Ancient Greece The Olympian Gods
The Greeks believed in many gods. Greeks thought the gods were very much like people. They had both supernatural powers and human weaknesses. The gods would fight with each other, fall in love, play tricks on one another, get angry or jealous, and steal from each other. The Greeks made up stories about all the things the gods did. These stories called myths were passed down through the generations.
The Greeks believed that Mount Olympus, the tallest mountain in Greece, was the home of the gods. The Greeks worshipped twelve major gods and goddesses. Zeus was considered the most powerful of the Greek gods. He was not the creator of the world though. The Greeks thought there had been several generations of gods. Zeus had a mother and father as well as a number of sons and daughters. Some of these gods were mortal and others were immortal. Not all the gods were pleasant. Some were ugly or deformed.
The gods made their presence known to people through signs, such as the sound of thunder. The Greeks built temples to shelter the gods from the elements.
The Twelve Olympians
Name of God
Title
Parents
Sacred Objects
Roman Name
Additional Information
Zeus
King of the Gods, God of the Heavens
Cronus and Rhea
eagle, thunderbolt, shield, oak tree
Jupiter
Aphrodite
Goddess of Love and Beauty
Zeus and Dione
dove, goose, sparrow, myrtle
Venus
very beautiful - wife of Hephaestus
Poseidon
God of the Sea
Cronus and Rhea
trident, horse, bull
Neptune
lived in a beautiful palace under the sea
Ares
God of War
Zeus and Hera
vulture, dog
Mars
represented the brutal side of war
Hades
God of the Underworld
Cronus and Rhea
helmet, metal, jewels
Pluto
wife Persephone
Hephaestus
God of Metals and Fires who Rules over Volcanoes
Zeus and Hera
fire, blacksmith's hammer
Vulcan
only ugly god - lame
Athena
Goddess of Wisdom, of the City, of War, of Arts and Crafts
Zeus and Metis
owl, shield, olive tree - favorite city was Athens
Minerva
proud goddess with blue-green eyes
Artemis
Goddess of the Moon, the Hunt, of Children
Zeus and Leto
stag, crescent moon, cypress - favorite animal was deer
Diana
twin sister of Apollo
Apollo
God of Light and Truth, Healing, Archery, Music Zeus and Leto
Zeus and Leto
crow, dolphin, laurel, lyre
Apollo
twin brother of Artemis - tall and well-built with long dark curls
Demeter
Goddess of the Harvest, of Agriculture
Cronus and Rhea
wheat
Ceres
Hera
Queen of the Gods
Cronus and Rhea
peacock, cow
Juno
Zeus's sister and wife - one of the most beautiful goddesses - mean natured
Hermes
God of Motion, Sleep and Dreams, Travelers, Thieves
Zeus and Maia
wand, winged sandals, winged helmet
Mercury
master thief
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