"the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own ritual practices. in the ancient greek religion, the twelve olympians were the major deities of the greek pantheon."

❂ the twelve olympians (Δωδεκάθεον): zeus, hera, poseidon, demeter, athena, apollo, artemis, ares, aphrodite, hephaestus, hermes, hestia/dionysus

zeus: the god of the sky and the ruler of the olympian gods. son of the titans kronos and rhea. rules over the skies and the earth. he is regarded as the god of all natural phenomena in the sky, the personification of the laws of nature, the ruler of the state, and the father of gods and men. armed with thunder and lightning and the shaking of his aegis produces storm and the tempest.

hera: the sister and wife of zeus. chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. sacred to her were the cow, the lion, and peackock. she is known for her jealous and vengeful nature against zeus' lovers and offspring and the mortals who cross her.

poseidon: god of the ocean. called the earthshaker for his role in causing earthquakes. tamer of horses, protector of all aquatic creatures. carries a trident weapon which causes earthquakes and can shatter any object. second to zeus in his power. considered to be difficult, quarrelsome, and greedy.

demeter: goddess of corn, grain, the harvest, fertility, agriculture, and the earth. sacred to her are livestock, agricultural products, poppy. intimately associated with the seasons; her daughter persephone spent four months in the underworld, creating winter, and the rest of the year with her, bringing spring.

athena: daughter of zeus. virgin goddess of reason, intelligence, and literature. did not have a mother; sprang full grown and clad in armor from zeus' forehead. she was fierce and brave in battle. became the patron goddess of athens. the embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity, sometimes symbolized as an owl.

apollo: twin brother of artemis. god of music, plays a golden lyre. also known as the archer, the god of healing, the giver of medicine to man, the god of light and truth. the prophetic deity in the oracle of delphi.

artemis: twin sister of apollo. goddess of chastity, virginity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural environment. protector of childbirth. wild and tame animals are also under her protection.

ares: god of war, battle, civil order, and manly courage. represents the raw violence and untamed acts that occur in wartime. hated by his father zeus.

aphrodite: goddess of love, desire, and beauty. daughter of uranus; born of the seafoam. married to hephaestus. her holy tree is the myrtle; holy birds are the swan, dove, and sparrow. represents sex, affection, and the attraction that binds people together.

hephaestus: god of blacksmiths, metallurgy, fire, and volcanoes. symbolized with a hammer, anvil, and a pair of tongs. born of zeus and hera but tossed away because he was a cripple.

hermes: god of commerce. quick-acting and cunning; moved through the world of man and the world of gods, acting as a messenger to the gods and a link between mortals and olympus. protector of travelers, thieves, and athletes. guide of souls of the dead to the underworld and afterlife.

hestia: goddess of the hearth, family, and domestic life. was not publicly worshipped. represented the coalition and relationship between colonies and mother cities, and the home and its residents. initially included in the olympians later replaced by dionysus.

dionysus: god of fertility and wine, and a patron of the arts. depicted as having a dual nature, sometimes bringing divine ecstasy and sometimes bringing brutal and blind rage. his festivals were held in the spring when vines started bearing leaves. became one of the most important gods in everyday life; associated with rebirth after death.