The Gods of Greek Mythology
1. Zeus - The King of the Gods
He was the overall ruler of Mount Olympus and the king of all the Olympian gods of Greece. He was the lord and controller of the weather, that is, god of the sky, lightning and thunder, law and order, as well as justice
2. Poseidon - God of the Sea
He is often thought of as the most second powerful God after Zeus. In charge of all water bodies and their associated natural calamities, Poseidon's influence also affected the seas and oceans, rivers and lakes, storms and hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, as well as horses. He was a brother to both Zeus and Hades and was the middle son of Cronus and Rhea.
3. Hera - Queen of the Gods
She was the queen goddess of Mt. Olympus, the primary abode of the gods of Greece. She was the goddess of women and childbirth, marriage, and family. She was both a sister and wife to Zeus, the king of the gods.
4. Athena - The Goddess of Wisdom
She was the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, reason, intelligence, science, literature, handicrafts, as well as defense and strategic warfare. Her symbols included the owl and the olive tree.
5. Ares - The God of War
He was the god of violence, bloodshed, war, masculinity and manly virtues. He was born of Zeus and Hera. Ares was despised by all the other gods.
6. Artemis - The Goddess of the Hunt
Artemis was the goddess of the jungle, hunting, archery, purity and virginity, childbirth, protection, plagues, and the moon. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and also a twin sister to Apollo. Her symbols included the moon, horse, deer, hound, snake, the cypress tree, she-bear, as well as bow and arrow.
7. Apollo - The God of the Sun
Apollo is quite a complex figure in Greek Mythology. He was the god of light, the sun, prophecy and philosophy, truth and inspiration, the arts, poetry and music, medicine, healing, and the plague. He was the son of Zeus and Leto, as well as the twin brother of Artemis. His symbols included the sun, swan, lyre, and mouse. Many temples were built in honour of Apollo, with the most famous one being in Delphi.
8. Aphrodite - The Goddess of Love
She was the goddess of love, passion, desire, pleasure, beauty, procreation, and the fertility of the human body. She was the daughter of the Oceanid Dione and Zeus. Her symbols included the dove, bird, swan, bee, myrtle, apple, and rose.
9. Demeter - The Goddess of Fertility
Demeter was the goddess of the earth's fertility and productivity, harvest, agriculture, the environment, seasons, and nature. She was thus believed to preside over grains, the harvesting season, and, generally, the fertility of the earth.
10. Hermes - The Messenger
Hermes was originally described as a trickster like a character who deceived, perhaps a little like Loki from Norse mythology. Over time, he became associated as a God of travelers and traders but is most commonly thought of as the messenger between Gods and Men.
11. Hephaestus - Blacksmith God
Hephaestus was the lame son born of Hera, who at one point was cast out of Olympus. Married to Aphrodite, he is credited with creating the Gods fabulous weapons and equipment. Read more about Hephaestus here.
12. Dionysus - The God of Wine
He was the god of wine and strong drinks, the grapevine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, and madness, as well as resurrection. He was fathered by Zeus and the mortal Theban princess, Semele was her mother. Dionysus was married to the Cretan princess Ariadne.
13. Hades - The God of the Underworld
Although Hades is of the first generation of Greek Gods, he is often not considered to be an Olympian as he does not have a home there. He was the lord of the world of the dead who lived in and ruled the underworld, a land that was believed to be heavily guarded and out of reach of mortals before death. He was a brother to Zeus and the husband of Demeter's daughter, Persephone, whom he had kidnapped to make his own wife. Read more about Hades here: Hades, ruler of the Underworld
14. Hestia - Goddess of the Hearth
Hestia was actually the oldest of the first generation of Greek Gods - even older than Zeus. As a daughter of Cronus and Rhea, she lists Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Demeter as her brothers and sisters. Known as the Goddess of home and hearth, fire and family, she tired of the Gods bickering. As a result, she is thought to have 'resigned' from Olympus, giving over her seat to Dionysus. As she was thought to have kept a home there, however, she is listed as an Olympian God. Would you like to find out more about the ancient Greek Gods during a Greek Mythology tour? Take a look at our most popular Greek Mythology tour packages here.