The ancient Greek gods include many deities, with the mother goddess as a central figure. The twelve main gods, called Olympians, were the most important and were worshiped by the Romans. Zeus is the supreme ruler and controls the weather, while Hera is his wife and sister. Other major gods include Hades, Poseidon, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Hermes, Hestia, and Demeter. The Greeks could choose to worship one god more than others based on personal preference or profession.
The ancient Greek gods are made up of many deities, minor and major. There are literally hundreds of minors. When northern nomads raided small settlements that predated the city-states, the population continued to worship their deities, with a central figure of the mother goddess. The nomads relied on weather gods such as Zeus. To unite conflicting theologies, the gods who represented the weather would be married to the mother goddess of the city, which promoted harmony in worship and caused less resistance among conquered citizens.
This explanation will focus on the twelve main ancient Greek gods, called by the Greeks the Olympians, who were recognized as the most important deities and therefore were worshiped by the Romans before the Christian conversion. Six of the gods were the offspring of the titan siblings Cronus and Rhea, but only four of them reigned on Olympus. Hades rules the Underworld and Poseidon is the god of the sea. Both are among the twelve major, but live elsewhere.
Cronus swallowed his children to prevent them from stealing his power. Rhea managed to hide Zeus from Cronus and was brought up on Crete. Upon reaching maturity, Zeus forced Cronus to vomit his five older brothers. This led to the War with the Titans, in which Zeus and his brothers fought the Titans and gained control of Mount Olympus.
Zeus, the supreme ruler of Olympus and the leader of the ancient Greek gods, controls the weather, especially the fierce climate, when he hurls lightning from the sky. Zeus fathered children with a number of goddesses and mortals, which infuriated his wife and sister Hera, who often exacted retribution. These relationships are explained by barbarian takeovers of small settlements that worshiped a mother goddess. She was also the protector of women, mothers and wives, linked to domestic life.
Hera and Zeus produced Ares, or Mars, god of war. Mars is significant in Homer’s Iliad. He also had an affair with his half-sister Aphrodite, much to the chagrin of Aphrodite’s husband Hephaestus.
Hephaestus is the blacksmith of the gods and brother of Ares. He is connected with fire and metal, and makes lightning thrown by Zeus. He is depicted as lame or with a limp. This limp is based on the actual practice of crippling skilled blacksmiths to prevent them from leaving an area. Hephaestus, by way of compensation, is married to Aphrodite.
Aphrodite has two mythological origins as one of the ancient Greek deities. She either is the daughter of Zeus and a minor goddess, or she was born from sea foam caused by the blood of Uranus. She is the quintessential goddess of love and beauty, also the mother of Eros. While some of her adored her, especially her unrequited lovers, she is often thought to be spiteful; of her her reward of Helen in Paris caused the Trojan War.
The children of Zeus and Leto, Apollo and Artemis, are twins. Apollo is the god of justice, wisdom and prophecy. He is related to the sun, which he is said to love, and is also an inspiration for athletic contests. Among the gods, he is one of the most beloved, as he tends to represent fairness and joy.
Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, although she is also sometimes associated with childbirth. She remains virginal and was adored by maidens. Unlike Apollo, she is closely associated with the moon.
Athena is said to have been born from the forehead of Zeus. She is the warrior maiden, but she also represents wisdom and intellect. She shares control of storms with Zeus and control of warfare with Ares. Among the ancient Greek gods, she is one of the most involved players in the Trojan War as depicted in the Iliad.
Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia. He is known for his quick feet and was a messenger of the gods. He is the patron of chance and gamblers, known for his pranks on him. He is also the conductor of souls to the underworld.
Hestia is the first daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She is the goddess of the home, important in all things domestic. She is also associated with the harvest, although she shares that task with Demeter, the sister of Zeus, the true goddess of the harvest and last of the rulers of Olympus.
The Greeks honored all the ancient Greek gods, but they could worship one more than the others mainly by personal choice. Fishermen might give their first allegiance to Poseidon, and soldiers would likely honor Ares and Athena. Farmers were likely to honor Demeter more than others. Senators could praise Apollo and Athena.
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