The Twelve Great Olympians

The discord between Zeus and Kronos had shaken the Earth and the heavens. After the war was won, a new generation took control: the Olympians. These were the gods and goddesses known for their heroics throughout classical mythology. The reign of the Olympians brought balance and stability to the universe, far from being dull. These gods and goddesses possessed strong personalities and were governed by powerful emotions. Now, you will meet the mighty Olympians.

Primary Six Olympians

After Kronos was defeated by his own children, he lost his power. With Kronos' defeat, the internal conflict within the family came to an end. Kronos' children united and divided their realms among themselves. However, they needed a leader and unanimously chose Zeus. In the following sections, you will get to know the six primary Olympian gods and goddesses.

Brothers

Zeus
Zeus drew lots for the heavens, making him the ruler of both the gods and the sky. Depictions of Zeus show him wearing a helmet, holding one of his thunderbolts, and shielded by the aegis. He is often accompanied by an eagle, symbolizing his power.


After Kronos' fall, his three sons - Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades divided their domains into three parts, drawing lots. The shared domains were the skies, seas, and the realm of the dead. (The Olympus Mountain would remain the realm of all gods, with no single god having dominion.)

Poseidon
Poseidon claimed the seas as his domain. In myths, Poseidon is often portrayed as a fierce god associated with wild sea storms and earthquakes. Depictions show him tall, with a long beard, holding a trident made by the Cyclopes during the war against Kronos. He is sometimes portrayed with sea shells and various sea creatures. Poseidon is also associated with horses; ancient people imagined powerful, rearing horses in the crashing waves along the shore.


Hades
The third brother, Hades, drew the Underworld, the realm of the dead, in the lots. The Greek Underworld is not equivalent to the Christian concept of hell, and Hades is not malevolent or demonic in Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, Hades appears as a character who loves solitude and has little interest in the world of the living. He is usually depicted holding a key, symbolizing his role as the god who keeps the dead separate from the world of the living. Like Poseidon, Hades is also associated with horses; some myths claim that he created or tamed horses.

Sisters

Although Zeus' sisters did not participate in the draw, they had their own powers. The realms ruled by Hera, Hestia, and Demeter were indispensable for a well-ordered universe.

Hera
Hera, the queen of the Greek goddesses, was the greatest among them. As Zeus' sister and wife, she held the position of the queen of the heavens. Hera was jealous and vengeful, with a quick temper and formidable passion. She was the protector of marriages, the advocate for matrimony, and the goddess of childbirth. Her depictions emphasized her queenly stature: tall and majestic, often holding a royal scepter. She is accompanied by a peacock.


Hestia
The goddess of the hearth and home, Hestia, does not feature in many surviving myths. Nevertheless, in ancient times, each household considered her sacred and worshipped her. Hestia was associated with purity.


Demeter
The name Demeter means "Earth Mother." However, she should not be confused with Gaia, who was the Earth itself. Demeter, a granddaughter of Gaia, had dominion over crops, fertility, and agriculture. While her sister Hestia never left Olympus, Demeter rarely stayed there and spent most of her time on Earth, above the soil. Demeter is often depicted sitting, holding a torch or a sheaf of wheat. Her bird is the crane, and her animal is the snake.

Other Olympians

The original Olympians were these six gods and goddesses, but they were only half of the story. In total, there were twelve great Olympians, each playing a significant role in maintaining the order of the universe. In this section, you will get to know the other six.

Ares
Ares, the god of war, lived for conflict and bloodshed, taking pleasure in human strife. Many poems and myths mention Ares. In Sparta, he was particularly worshipped, especially before every battle. Depictions of Ares show him wearing armor and a helmet, carrying a spear, sword, and shield. His identifying animals are the dog and vulture. Despite being the god of war, Ares was not always on the winning side. In fact, he was defeated in many battles throughout myths.


Athena
The goddess of wisdom, Athena, received equal respect from mortals and immortals alike. She was also the goddess of war, craftsmanship, and skill. Unlike Ares, Athena was not bloodthirsty. She preferred peace over war. Nevertheless, whenever she entered a battle, she proved to be a unique strategist dominating the battlefield. Athena is usually depicted wearing armor, a helmet, and the aegis. She carries a spear and a shield. She is associated with the owl, symbolizing wisdom, and is often depicted with an owl perched on her shoulder.


What is Aegis?
Athena's shield or breastplate, the aegis, is said to have been made by the blacksmith of Olympus, Hephaestus. Hephaestus added the severed head of the Gorgon Medusa to the aegis. Medusa's terrifying gaze turned people to stone, making the aegis an effective weapon that paralyzed enemies with fear. The word "aegis" has also entered modern English, meaning "protection" or "support."

Artemis
Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, cared for nothing but the thrill of hunting. Roaming the mountains with a group of nymphs, she would hunt and occasionally protect animals (and sometimes men). Although her primary focus was hunting, Artemis was also the protector of children, wild animals, and the weak. According to myth, she could kill with her arrows instantly and without causing suffering. Nevertheless, you wouldn't want to see her vengeful side. Artemis could be a goddess of revenge and vindictiveness.


Artemis is often depicted carrying her favorite weapon: bow and arrow. In some myths, she is portrayed as a wild girl-child - a perpetual virgin with infinite youth, similar to the animals she both hunted and protected. She is not specifically associated with a single animal, but she is often depicted with a stag or a hunting dog.

Twin Siblings
If Hera had her way, Artemis and her twin brother Apollo would never have been born. When Zeus had an affair with Leto, Hera was determined to prevent any child from being born of this union. However, Leto managed to elude Hera and gave birth, first to Artemis. The newborn Artemis assisted her mother, who endured intense labor pains for nine days, leading to the birth of Apollo. Because their mother suffered so much for them, Artemis and Apollo became her fervent protectors.

Apollo
Apollo, Artemis' twin brother, was the god of archery, music, and poetry. While his sister lived for hunting, Apollo was a god capable of excelling in various pursuits, enjoying a broad spectrum of activities. He could be a shepherd tending to flocks or a highly skilled musician. Apollo was also a significant god in prophecy and healing. He possessed the ability to both cause and cure diseases.


Apollo engaged in various arts, so there is no single representation of him. You might see him playing the lyre, shooting arrows, or driving a chariot. Nevertheless, the one thing common in all depictions of Apollo is his considered extraordinary beauty. Apollo is associated with various animals - wolf, deer, dolphin, crow, vulture, and swan - as well as the laurel tree.

Hermes
Hermes was the god of trade, travel, and athletics. He brought luck to people, guided travelers and merchants, and protected against thieves and fraudsters. Known for his agility and athleticism, Hermes was an extremely active god. He was one of the few gods who could enter and leave the Underworld. Nevertheless, his most well-known task was serving as the messenger of the gods.

Hermes is often depicted wearing a winged hat and winged sandals that symbolize his swiftness (a desirable quality for a messenger). Sometimes, he carries a golden caduceus or a staff with two entwined serpent heads. Hermes could be a trickster causing harm, but he also had a kind heart.

Aphrodite
Almost everyone has heard of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. (You might also know her as Venus, as named by the Romans.) While some myths present Aphrodite as a quirky, even somewhat silly character; in others, she is respected as much as the other Olympians, depicted as a generous and benevolent goddess. Regardless of her character, Aphrodite has always been associated with passion.
Aphrodite is very beautiful, with a sweet and seductive smile. In myths about her, there are almost always love affairs; either she is experiencing a love affair herself or interfering in the affairs of others. Aphrodite is associated with the dove, and her plants are the rose and the myrtle tree.

Hephaestus
Hephaestus, Aphrodite's husband, was the god of fire, metalworking, craftsmanship, and blacksmithing. While you might expect the goddess of love to be married to a handsome and attractive man, the situation was different among the Olympians. In fact, Hephaestus, the son of Zeus and Hera, was born with ugliness and disabilities and was cast out of heaven immediately. The god of fire, metalworking, craftsmanship, and blacksmithing, Hephaestus constructed magnificent palaces for the gods and crafted armor for those he favored. Due to his skilled craftsmanship, there was seemingly nothing he couldn't create. Hephaestus is associated with the volcanoes considered his workshops.


In some myths, Hephaestus was born without any disabilities and was healthy. In a disagreement between Zeus and Hera, Hephaestus sided with Zeus. Angry, Zeus threw him down from the heavens. Falling for nine days, he finally landed on an island. This not-so-soft landing left him disabled.

Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of vines, wine, and revelry. While most Olympians looked down on mortals, Dionysus directly engaged with mortal followers. His religious festivals often turned into ecstatic rituals. Dionysus' greatest gift to humanity was wine, even if only temporarily alleviating human suffering. Like all gods, Dionysus could sometimes be cruel. Dionysus is typically associated with grapevines, dance, music, wine, madness, and sexuality.


Dionysus
While there should be twelve great Olympians, you might have noticed that there are fourteen mentioned in this section. No, you didn't miscount. Dionysus is said to have replaced Hestia over time, who faded from mythology. Another god often excluded from the count is Hades, as his realm was the Underworld, and he rarely visited Mount Olympus. Therefore, he is not considered one of the great Olympians.**