A guide to Greek Gods & Goddesses
Ares is the Greek god of war, battlelust, courage and civil order. He is one of the Twelve Olympian Gods who lived on Mount Olympus, and the son of Zeus and Hera. He represented the distasteful aspects of brutal warfare and slaughter. One of the more human Olympian gods, he was a popular subject in Greek art and even more so in Roman times when he took on a much more serious aspect as Mars.
Hera ~ Queen of Heavens & Goddess of Marriage, Women, and Birth
A daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, wife of Zeus, and queen of the Olympian gods, Hera was usually depicted as a regal woman, wearing a crown and veil and holding a lotus-tipped staff. Although she was the goddess of marriage, Zeus’s many affairs drive her to jealousy and anger. Her sacred animals are the heifer, the peacock and the cuckoo.
Apollo ~ God of sun, music, poetry, art, dance, archery, and healing
Apollo is a god in Greek mythology, and one of the Twelve Olympians. He is the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin brother of Artemis. He is the god of healing, medicine, archery, music, poetry and the sun. He is the leader of the Muses. He also is a god of prophecy, and his Oracle at Delphi is very important. Apollo is one of the most powerful gods of the ancient Greek pantheon.
Zeus ~ King of the Olympians; God of sky & thunder
Zeus is the god of the sky in ancient Greek mythology. As the chief Greek deity, Zeus is considered the ruler, protector, and father of all gods and humans. As the god of honor and justice, Zeus was the one who both established and enforced law, and served as the standard for kings to follow. His symbols were the thunderbolt, a sceptre, an oak tree, and the eagle and bull were his sacred animals.
Demeter ~ Goddess of Harvest, Agriculture, Fertility, and Divine Law
Demeter, the middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea, was the Ancient Greek goddess of grain and agriculture, one of the original Twelve Olympians. Her grief over her daughter Persephone – who has to spend one-third of the year with her husband Hades in the Underworld – is the reason why there is winter; her joy when she gets her back coincides with the fertile spring and summer months.
Nike ~ Goddess of Victory, Speed, and Strength
Nike was a goddess from the ancient Greek pantheon, and although not one of the major deities, Nike was still an important figure who represented Victory to the ancient Greeks. In her depictions in Greek vase paintings, Nike appears as a winged goddess with a palm branch symbolizing victory. Other works show her with a wreath or a crown to honor victors.
Hermes ~ The Messenger God
The youngest son of Zeus, Hermes became the messenger of the gods due to his speed and trustworthiness. Wearing winged shoes, Hermes could fly and travel quickly. Hermes was the protector of travellers and merchants. He is credited with the invention of boxing and gymnastics. Hermes was the only Olympian capable of crossing the border between the living and the dead.
Dionysus ~ God of Wine, Theatre, and Fertility
Being an important part of ancient Greek culture, as the god of wine, Dionysus was a popular Greek god. Another son of Zeus, as Dionysus grew he learned to cultivate grapes, becoming the first person to make wine. Dionysus taught people how to make wine, and then ascended to Mount Olympus, being the last to arrive of the twelve Greek gods and goddesses. His attributes included the thyrsos (a pine-cone tipped staff), a drinking cup and a crown of ivy.
Hades ~ God of the Underworld
In ancient Greek mythology, Hades is the god of the underworld. Hades is the first born son of the Titan Kronos and brother to the Olympian gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter. One of the major myths featuring Hades involves the abduction of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. Another aspect to Hades' character was that of the giver of wealth, also known as Plouton, which would later become the Roman name Pluto.
Poseidon ~ God of the sea
Poseidon, in ancient Greek religion was the god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. He is distinguished from Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters. His weapon and main symbol was the trident, perhaps once a fish spear. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Poseidon’s trident, like Zeus’s thunderbolt and Hades’ helmet, was fashioned by the three Cyclopes.
Circe ~ Goddess of sorcery
Circe, in Greek legend, a sorceress, the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and of the ocean nymph Perse. She was a minor Greek goddess who was also was skilled in the magic of transmutation, illusion, and necromancy. She lived on the mythical island of Aiaia (Aeaea) with her nymph companions. She knew a lot about potions and herbs, and sometimes used this knowledge against her enemies and people who offended her, turning them into wild animals.
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