Olympus and of mortals.
Aphrodite
(Roman: Venus) The goddess of love and beauty. Symbols: sceptre, myrtle, dove.
Aphrodite loved and was loved by many gods and mortals. Among her mortal lovers, the most famous was perhaps Adonis.
Apollon
(Roman: Apollo) God of the Sun, music and prophecy. Symbols: bow, lyre, laurel.
Apollon was an eternal youth who never became
a man. He was a god of telling the future. He was also connected to medicine and healing. He was a master archer and a fleet-footed athlete, and was supposed
to have been the first victor in the Olympic Games. He was famous for his oracle at Delphi. People travelled to it from all over the Greek world to try to learn about the future.
Ares
(Roman: Mars) The god of war. Symbol: spear.
He was very aggressive. He was unpopular with
both gods and humans. Ares was not invincible, even against mortals. He personified the brutal nature of war.
Artemis
(Roman: Diana) The goddess of the hunt and the moon.Symbols: bow, deer.
Athena
(Roman: Minerva) One of the most important goddesses. Goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice, skill, farming and the patroness of Athens. Symbols: goatskin (shield), owl, olive tree.
Hades
(Roman: Pluto) Hades
was the twelfth Olympian
and god of the underworld, but he did not live on Mount Olympus. Hades, Poseidon and Zeus, drew lots for realms to rule. Zeus got the sky and earth, Poseidon got the seas, and Hades got the underworld, the unseen realm to which the dead go upon leaving the world.
Hephaestus
(Roman: Vulcan) The god of fire and the forge. Symbol: axe.
Hera
(Roman: Juno) The goddess of marriage. Symbols: ornamental staff, crown, peacock.
Hermes
(Roman: Mercury) The god of travel and trade; messenger of the gods. Symbols: staff with two snakes wrapped around it, winged boots.
Hermes had winged sandals and a winged hat and bore a golden magic wand, wrapped around with snakes and wings. He led the souls of the dead to the underworld and was believed to possess magical powers over sleep and dreams.
Hestia
(Roman: Vesta) The goddess of the hearth/family life. (Hestia eventually gave up her place to Dionysus).
Poseidon
(Roman: Neptune) – god of the sea. Symbols: three-pronged spear, horse, bull.
His weapon was a trident, which could shake the earth, and shatter any object. He was second only to Zeus in power amongst the gods.
Zeus
(Roman: Jupiter) God of the sky and earth; leader of the gods. Symbols: thunderbolt, eagle, oak.
Athena sprang full-grown and armoured from the forehead of the god Zeus and was his favourite child. She was fierce and brave in battle, but only fought to protect the state and home from outside enemies.
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G Artemis
G Apollon