Greece is inconceivable without mythology. When we talk about this state, the name Olympus comes to mind by itself - sacred mountain where Zeus and other supreme deities ruled. Almighty Gods of Ancient Greece- they are immortal, capricious, endowed with the advantages and disadvantages of people. They sin, they love, they take revenge, like mere mortals, but at the same time they are formidable, cruel, being and magnanimous.

Legends and myths of Olympus: list and description of 12 gods

The legends of the Olympic gods have been passed down from generation to generation, and have had a huge impact on world culture. Plots from ancient Greek mythology were present in literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, music. They "influenced" almost all spheres. human life, as they reflected people's ideas about the structure of the world.

The information that has come down to our times about the legends and tales of Ancient Greece came from the works of Homer, Ovid, Nonnus, Euripides. So, by the “Olympic” period of the development of society, all myths were associated with Mount Olympus, where 12 deities headed by Zeus sat (although their number does not always coincide).

According to ancient Greek myths, before the "central" Gods ascended to Olympus, Chaos existed on Earth, which gave rise to Eternal Gloom and Dark Night. From them came Eternal Light and bright Day. So, night began to replace day, and day - night, forever and ever.

The mighty Goddess Gaia (Earth), also arising from Chaos, gave birth to the Sky (Uranus), Mountains and the Sea. And then Uranus took Gaia as his wife. From this union were born six Titans and six Daughters. From their connection with each other, rivers, winds, stars, rains, the moon appeared in the world.

In addition, Gaia gave birth to three cyclops and three giants, each of which had 50 heads and 100 arms. Uranus saw these monsters and hated them, because they were with a violent character and mighty strength. Uranus imprisoned them in the bowels of the Earth, but she secretly rescued them and persuaded them to rebel against their father. Only one, the youngest of the brothers named Kronos, managed to take power from Uranus.

Then the goddess Night gave birth to death, discord, deceit, a nightmare, destruction and revenge. Kronos began to rule in a world where struggle, horror and misfortune reigned. So the Night punished the cunning Kronos.

Most of all, he was afraid that his children could finish him off at any moment, just like he did with his father. And then he called his wife Rhea to him, and ordered her to bring the children that were born. All of them - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon - merciless Kronos swallowed. But there was also a sixth child - Zeus. Instead, Rhea gave her husband a stone wrapped in cloth, as if it were a baby in swaddling clothes. And she, secretly from her ruthless husband, went to the island of Crete, where she gave birth to a baby in a dark cave.

Zeus

Kronos, the king of the Titans, found out about the forgery and began to look for his son all over the Earth. The boy was protected by Kurets - according to one version, these creatures were born from the tears of little Zeus. They made an incredible noise when he cried, for with his loud voice he could attract the attention of an abusive parent.

Zeus grew up, went to war with his father, overthrew him from the throne and imprisoned him in Tartarus - an abyss from which it is impossible to exit. But first he made him vomit up all the swallowed children, made his brothers and sisters Gods and reigned over the world, sitting on Olympus.

Zeus is the supreme God, the patron of Heaven, Thunder and Lightning. Artists depict him as a strong and powerful man in years, with rich hair and a gray beard. He sits on a throne and holds a shield and a labrys (double-sided ax) in his hands. Hera was the wife of the Thunderer.

Zeus is often portrayed as punishing and cruel, but he "arranged" people's lives, gave them fate, law, conscience and goodness, and in contrast to them - evil and shamelessness. He is the defender of the offended and humiliated, the patron of kings, the formidable guardian of traditions, order in the world and family.

Hera

Wife of Zeus, chief of the Goddesses of Olympus. She patronizes family ties, keeps family relationships, helps women during childbirth.

Hera is also the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. When she was still a girl, Zeus fell in love with her, and in order for her to pay attention to him, he turned into a cuckoo, and Hera caught her. However, in family life she experienced excruciating jealousy for her husband, who quenched his sexual hunger with both goddesses and earthly women. She constantly sent disasters and misfortunes to her husband's mistresses.

Hera is the beauty of beauties. Every year she bathed in magical springs to become a virgin again. They depicted the Goddess as a stately and noble lady, with a diadem or crown on her head, with a cuckoo or a peacock, sometimes with a horse's head.

Poseidon

God of the water element, son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus, patron of fishermen and horse breeders. In character and appearance, Poseidon was like his thunder brother. In painting and sculpture, he was depicted as a powerful man with strong arms and legs, with a powerful torso.

His face is never calm, but angry and formidable. The invariable attribute of Poseidon is a trident. By waving it, the ruler of the seas could cause a storm or, conversely, make the water element calm down in an instant. Poseidon moves across the sea in a chariot with white horses. His wife is Amphitrite.

Hades

Hades, the god of the underworld, was the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea. At the same time, he was revered as the patron saint of the harvest, because everything that grows comes from the bowels of the earth. Hades was called "hospitable" because he "waited" and "welcomed" every mortal in his kingdom. Hades was one of the 3 main gods, along with the brothers Zeus and Poseidon, who defeated the Titans.

The god of the underworld was rarely portrayed. If the image took place, then it looked like this: a gloomy man of mature age in dark clothes, powerful, on a golden throne, with a three-headed dog Cerberus at his feet, guarding the entrance to the kingdom of the dead. Next to Hades was his beautiful wife, the daughter of Demeter and the queen of the dead, Persephone, whom he once stole from a flowering meadow. Hades held a bident in his hands (sometimes it was a rod or a cornucopia).

Demeter

The beginning of Spring was associated with her, the goddess of prosperity and fertility. Demeter's parents Zeus and Rhea. Demeter has a beautiful appearance and light thick curls. Basically, she was revered as the guardian of life and the goddess of agriculture. She was depicted with a basket full of fruits, a cornucopia and a poppy.

The most famous legend about Demeter and her daughter Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades. Mother left Olympus and wandered the Earth in search of her disappeared daughter. Demeter grieved greatly for Persephone, even the harvest stopped growing. Hunger set in and people began to die. The gods were surprised why people stopped offering sacrifices to them, and complained about this to Zeus. Then he sent for Demeter to Earth to be found and returned to Olympus. But she did not want to return to the Gods. Then Zeus ordered Hades to present his daughter to Demeter.

Hades could not disobey his formidable brother, but he came up with a trick so that Persephone would return back to him, pouring pomegranate seeds into her. Demeter, seeing her daughter, rejoiced. Zeus ordered Persephone to visit his mother for a third of the year, and the rest of the time - with his spouse. Mourning for the Mother ended forever, and she decorated her head with a cornflower blue wreath. In honor of the joyful event, the Goddess taught people to sow cereals and cultivate wheat. In painting, Demeter was portrayed as a girl with a wreath of ears or a grieving mother.

Apollo

The most beautiful god of Olympus Apollo was the son of Zeus and the Titanides Leto. He was incredibly revered in Greece, because he was the patron of art, muses and healing. He is an excellent shooter and a virtuoso musician, which is why he was depicted with a bow and lyre.

Apollo is young, beautiful and strong: on Olympic Games won a fistfight against Ares (God of War) himself. He had no wife, and more than 70 children. Mythology ascribes to him numerous connections with goddesses, mortal women, and even with young men.

Athena

On Olympus there was also the goddess of war - Athena. She personified faith in victory, wisdom and the power of military strategy. Athena patronized arts, crafts, science and knowledge.

Due to her unusual appearance, the goddess of war is easy to distinguish in paintings and sculptures. Her clothes are a linen dress, armor, a helmet. In the hands - always a spear, near her - a chariot. Athena has a strong-willed face, a clear look and gray expressive eyes, blond long hair. Her appearance expresses calmness and determination.

Who are Athena's parents is not entirely clear. According to one version, he was Zeus, who gave birth to her alone.

Hermes

Even the gods of Olympus were not interested in deceit and deceit. One very nice, judging by the ancient images, a god named Hermes was known as a famous rogue and thief. He was born to the Pleiades Maya from Zeus. Being quite a baby, Hermes committed his first theft - he stole 50 cows from Apollo. After a good "bashing" from dad, the kid pointed out where he hid the cattle. True, later Zeus more than once turned to a smart child to carry out his orders. Once he asked Hermes to steal a cow from Hera: Io, the beloved of the Thunderer, turned into her.

Hermes is very inventive: he invented writing, patronizes trade and banking, astrology, alchemy and magic. He conveys "important" messages to people from the gods through dreams. Hermes is young and quick. He showed signs of attention to Aphrodite, but she rejected him. Hermes has many children, as well as lovers, but no wife. AT fine arts and sculpture he was depicted in a hat with wings and winged sandals.

Hephaestus

With this god, everything is not easy. There are several versions of his birth, one of which says that Hera, the wife of Zeus, gave birth to him from her thigh. And she became pregnant herself, not from her husband. So she wanted to take revenge on him for the birth of Athena. However, the baby was born frail, weak and lame. Then Hera, in desperation, threw the boy into the abyss of the sea, where the sea goddess Thetis sheltered him.

Hephaestus loved to forge since childhood: his metal products had no equal either on Earth or on Olympus. Hephaestus is the god of fire and blacksmithing. The most famous legend is about him and about Prometheus, who had to be chained to a rock by the best blacksmith on the orders of Zeus. The wives of Hephaestus were Aglaya and Aphrodite.

Aphrodite

As you know, the goddess of love, beauty and fertility was born from sea foam near the island of Cythera, but was transported by the winds to the shores of the island of Cyprus. One tradition says that Aphrodite was conceived by Zeus and Dione, another and more popular that she was born from the seed of castrated Uranus.

Aphrodite is the patroness of family ties and childbirth. She was obliged to create love and severely punished those who rejected her. The all-powerful Hera could not forgive Aphrodite for her incomparable beauty and made the ugly Hephaestus become her husband. However, the goddess has cheated on her husband more than once. The most sensational story about Aphrodite was her love for the earthly hunter Adonis.

Aphrodite is a "popular" mythological character in the works of ancient sculptors and artists. She is almost never alone in them, for her beauty captivated not only people and gods, but birds and animals. Her companions are nymphs, Eros, Charites, dolphins and Oras. Either she was portrayed as a naked prude, then as a flirtatious girl, then as a passionate woman.

Ares

The god of war Ares is distinguished by treachery and deceit. If he fought, then for the sake of war, than for justice and honor. Hera and Zeus are considered his parents, although according to one version, Hera gave birth to him without the participation of her husband, but with the help of the power of a magical flower.

Zeus did not have paternal feelings for Ares and even hated him. On the sacred Olympus, he had to hardly "break through" his authority. Ares participated in the Trojan War, but the fair Athena defeated him.

In art, he was portrayed as a young and strong man. Ares was accompanied by dogs and a kite, and in his hands he held a spear and a torch with fire. Ares' wife is Aphrodite.

Artemis

12th place belongs to the goddess of hunting Artemis. She was the protector of virgins, and she herself was innocent, but she patronized those who are married, helped women during childbirth. Artemis was also considered the goddess of fertility and everything that grows on Earth.

Artemis was born from the relationship of Zeus with the titanides Leto. She was served by oceanids and nymphs. Despite the fact that she was the patroness of childbearing, Artemis herself was unmarried and childless. Artists and sculptors depicted her as young, dressed in a chiton convenient for hunting, with a spear in her hand, with a bow and a quiver behind her back. When Artemis appeared naked on Houdon's canvas, a real scandal erupted. This was late 18th century.

According to some sources, the list of 12 gods of Olympus was somewhat different: it included Hestia (goddess of the hearth), Dionysus (god of winemaking and fun), Persephone (goddess of Spring, she is also the queen of the Kingdom of the Dead).

Especially for Lilia-Travel.RU - Anna Lazareva

Ancient Greek mythology expressed a vivid sensory perception of the surrounding reality with all its diversity and colors. Behind every phenomenon of the material world - thunderstorm, war, storm, dawn, lunar eclipse, according to the Greeks, there was an act of one or another god.

Theogony

The classical Greek pantheon had 12 Olympian deities. However, the inhabitants of Olympus were not the first inhabitants of the earth and the creators of the world. According to the Theogony of the poet Hesiod, the Olympians were only the third generation of gods. At the very beginning there was only Chaos, from which eventually came:

• Nyukta (Night),
• Gaia (Earth),
• Uranus (Sky),
• Tartarus (Abyss),
• Skotos (Darkness),
• Erebus (Darkness).

These forces should be considered the first generation Greek gods. The children of Chaos entered into marriages with each other, giving birth to gods, seas, mountains, monsters and various amazing creatures - hekatoncheirs and titans. The grandchildren of Chaos are considered to be the second generation of the gods.

Uranus became the ruler of the whole world, and Gaia, the mother of all things, became his wife. Uranus was afraid and hated his numerous children-titans, therefore, immediately after their birth, he hid the babies back into the womb of Gaia. Gaia suffered greatly from the fact that she could not be born, but the youngest of the children, the titan Kronos, came to her aid. He deposed and castrated his father.

The children of Uranus and Gaia were finally able to come out of their mother's womb. Kronos married one of his sisters - the titanide Rhea and became the supreme deity. His reign became a real "golden age". However, Kronos feared for his power. Uranus predicted to him that one of the children of Kronos would do the same to him as Kronos himself did to his father. Therefore, all the children born to Rhea - Hestia, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Demeter - were swallowed by the titan. last son- Zeus - Rhea managed to hide. Zeus grew up, freed his brothers and sisters, and then began to fight with his father. So the titans and the third generation of gods, the future Olympians, clashed in the battle. Hesiod calls these events "titanomachia" (literally "Battles of the Titans"). The struggle ended with the victory of the Olympians and the fall of the titans into the abyss of Tartarus.

Modern researchers are inclined to believe that the titanomachy was not an empty fantasy based on nothing. In fact, this episode reflected important social changes in the life of ancient Greece. The archaic chthonic deities - the titans, who were worshiped by the ancient Greek tribes, gave way to new deities who personified order, law and statehood. The tribal system and matriarchy went into the past, they are being replaced by the polis system and the patriarchal cult of epic heroes.

Olympian Gods

Thanks to numerous literary works, to this day many ancient Greek myths. Unlike Slavic mythology, preserved in a fragmentary and incomplete form, ancient Greek folklore was deeply and comprehensively studied. The pantheon of the ancient Greeks included hundreds of gods, however, only 12 of them played the leading role. There is no canonical list of Olympians. In different versions of myths, different gods may enter the pantheon.

Zeus

Zeus was at the head of the ancient Greek pantheon. He and his brothers - Poseidon and Hades - cast lots to divide the world among themselves. Poseidon got the oceans and seas, Hades got the kingdom of the souls of the dead, and Zeus got the sky. Under the rule of Zeus, law and order are established throughout the earth. For the Greeks, Zeus was the personification of the Cosmos, opposing the ancient Chaos. In a narrower sense, Zeus was the god of wisdom, as well as thunder and lightning.

Zeus was very prolific. From goddesses and earthly women, he had many children - gods, mythical creatures, heroes and kings.

A very interesting moment in the biography of Zeus is his struggle with the titan Prometheus. The Olympian gods destroyed the first people who lived on earth since the time of Kronos. Prometheus created new people and taught them crafts, for their sake, the titan even stole fire from Olympus. Enraged, Zeus ordered Prometheus to be chained to a rock, where an eagle flew daily, pecking at the liver of a titan. In order to take revenge on the people created by Prometheus for their self-will, Zeus sent Pandora to them - a beauty who opened a box in which diseases and various misfortunes of the human race were hidden.

Despite such a vengeful disposition, in general, Zeus is a bright and fair deity. Next to his throne are two vessels - with good and evil, depending on the actions of people, Zeus draws gifts from the vessels, sending either punishment or mercy to mortals.

Poseidon

The brother of Zeus - Poseidon - the lord of such a changeable element as water. Like the ocean, it can be wild and wild. Most likely, Poseidon was originally an earthly deity. This version explains why the cult animals of Poseidon were completely "land" bull and horse. Hence the epithets with which the god of the seas was endowed - “shaking the earth”, “land holder”.

In myths, Poseidon often opposes his thunder brother. For example, he supports the Achaeans in the war against Troy, on the side of which Zeus was.

Almost the entire commercial and fishing life of the Greeks depended on the sea. Therefore, rich sacrifices were regularly made to Poseidon, throwing them directly into the water.

Hera

Despite the huge number of connections with a variety of women, the closest companion of Zeus all this time was his sister and wife, Hera. Although Hera was the main female deity on Olympus, in fact she was only the third wife of Zeus. The first wife of the Thunderer was the wise oceanid Metis, whom he imprisoned in his womb, and the second was the goddess of justice Themis - the mother of the seasons and moira - the goddesses of fate.

Although the divine spouses often quarrel and cheat on each other, the union of Hera and Zeus symbolizes all monogamous marriages on earth and the relationship between a man and a woman in general.

Distinguished by jealous, and sometimes cruel temper, Hera was still the guardian of the family hearth, the protector of mothers and children. Greek women prayed to Hera for a message to them good husband, pregnancy or easy childbirth.

Perhaps Hera's confrontation with her husband reflects the chthonic nature of this goddess. According to one version, touching the earth, she even gives birth to a monstrous snake - Typhon. Obviously, Hera is one of the first female deities of the Peloponnesian Peninsula, an evolved and reworked image of the mother goddess.

Ares

Ares was the son of Hera and Zeus. He personified the war, and, moreover, the war was not in the form of a liberation confrontation, but a senseless bloody massacre. It is believed that Ares, who absorbed part of the chthonic rampage of his mother, is extremely treacherous and cunning. He uses his power to sow murder and discord.

In the myths, Zeus's dislike for the bloodthirsty son can be traced, however, even a just war is impossible without Ares.

Athena

The birth of Athena was very unusual. One day, Zeus began to suffer severe headaches. To alleviate the suffering of the Thunderer, the god Hephaestus strikes him on the head with an ax. From the resulting wound comes a beautiful maiden in armor and with a spear. Zeus, seeing his daughter, was very happy. The newborn goddess was named Athena. She became the main assistant to her father - the keeper of law and order and the personification of wisdom. Formally, the mother of Athena was Metis, imprisoned inside Zeus.

Since the warlike Athena embodied both the feminine and the masculine, she did not need a spouse and remained virgin. The goddess patronized warriors and heroes, but only those of them who wisely disposed of their strength. Thus, the goddess balanced the rampage of her bloodthirsty brother Ares.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus - the patron of blacksmithing, crafts and fire - was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was born lame in both legs. Hera was unpleasant to an ugly and sick baby, so she threw him off Olympus. Hephaestus fell into the sea, where Thetis picked him up. On the seabed, Hephaestus mastered blacksmithing and began to forge wonderful things.

For the Greeks, Hephaestus, thrown from Olympus, personified, although ugly, but very smart and kind god, helping everyone who turns to him.

To teach his mother a lesson, Hephaestus forged a golden throne for her. When Hera got into it, the fetters closed on her arms and legs, which none of the gods could unchain. Despite all the persuasion, Hephaestus stubbornly did not want to go to Olympus in order to free Hera. Only Dionysus, who intoxicated Hephaestus, managed to bring the blacksmith god. After her release, Hera recognized her son and gave him Aphrodite as his wife. However, Hephaestus did not live long with a windy wife and entered into a second marriage with Charita Aglaya, the goddess of goodness and joy.

Hephaestus is the only Olympian who is constantly busy with work. He forges lightning bolts for Zeus, magic items, armor and weapons. From his mother, he, like Ares, inherited some chthonic features, however, not so destructive. The connection of Hephaestus with the underworld is emphasized by its fiery nature. However, the fire of Hephaestus is not a destructive flame, but a hearth that warms people, or a blacksmith's forge, with which many useful things can be made.

Demeter

One of the daughters of Rhea and Kronos - Demeter - was the patroness of fertility and agriculture. Like many female deities who personify Mother Earth, Demeter had a direct connection with the world of the dead. After the abduction by Hades of her daughter, Persephone, with Zeus, Demeter fell into mourning. Eternal winter reigned on the earth, thousands of people died of hunger. Then Zeus demanded that Persephone spend only one third of the year with Hades, and return to her mother for two thirds.

It is believed that Demeter taught people how to farm. She also gave fertility to plants, animals and people. The Greeks believed that the mysteries dedicated to Demeter blurred the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead. Archaeological data show that in some areas of Greece, Demeter even made human sacrifices.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite - the goddess of love and beauty - appeared on earth in a very unusual way. After the castration of Uranus, Kronos threw reproductive organ his father at sea. Since Uranus was very prolific, the beautiful Aphrodite emerged from the sea foam that formed in this place.

The goddess knew how to send love to people and gods, which she often used. One of the main attributes of Aphrodite was her wonderful belt, which made any woman beautiful. Because of the changeable disposition of Aphrodite, many suffered from her charms. The vengeful goddess could severely punish those who rejected her gifts or offended her in some way.

Apollo and Artemis

Apollo and Artemis are the children of the goddess Leto and Zeus. Hera was extremely angry with Summer, so she pursued her throughout the earth and for a long time did not allow her to be born. In the end, on the island of Delos, surrounded by Rhea, Themis, Amphitrite and other goddesses, Leto gave birth to two twins. Artemis was the first to be born and immediately began to help her mother in the birth of her brother.

With a bow and arrows, Artemis, surrounded by nymphs, began to wander through the forests. The virgin hunter goddess was the patroness of wild and domestic animals and all life on earth. Both young girls and pregnant women, whom she protected, turned to her for help.

Her brother became the patron of the arts and healing. Apollo brings harmony and tranquility to Olympus. This god is considered one of the main symbols of the classical period in the history of ancient Greece. He brings elements of beauty and light into everything he does, gives people the gift of foresight, teaches them to heal diseases and play music.

Hestia

Unlike most of the cruel and vindictive Olympians, Zeus' older sister, Hestia, was distinguished by a peaceful and calm disposition. The Greeks revered her as the keeper of the hearth and sacred fire. Hestia adhered to chastity and refused all the gods who offered her marriage.

The cult of Hestia was very widespread in Greece. It was believed that she helps to hold sacred ceremonies and preserves peace in families.

Hermes

The patron of trade, wealth, dexterity and theft - Hermes, most likely, was originally an ancient Asia Minor demon-rogue. Over time, the Greeks turned the petty trickster into one of the most powerful gods. Hermes was the son of Zeus and the nymph Maya. Like all children of Zeus, from birth he showed his amazing abilities. So, on the very first day after his birth, Hermes learned to play the cithara and stole the cows of Apollo.

In myths, Hermes appears not only as a deceiver and a thief, but also as a faithful assistant. He often rescued heroes and gods from difficult situations, bringing them weapons, magical herbs, or some other necessary items. A distinctive attribute of Hermes were winged sandals and a caduceus - a rod around which two snakes twined.

Shepherds, merchants, usurers, travelers, swindlers, alchemists and fortune-tellers revered Hermes.

Hades

Hades - the ruler of the world of the dead - is not always included among the Olympian gods, since he did not live on Olympus, but in gloomy Hades. However, he was certainly a very powerful and influential deity. The Greeks were afraid of Hades and preferred not to pronounce his name out loud, replacing it with various epithets. Some researchers believe that Hades is a different hypostasis of Zeus.

Although Hades was the god of the dead, he also bestowed fertility and wealth. At the same time, he himself, as befits such a deity, did not have children, he even had to kidnap his wife, because none of the goddesses wanted to descend into the underworld.

The cult of Hades was almost not widespread. Only one temple is known, where only once a year sacrifices were made to the king of the dead.

Ancient Greece is full of myths, legends, and most of them feature the gods of Olympus. Each of the gods has its own meaning, is endowed with a certain character and reflects the lifestyle of Greece itself at that time. Questions of faith were always extremely sensitive, but in this country the gods were often divided.

The choice of a god to be worshiped depended on many things, in particular, on the way of life of the townspeople. It could be that the male part recognizes only Zeus, but the female part gives all honors to Hera, the crowned wife of the father of the gods. At the same time, this situation was considered absolutely normal and it should be noted that one side could easily offend the other, which sometimes became the cause of real tragedies.

So, in Thebes, seven boys of a noble man worshiping Zeus were carved. The reason for this atrocity was that during the feast the man insulted Hera, which the priestesses of the goddess could not bear. Believing that the goddess Hera was telling them to wash away the insult, the priestesses mercilessly entered the house and killed the boys.

In general, the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece have several generations. Initially, Chaos was the supreme god, Gaia was the mother of the earth, Nyukta was the mother of the night, Tartarus was the lord of the dark abyss, Erebus was the father of eternal darkness and darkness. Further, already in the second generation, their children: Kronos, the son of the god Uranus and mother Gaia, the prophetic goddess of fate Moira and a galaxy of supernatural beings. But then they were not gods, they belonged to the mighty and invincible titans.

But the mother predicted to Kronos that one of his children would overthrow him into the depths of Tartarus and the supreme god, the first of the named divine beings, began to simply kill those children that his wife Rhea brought to him. But Rhea could not part with her last child: the exhausted soul of her mother suffered too much. Kronos swallowed a stone instead of Zeus, and Rhea hid her little son in the thickets of virgin Crete, where he was raised by nymphs.

The prophecy came true: Zeus killed his father and thereby freed his brothers and sisters, who were swallowed by the hated father.

Each goddess, each god of Olympus was a patron for a person, temples and sacrificial altars grew, multiplied throughout the country and beyond.

Names of the goddesses of ancient Greece. List

Hera, guardian of marriage bonds and devotion

The royal wife, the daughter of Kronos and Rhea, inherited the character of her mother. An innocent creature of extraordinary beauty, possessing meekness, attracted the attention of the Thunderer. But no matter how cunning Zeus was, Hera did not want to become the mistress of a spoiled deity. And then the lord of heaven and earth had to give the word to marry, but the cunning Hera asked him to swear by the sacred waters of the underground Styx. She knew that even the windy supreme god would not dare break such an oath. The underground river is always mentioned in mythology if we are talking about some unbreakable oath.

But over time, the Thunderer began to cheat on her, and the birth of Hercules from a mere mortal completely embittered the goddess. She began to spoil the life of Hercules' mother and the young man in every possible way, even under fear of the wrath of Zeus. That is why in some chronicles Hera is spoken of as an evil and vengeful goddess.

Hera became the mother of the god of war Ares, whom his father did not like very much for his love of blood and murder. In retaliation for the adventures, Hera gave birth to Hephaestus with an innocent conception, but he was so ugly that the goddess threw him from the top of Olympus.
But Hera loved Zeus, although his behavior offended her as the goddess of marriage. She was especially angered by the birth of the beloved daughter of Zeus: the majestic Pallas Athena.

Athena, goddess of wisdom and victory, patroness of men

The birth of Athena has several variations: according to some myths, the maiden was born somewhere in Macedonia and her father Poseidon, according to others, this is a wandering girl who swore allegiance to Zeus himself. But more often another version of the birth of Athena is told, according to which she is a demigoddess.

Zeus seduced an earthly girl, taking the form of a simple guy. But Hera, having learned about the next affair of her restless husband, decided to punish him. She took the form of a girl and told the whole truth to the future mother Athena that her lover is the father of the gods himself. And in order to convince her of her words, she convinced her to talk with Zeus and ask him to come to her in his true form. This killed the curious girl, but before her death she gave birth to a little girl, whom the Thunderer took pity on and sewed into his thigh.

After a while, Zeus felt a severe pain in his head, then Hephaestus cut off his head to look at the reason for this phenomenon. And from the head of the father, in shining armor, came Athena, the goddess, whose name will inspire reverence and reverence.

Pallas Athena patronized men, her brother Ares, the god of war, constantly clashed with her. But the wisdom of the goddess has always prevailed over ardor. Artisans revered Athena, men did not start important business if they did not make a sacrifice to the goddess. But Athena is an unusual goddess already in that there are almost no legends about her.

Only one legend about Arachne, who dared to weave the sins of the Thunderer, is known to the world. According to her, the angry maiden-warrior turned the weaver into a spider to punish her insolence. Odysseus is her favorite and his campaign would not have been so successful if it were not for the protection of the wise goddess. The cult of Athena was comparable to the cult of Zeus himself, but at the same time, a special obedience of the daughter to the father was noted everywhere. Athena set this quality as an example for girls, so that they also honored their parents.

Aphrodite, goddess of love

Born from the foam of the sea, the beautiful Aphrodite wielded almost limitless power. Only three goddesses were outside the power of the goddess of love, the rest were subject to her. Aphrodite was always depicted surrounded by luxurious flowers and birds, she was surrounded by forest and sea nymphs. It is believed that Aphrodite had little son: playful Eros, the god of intimate pleasures, who was subordinate only to his mother.

At the behest of the father of the gods, the beautiful goddess was to become the wife of the brother of the supreme god Poseidon. But before the wedding, she laughingly disappeared into the foam of the sea. It is noteworthy that this did not anger Zeus and Poseidon, a little later Aphrodite married Hephaestus, which amazed everyone. A colorful marriage: an ugly and lame god of fire and the most beautiful of goddesses. Although it was believed that the goddess also had a favorite: the young Adonis, who died by chance.

Temples of Aphrodite were in many cities, she was revered as Venus the Romans. Luxurious holidays were held in her honor, sacrifices were made to her. In her temples, orgies were held, participation in which was a great honor.

Artemis, goddess of the hunt in ancient Greece, patroness of childbirth

Artemis is always depicted wearing a skin and with a bow, officially considered the goddess of the hunt. At the same time, she has pity for animals, and can severely punish hunting in those places where she likes to relax.

The daughter of Latona and the sister of the golden-haired Apollo can be a tender daughter, but she can also bring death to people. In the legends, the legend of how the mortal Niobe insulted her mother stands out especially clearly. Niobe had 14 beautiful children and considered that Latona was flawed, since she gave birth to only two. Angry Apollo and Artemis killed all her children, despite the remorse of the unfortunate mother.

Artemis protected women in childbirth, young mothers came to the temple of the goddess for protection and help in childbirth. If a child died or was born sick, it was believed that Artemis herself became angry and punished the mother through the child. But at the same time, the silver-eyed goddess could also heal: many people constantly flocked to her temples in an attempt to be cured of deadly diseases.

Demeter, goddess of fertility in ancient Greece

Demeter was the sister of the Thunderer Zeus, she patronized the farmers. She was prayed for the harvest to be born and the earth to bear fruit. Demeter had an only daughter and joy - the beautiful Persephone. But she liked the gloomy and formidable god of the world of the dead. The brother of Zeus himself, the harsh Hades, kidnapped the daughter of Demeter. To which the goddess replied that she left Olympus and swore never to return if her daughter was not returned to her.

At first, Zeus refused his sister, but without Demeter, the earth ceased to bear fruit, the cattle began to die of hunger. Gradually, people stopped making sacrifices to the gods, because there was nothing: everything was dying. Then Zeus made a Solomonic decision: for six months Persephone lives with Hades and for six months with her mother Hades was forced to obey: on the same day Persephone returned to her mother.

Since that time, while the daughter and mother are together, the earth blooms and gives a harvest - this is summer and spring. And when Persephone returns to her husband, Demeter leaves to mourn, and autumn and winter come.

The Pantheon of the Gods of Ancient Greece is an intriguing, interesting and colorful journey, where there are many questions and unusual facts. A journey where the worlds of the real and the fictional are closely intertwined. How understandable, and at the same time - it sounds strange, in modern realities, this concept. But, despite the time, the pantheon of the gods of Greece is of undisguised interest today. It is a real treasure chest for studying the culture, history, life and customs of Ancient Greece.

Interesting to know: the word "pantheon" in a broad sense refers to the burial place famous people, and in the context of ancient history, a group of gods who belong to the same religion (sometimes mythology).

The religion of the ancient Greeks is pagan polytheism, and the pantheon of gods itself consisted of a huge number of celestials who lived on the sacred Mount Olympus. Each god had his own special role and performed the function assigned to him. The most important, the only unchanging and fundamental thing in the Greek pantheon is the immortality of the gods. In appearance and behavior, the gods of Greece were similar to people, and therefore they had quite human manners in behavior: they quarreled and reconciled, deceived and weaved intrigues, loved and cunning, were merciful and formidable. The relationship of the gods, over time, overgrown with many myths, which today are an inexhaustible basis for the study and admiration of the ancient religion.

Gods of Ancient Greece: list and description

Zeus.

Zeus is the supreme deity of ancient Greek mythology. He is a great thunderer who commanded the sky, thunder, lightning and the whole world. Zeus had unlimited power not only over people, but also over the gods. Zeus came to Olympus through meanness, throwing his father Kronos into Tartarus. Titanide Rhea - the mother of Zeus, saved her younger son from a husband who was afraid of the birth of a strong heir and ate all his children immediately after birth. By cunning, Rhea raised Zeus, who was able to overthrow his father from Olympus. The ancient Greeks honored and feared Zeus, brought him the best sacrifices and tried in every possible way to earn his favor. The whole life of people was saturated with the praise of God and blind subjugation. Children from the cradle knew about the great Zeus, and all failures were attributed to the wrath of the great deity.

The Greeks built a large number of temples in honor of Zeus, and the statue of Zeus is one of the seven wonders of the world.

Zeus had two more brothers, with whom he shared power over the world. Thus, Zeus received the sky, Hades - the kingdom of the dead, and Poseidon became the lord of the sea.

Poseidon.

Poseidon among the ancient Greeks was the personification of strength, courage and tough temper. He ruled the seas, rivers, lakes and oceans. Having become the patron of fishing and sailors, he could decide their fate, sink ships or induce hunger. He was often called the Earthshaker to explain the incomprehensible changes in the world, called today an earthquake.

Poseidon, having drawn the kingdom of the sea by lot, considered himself deceived and tried to win back their kingdoms from other gods, but to no avail.

In all the myths of Ancient Greece, Poseidon is described as a strong and angry god, prone to destruction and having a quick temper. The stormy temper of the god was replaced only by generous gifts, but not for long.

Hades.

Hades was the ruler of the underworld or underworld. It was to Hades that all the dead souls went. In the power of Hades were great wealth and a world of tranquility. The ancient Greeks were afraid to even pronounce the name of this god, because he was always invisible, and his decisions were binding. For people, this meant death. Mythology does not depict Hades as evil or bad, on the contrary - he is always indifferent, always coldly doing his job. This terrified the ancient Greeks. In the kingdom where the rays of the sun do not penetrate, you can only enter. There is no way back from there.

Zeus, Hades, Poseidon - the main names of the gods of Ancient Greece. But the mythology of this period is so rich that it is represented by many other influential characters. Let's get to know them.

Gods of Ancient Greece - list

• Apollo is the god of sunlight, artistic beauty, healing and spiritual purity.
• Hermes is the god of roads, travel, the patron of merchants and trade.
• Ares is the god of war.
• Eros is the god of love.
• Hephaestus is the god of blacksmithing.
• Dionysus is the god of winemaking.
• Morpheus is the god of dreams and dreams.
• Phobos is the god of fear.
• Deimos is the god of terror.
• Plutus is the god of wealth.

Goddesses of Ancient Greece: list and description

The pantheon of Greek gods is represented not only by strong and powerful gods, but also by goddesses. The original role was played by:

Gera.

Hera, in ancient mythology was the wife of Zeus. This is the main goddess who patronized marriage and conjugal love. The goddess was vicious and strict, very jealous and kind of cruel. Hera was especially hard on her husband's betrayal. In a state of rage, she could call great troubles on the earth and people. Hera was portrayed as a beauty, with big eyes, long hair and a great figure. This image was both beautiful and evil at the same time. But the cult of Hera, the cult of the main goddess of Olympus, was so great that she was revered on a par with Zeus.

Aphrodite.

The goddess Aphrodite personified love and patronized not only the gods, but also people. She was beautiful and beautiful, easily falling in love with everyone around her, falling in love herself. According to legend, the goddess arose from sea foam, but mythology says that Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Dione. Aphrodite was an unfaithful wife and often cheated on her husband, but this was not a vice, rather a destiny. Holding in her hands the great power of love, she rewarded people with real feelings if they were sincere. The ancient Greeks greatly respected the goddess, built magnificent temples for her and made great sacrifices.

Athena.

Athena is the revered goddess of just war and wisdom. The story of her birth is the most unusual, because she was born from the head of Zeus in full combat gear. The wisdom of the goddess, justice and patronage of knowledge made Athena one of the most beloved inhabitants of Olympus, in the pantheon of the ancient Greeks.

Hera, Aphrodite and Athena are the main names of the goddesses of Ancient Greece, but not the main ones. In the list of beautiful goddesses who were revered and feared, there are several more important inhabitants of Olympus. Namely:

The mythology of Greece and its main characters today have turned into myths and drawings, and therefore the gods of Ancient Greece in the pictures are the most important information material that tells about the great gods ancient people. Often, pictures of the gods of Greece are similar to real characters or images, since they are a modified copy of real sculptures. The subtle connection between the past and the present is palpable in every contact with ancient history and that is why it is so important to study.

Gods of Olympus Ancient Greece

The names of the ancient Greek gods that are on everyone's lips - Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hephaestus - are actually the descendants of the main celestials - the titans. Having defeated them, the younger gods, led by Zeus, became the inhabitants of Mount Olympus. The Greeks worshiped, revered and paid tribute to the 12 gods of Olympus, who personified in Ancient Greece elements, virtue or the most important spheres of social and cultural life.

Worshiped Ancient Greeks and Hades, but he did not live on Olympus, but lived underground, in the kingdom of the dead.

Who is more important? Gods of Ancient Greece

They got along well with each other, but sometimes there were skirmishes between them. From their life, which is described in ancient Greek treatises, the legends and myths of this country appeared. Among the celestials were those who occupied the high steps of the podium, while others were content with glory, being at the feet of the rulers. The list of the gods of Olympia is as follows:

• Zeus.

• Gera.

• Hephaestus.

• Athena.

• Poseidon.

• Apollo.

• Artemis.

• Ares.

• Demeter.

• Hermes.

• Aphrodite.

• Hestia.

Zeus- the most important of all. He is the king of all gods. This Thunderer personifies the endless firmament. Under his leadership lightning. It is this arbiter who distributes good and evil on the planet, the Greeks believed. The son of the Titans married his own sister. Their four children were named Ilithyia, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ares. Zeus is a terrible traitor. He constantly engaged in adultery with other goddesses. He did not neglect the earthly girls either. Zeus had something to surprise them with. He appeared before the Greek women either in the form of rain, or as a swan or a bull. Symbols of Zeus - eagle, thunder, oak.

Poseidon. This god ruled over the sea element. In importance, he was in second place after Zeus. In addition to the oceans, seas and rivers, storms and sea monsters, Poseidon was "responsible" for earthquakes and volcanoes. In ancient Greek mythology, he was the brother of Zeus. Poseidon lived in a palace under water. He rode in a rich chariot drawn by white horses. The trident is the symbol of this Greek god.

Hera. She is the chief of the female goddesses. This celestial patronizes family traditions, marriage and love unions. Hera is jealous. She severely punishes people for adultery.

Apollo is the son of Zeus. He is the twin brother of Artemis. Initially, this god was the personification of light, the sun. But gradually his cult expanded its boundaries. This god has become the patron of the beauty of the soul, skill in art, all that is beautiful. The Muses were under his influence. Before the Greeks, he appeared in a rather refined image of a man with aristocratic features. Apollo played music beautifully. He was engaged in healing and divination. He is the father of the god Asclepius, the patron saint of doctors. At one time, Apollo destroyed the terrible monster that occupied Delphi. For this he was exiled for as much as 8 years. Later, he created his oracle, the symbol of which was the laurel.

Without Artemis The ancient Greeks did not imagine hunting. The patroness of forests personifies fertility, birth and high relations between the sexes.

Athena. Everything related to wisdom, spiritual beauty and harmony is under the auspices of this goddess. She is a great inventor, lover of science and art. Craftsmen and farmers obey her. Athena "gives the green light" to the construction of cities and buildings. Thanks to her, state life flows smoothly. This goddess is called upon to protect the walls of fortresses and castles.

Hermes. This ancient Greek god is quite mischievous and has earned the fame of a fidget. Hermes patronizes travelers and merchants. He is also the messenger of the gods on earth. It was on his heels that the lovely wings shone for the first time. The Greeks attribute traits of resourcefulness to Hermes. He is cunning, smart and knows everything foreign languages. When Hermes stole ten cows from Apollo, he earned his wrath. But he was forgiven, because Apollo was captivated by the invention of Hermes - the lyre, which he presented to the god of beauty.

Ares. This god personifies war and everything connected with it. All kinds of battles and battles - under the representation of Ares. He is always young, strong and handsome. The Greeks portrayed him as powerful and warlike.

Aphrodite. She is the goddess of love and sensuality. Aphrodite constantly incites her son Eros to shoot arrows that kindle the fire of love in the hearts of people. Eros is the prototype of the Roman Cupid, a boy with a bow and a quiver.

Hymen- the god of marriage. Its bonds bind the hearts of people who met and fell in love at first sight. Ancient Greek wedding chants were called "hymens".

Hephaestus God of volcanoes and fire. Under his patronage are potters and blacksmiths. This is a hardworking and kind god. His fate was not very good. From birth, he limped because his mother Hera threw him off Mount Olympus. Hephaestus was in the upbringing of the goddesses - the queens of the sea. On Olympus he returned and generously endowed Achilles, presenting him with a shield, and Helios with a chariot.
Demeter. She personifies the forces of nature that people have conquered. This is agriculture. Under the vigilant control of Demeter is the whole life of a person - from birth to death.
Hestia. This goddess patronizes family ties, guards the hearth and comfort. The Greeks took care of the offerings to Hestia by setting up altars in their homes. All residents of one city are one big community-family, the Greeks are sure. Even in the main city building there was a symbol of Hestia's sacrifices.
Hades- ruler realms of the dead. In his underworld, dark creatures, gloomy shadows, demonic monsters rejoice. Hades is one of the most powerful gods. He moved around the kingdom of Hades in a chariot made of gold. His horses are black. Hades - owns untold wealth. All gems, ores that are enclosed in the depths, belong to him. The Greeks feared him more than fire and even Zeus himself.

Except 12 gods of Olympus and Hades, the Greeks still have a lot of gods and even demigods. All of them are descendants and brothers of the main celestials. Each of them has its own legends or myths.