Greek Mythology Gods And Goddesses/Deities.

The twelve main Greek gods and goddesses/deities.

There are tons of Greek gods/deities but there are 12 main ones. The first is Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Poseidon, Ares, Artemis, Demeter, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hermes, and Hephaestus. They never always agreed on the 12 and replaced them with Hestia, Hercules, or Leto, with Dionysus often the one replaced. I also wanted to add two more gods/goddesses because they weren't included into the main 12 unfortunately.

Zeus

You have probably heard about him or just his name before. Zeus is the leading god (king) of all of the gods. The supreme guy. Zeus is the god of weather, which means he can control it [I wish Thor (from Norse Mythology) would be buddies with Zeus to make lightning and thunder with him (but they're both from different mythologies) lol]. He offered signs and omens, but also generally dispensed justice, guaranteeing order amongst both the gods and humanity. Zeus's parents were Cronus/Kronos and Rhea (they were both Titans). Zeus had lots of offspring/children, such as Ares, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Persephone, Athena, etc. His main weapon/main item was his thunderbolt.

Hera

Hera was Zeus's favorite wife, and she was the queen of the ancient Greek gods. Zeus and Hera were both siblings (;-; uhh/j). Hera was the goddess of marriage and family, and protectress of women in childbirth. She was always faithful of herself, but, Hera was the most famous for her jealous and vengeful nature, principally aimed against the lovers of her husband (Zeus) and their illegitimate children. Since Hera and Zeus were both siblings, you would've probably already guessed that Hera was also born from Cronus/Kronos and Rhea (which is correct). She was the mother to Ares, Hebe (the goddess of youth), and Eileithyia (the goddess of childbirth), all with Zeus. Hera had also given birth alone to Hephaestus.

Athena

Athena was a daughter of Zeus, and she was Zeus's favorite daughter. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, war, and the crafts. When Metis was pregnant, Zeus swallowed her, and Athena was born from Zeus's head, wearing armor and fully grown. She was also the patron goddess of household crafts, giving mortals the gifts of cooking and sewing. Athena is closely associated with Athens, the city named in her honor after the people of Attica chose her as their patron following her gift of the olive tree, a symbol of peace and plenty.

Apollo

Apollo was a major Greek god associated with the bow, music, and divination. He was the epitome of youth and beauty, a source of life and healing, a patron of the arts, and was bright and powerful as the sun itself. He was the most loved of all of the gods. Apollo was the Greek god of loads of things, including the sun. He was worshipped at Delphi and Delos amongst the most famous of all Greek religious sanctuaries. Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto, and he is the twin brother of Artemis. He was born on the island of Delos. Like the other gods, Apollo had many children as well.

Poseidon

Poseidon (which you might have heard of before,) was the Greek god of the sea and rivers. He was a creator of storms and floods, and the bringer of earthquakes and destruction. Poseidon was a protecter to mariners and, as a tamer of horses, he was also the patron of that animal (horses) and horse breeding. Poseidon was also the son of Cronus/Kronos and Rhea, being a brother to Zeus, but also Hades. He dwelled/lived in stunning (most probably 24k :0) golden mansions beneath the sea, beautifully adorned/decorated with coral and sea flowers. Poseidon had a wife named Amphitrite (the goddess of the sea). And of course, he also had children. His main weapon/main item was the trident.

Ares

Ares was the Greek god of war. He had a quick temper, aggressiveness, and a demanding thirst for conflict. He famously seduced Aphrodite, unsuccessfully fought with Hercules, and enraged Poseidon by killing one of his sons (his name is Halirrhothius). Ares was a popular subject in Greek art and even more so in Roman times. He was the son of Zeus and Hera, and had of course had siblings as well. Again, Ares also had a lot of children. Ares was noted for his beauty and courage, which helped him a lot, and win the affection of Aphrodite (even though she was already married to Hephaestus).

Artemis

Artemis was the Greek goddess of hunting, wild nature, and chastity. She was a patron of girls and young women. She was also a protectress during childbirth. Artemis was widely worshipped, and the most famous place/site that worships Artemis was the Temple Of Artemis at Ephesus, which is interestingly, one of the Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, but also the twin sister of Apollo. She did not have any children of her own, as the source that I have read from does not inform her having any, along with no spouse (:OO finally, someone without/does not have any children or a spouse! :D).

Demeter

Demeter was the goddess of agriculture. She guaranteed the fertility of the earth and protected both farming and vegetation. This close connection with the earth was inherited from her mother Rhea. Yes, she was also born from Cronus/Kronos and Rhea :]. Demeter also married Zeus (umm- again with the siblings marrying ;-;), and again, they had lots of kids. One of the kids Demeter and Zeus had was Persephone, which are one of the people that I will be talking about soon.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, beauty, desire, and all aspects of sexuality. She could entice both gods and men into illicit affairs with her beauty. Aphrodite was born near Cyprus, born from the sky god Uranus. She had a wider significance than the traditional view as a mere goddess of love. Aphrodite was worshipped by men, women, and city-state officials. She surprisingly also played a role in the commerce, warfare, and politics of ancient Greek cities. She was honored as a protector of those who travelled by sea, and less surprisingly, courtesans and prostitutes. Aphrodite is married to Hephaestus, but she

Dionysus

Dionysus was the Greek god of wine, merriment, and theatre. He was the son of Zeus and Semele (a mortal). But unfortunately, his mother died while still pregnant. Confused you might ask 🤨? Well, it of course had to do with Hera (if you were actually reading through all of the gods and goddesses, you would have definitely known :D). Hera (which was the wife of Zeus,) was jealous of Zeus's illicit affair, and so she persuaded Semele to ask Zeus to reveal himself to her in all his godly splendor. Mortals cannot see any gods or goddesses in their true forms of their being. If so, they die, because it's too much for them to handle. That's what happened to Semele. However, Zeus took the unborn child and reared him in his thigh. The satyrs and nymphs took care of Dionysus in his childhood, with the wise Silenus as his chief educator on Mt. Nysa, far away from Hera's wrath. Also, Dionysus travelled widely.

Hermes

Hermes was the Greek god of trade, wealth, luck, fertility, animal husbandry, sleep, language, thieves, and travel. He was one of the most clever and most mischievous of the Olympian gods. He was the patron of shepherds, and he also invented the lyre. Hermes was above all, the herald and messenger of Mt. Olympus, so that he came to symbolize the crossing of boundaries in his role as a guide between the two realms of gods and humanity. The ancient Greeks believed that Hermes was the son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, and that he was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia, since Hermes was an Arcadian fertility god who had a special love for Peloponnese (a large peninsula). He was also a father, even though he was not given a wife in any Greek myth.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus was the Greek god of fire, metallurgy, and crafts. He was the brilliant blacksmith of the Olympian gods, who he fashioned magnificent houses, armor, and ingenious devices. Hephaestus had his workshop beneath volcanoes (Mount Etna on Sicily). He was born from Hera, without having a father. He was unlike the other gods, being a "less than beautiful" figure. So much so, he was thrown off from the heavens by his mother because of his "ugliness". He was married to Aphrodite.

Hestia, Hercules, and Leto

Hestia was the Greek virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and hospitality. She is the eldest daughter of Cronus/Kronos and Rhea. In her role as a protector of the family and political community, sacrifices and offerings were regularly made to Hestia at the hearth within each private home and at the town or city's public hearth. Hercules was a hero, famous for his great strength and endurance. He was celebrated as an extraordinary mortal, with his success in seemingly impossible things winning him an immortal place amongst the gods. Leto was a Titan, and the mother of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis. Leto's twin children were the result of an amorous encounter with Zeus, and to avoid Hera's wrath, Leto was obliged to give birth on the remote and barren island of Delos.

Hades and Persephone

Hades was the Greek god of the underworld. The underworld was a shadowy place below Earth, which was considered the final destination for the souls of the dead. He was perhaps the most feared of the gods. His wife was Persephone, whom he abducted to join him in the underworld. His symbol is a sceptre or cornucopia. Hades was also the son of Cronus/Kronos and Rhea, which means that he was brothers with Zeus and Poseidon. Persephone was the Greek goddess of agriculture and vegetation, with especially grain. She was the wife of Hades. She was worshipped throughout the Greek world, and she frequently appeared in all forms of Greek art. In many ancient cults, Persephone, along with her mother Demeter, are associated with vegetation and grain. Both Hades and Persephone rule the underworld together. Hades fell in love with Persephone when he saw her picking flowers one day in a meadow. Hades's main item was a helmet that can turn you invisible (the helmet of invisibility).

Roman Mythology

The Romans had mixed Greek Mythology with their own, making a rich and unique thing. In this, "Roman Mythology" section, I will be talking to you (yes you, the reader,) about one of the things that the Romans mixed in with Greek mythology. The planets.

• Apollo = the planet of: The Sun (unfortunately, Helios used to be the Greek god of the Sun, but not anymore).

• Hermes = the planet of: Mercury.

• Aphrodite = the planet of: Venus.

• Gaia (one of the oldest Greek gods/goddesses, she was the Greek goddess of the Earth) = the planet of: Earth.

• Artemis = the planet of: The Moon.

• Ares = the planet of: Mars.

• Zeus = the planet of: Jupiter.

• Cronus/Kronos = the planet of: Saturn.

• Uranus [or Ouranus (was the Greek god of the planet Uranus)]= the planet of: Uranus.

• Poseidon = the planet of: Neptune.

• Hades = the planet of: Pluto.

Information cited from:

|+~https://www.worldhistory.org/collection/58/the-12-olympian-gods/ [*info for clicking on the site* more in-depth information is found by clicking the name that is desired (that is red)]~+|

|+~https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amphitrite-Greek-mythology~+|

|+~https://www.worldhistory.org/Hades/~+|

|+~https://www.worldhistory.org/persephone/~+|

|+~https://www.britannica.com/topic/Titan-Greek-mythology~+|

|+~https://www.underluckystars.com/blog/who-are-the-greek-gods-of-the-planets/~+|

Hades's, Zeus's, and Poseidon's weapons/main items information were from me :D. From the book part of this blog, it mentions me reading and doing stuff about Percy Jackson And The Olympians. In the first book that I have already read, it talked about Zeus's thunderbolt and Hades's helmet of invisibility :]. And Poseidon's trident is already iconic and extremely popular :D-.