It arouses genuine interest, intrigues and excites. It combines fictional and modern world. Quite a few books have been written about him and many films have been made. The Pantheon of Greek gods is a real treasure trove for studying history, morals and life Ancient Greece. What function did the celestials perform on the sacred Mount Olympus? What unimaginable power and authority were they endowed with? This and much more will be discussed in our new divine article!
The pantheon, or simply a group of gods belonging to the same religion, consisted of a large number of celestials, each of whom performed a designated role and carried out its own function. In their appearance and behavior, the gods and goddesses were similar to ordinary people. They experienced the same emotions and feelings, fell in love and quarreled, were angry and had mercy, deceived and spread gossip. But their main difference was immortality! Over time, the history of relations between the gods became increasingly overgrown with myths. And this only increased interest and admiration for the ancient religion...
Representatives of the younger generation of celestials in Ancient Hellas were considered the main gods. Once upon a time, they took away the right to rule the world from the older generation (titans), who personified the natural elements and universal forces. Having defeated the Titans, the younger gods, under the leadership of Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. We will tell you about the 12 main Olympian gods and goddesses, their assistants and companions, who were worshiped by the Greeks!
King of the gods and main deity. Representative of the endless sky, lord of lightning and thunder. Zeus had unlimited power over both people and gods. The ancient Greeks honored and feared the Thunderer, appeasing him in every possible way with the best donations. Babies learned about Zeus even in the womb, and attributed all misfortunes to the wrath of the greatest and omnipotent.
Brother of Zeus, ruler of the sea, rivers, lakes and oceans. He personified courage, stormy temper, hot temper and unearthly strength. As the patron saint of seafarers, he could cause famine, capsize and sink ships, and decide the fate of fishermen in open waters. Poseidon is closely associated with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Brother of Poseidon and Zeus, to whom the entire underworld, the kingdom of the dead, was subordinate. The only one who did not live on Olympus, but was rightfully considered an Olympian god. All the dead went to Hades. Although people were afraid to even pronounce the name of Hades, ancient mythology he is represented as a cold, unshakable and indifferent god, whose decision must be carried out unquestioningly. In his dark kingdom with demons and shadows of the dead, where the sun's rays do not penetrate, one can only enter. There is no turning back.
Aristocratic and refined, the god of healing, sunlight, spiritual purity and artistic beauty. Having become the patron of creativity, he is considered the head of the 9 muses, as well as the father of the god of doctors, Asclepius.
The most ancient god of roads and travel, patron of trade and merchants. This celestial being with wings on his heels was associated with a subtle mind, resourcefulness, cunning and excellent knowledge of foreign languages.
The insidious god of war and fierce battles. The mighty warrior preferred bloody reprisals and waged war for the sake of war itself.
Patron of blacksmithing, pottery and other crafts associated with fire. Even in ancient times, Hephaestus was associated with volcanic activity, roar and flame.
Wife of Zeus, patroness of marriage and conjugal love. The goddess was distinguished by jealousy, anger, cruelty and excessive severity. In a state of rage, she could bring terrible troubles to people.
The daughter of Zeus, the beautiful goddess of love, who easily fell in love with herself and fell in love herself. In her hands was concentrated the great power of love, pure and sincere, which she bestowed on the gods and people.
Goddess of just war, wisdom, patroness of spiritual pursuits, art, agriculture and crafts. Pallas Athena was born from the head of Zeus in full armor. Thanks to her it flows public life and cities are built. For her knowledge and intelligence, she was the most respected and authoritative celestial being among the pantheon of Greek gods.
Patroness of agriculture and goddess of fertility. She is the guardian of life, who taught man peasant labor. She fills the barns and replenishes supplies. Demeter is the embodiment of the primitive energy of creativity, the great mother who gives birth to all living things.
Artemis
Goddess of forests and hunting, sister of Apollo. Patroness of vegetation and fertility. The virginity of the goddess is closely connected with the idea of birth and sexual relations.
In addition to the 12 main olympian gods among the Greek celestials there were many no less significant and authoritative names.
God of winemaking and all natural forces that make a person happy.
Morpheus. Everyone was in his arms. Greek god of dreams, son of Hypnos - god of sleep. Morpheus could take any form, accurately copy his voice, and appear to people in their dreams.
Son of Aphrodite and part-time god of love. A cute boy with a quiver and a bow accurately throws arrows at people, which ignite unbreakable love in the hearts of gods and people. In Rome, Cupid corresponded to it.
Persephone. The daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by Hades, who dragged her to his underworld and made her his wife. She spends part of the year upstairs with her mother, the rest of the time she lives underground. Persephone personified the grain that is sown in the ground and comes to life when it comes out into the light.
Patron of the hearth, family and sacrificial fire.
Pan. Greek god of forests, patron of shepherds and flocks. Represented with goat legs, horns and a beard with a pipe in his hands.
Goddess of victory and constant companion of Zeus. The divine symbol of success and a happy outcome is always depicted in a pose of rapid movement or with wings. Nika takes part in all musical competitions, military enterprises and religious celebrations.
And that is not all greek names gods:
- Asclepius is the Greek god of healing.
- Proteus is the son of Poseidon, a sea deity. He had the gift of predicting the future and changing his appearance.
- Triton, the son of Poseidon, brought news from the depths of the sea by blowing a conch shell. Depicted as a mixture of horse, fish and man.
- Eirene - the goddess of peace, stands at the Olympian throne of Zeus.
- Dike is the patroness of truth, a goddess who does not tolerate deception.
- Tyukhe is the goddess of luck and successful chance.
- Plutos is the ancient Greek god of wealth.
- Enyo is the goddess of furious war, causing fury in the fighters, bringing confusion to the battle.
- Phobos and Deimos are the sons and companions of Ares, the god of war.
The religion of Ancient Greece belongs to pagan polytheism. The gods played important roles in the structure of the world, each performing its own function. The immortal deities were similar to people and behaved quite humanly: they were sad and happy, quarreled and reconciled, betrayed and sacrificed their interests, were cunning and were sincere, loved and hated, forgave and took revenge, punished and had mercy.
The ancient Greeks explained the behavior, as well as the commands of gods and goddesses. natural phenomena, human origins, moral principles, public relations. Mythology reflected the Greeks' ideas about the world around them. Myths originated in different regions of Hellas and over time merged into an orderly system of beliefs.
Ancient Greek gods and goddesses
The gods and goddesses belonging to the younger generation were considered the main ones. The older generation, who embodied the forces of the universe and natural elements, lost dominance over the world, unable to withstand the onslaught of the younger ones. Having won, the young gods chose Mount Olympus as their home. The ancient Greeks identified 12 main Olympian gods among all the deities. So, the gods of Ancient Greece, list and description:
Zeus - god of Ancient Greece- in mythology called the father of the gods, Zeus the Thunderer, lord of lightning and clouds. It is he who has the powerful power to create life, resist chaos, establish order and fair trial on the ground. Legends tell about the deity as a noble and kind creature. The Lord of Lightning gave birth to the goddesses Or and the Muses. The Or govern time and the seasons of the year. Muses bring inspiration and joy to people.
The wife of the Thunderer was Hera. The Greeks considered her the quarrelsome goddess of the atmosphere. Hera is the keeper of the home, the patroness of wives who remain faithful to their husbands. With her daughter Ilithia, Hera eased the pain of childbirth. Zeus was famous for his passion. After three hundred years of marriage, the lord of lightning began to visit ordinary women, who gave birth to heroes - demigods. Zeus appeared to his chosen ones in different guises. Before the beautiful Europa, the father of the gods appeared like a bull with golden horns. Zeus visited Danae like a shower of gold.
Poseidon
sea god- lord of the oceans and seas, patron saint of sailors and fishermen. The Greeks considered Poseidon a just god, all of whose punishments were deservedly sent to people. Preparing for the voyage, the sailors offered prayers not to Zeus, but to the ruler of the seas. Before going to sea, incense was offered on altars to please the sea deity.
The Greeks believed that Poseidon could be seen during a strong storm on the open sea. His magnificent golden chariot appeared from sea foam drawn by fleet-footed horses. The ruler of the ocean received dashing horses as a gift from his brother Hades. Poseidon's wife is the goddess of the roaring sea, Amphthrita. The trident is a symbol of power, giving the deity absolute power over the depths of the sea. Poseidon had a gentle character and tried to avoid quarrels. His loyalty to Zeus was not questioned - unlike Hades, the ruler of the seas did not challenge the primacy of the Thunderer.
Hades
Master of the Underworld. Hades and his wife Persephone ruled the kingdom of the dead. The inhabitants of Hellas feared Hades more than Zeus himself. It is impossible to get into the underworld - and even more so, to return - without the will of the gloomy deity. Hades traveled across the surface of the earth in a chariot drawn by horses. The horses' eyes glowed with hellish fire. People prayed in fear so that the gloomy god would not take them to his abodes. Hades' favorite three-headed dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to the kingdom of the dead.
According to legends, when the gods divided power and Hades gained dominion over the kingdom of the dead, the celestial being was dissatisfied. He considered himself humiliated and harbored a grudge against Zeus. Hades never openly opposed the power of the Thunderer, but constantly tried to harm the father of the gods as much as possible.
Hades kidnapped the beautiful Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and the fertility goddess Demeter, by force making her his wife and ruler of the underworld. Zeus did not have power over the kingdom of the dead, so he refused Demeter’s request to return her daughter to Olympus. The distressed goddess of fertility stopped caring for the earth, there was a drought, then famine came. The Lord of Thunder and Lightning had to conclude an agreement with Hades, according to which Persephone would spend two thirds of the year in heaven, and a third of the year in underground world.
Pallas Athena and Ares
Athena is probably the most beloved goddess of the ancient Greeks. The daughter of Zeus, born from his head, she embodied three virtues:
- wisdom;
- calmness;
- insight.
The goddess of victorious energy, Athena was depicted as a powerful warrior with a spear and shield. She was also the deity of clear skies and had the power to disperse dark clouds with her weapons. The daughter of Zeus traveled with the goddess of victory Nike. Athena was called upon as the protector of cities and fortresses. It was she who sent down fair state laws to Ancient Hellas.
Ares - deity of stormy skies, Athena's eternal rival. The son of Hera and Zeus, he was revered as the god of war. A warrior filled with rage, with a sword or spear - this is how the ancient Greeks imagined Ares. The God of War enjoyed the noise of battle and bloodshed. Unlike Athena, who fought battles judiciously and honestly, Ares preferred fierce fights. The God of War approved a tribunal - a special trial of especially cruel murderers. The hill where the courts took place was named after the warlike deity Areopagus.
Hephaestus
God of blacksmithing and fire. According to legend, Hephaestus was cruel to people, frightening and destroying them with volcanic eruptions. People lived without fire on the surface of the earth, suffering and dying in the eternal cold. Hephaestus, like Zeus, did not want to help mortals and give them fire. Prometheus - Titan, the last of the older generation of gods, was an assistant to Zeus and lived on Olympus. Filled with compassion, he brought fire to earth. For stealing fire, the Thunderer doomed the titan to eternal torment.
Prometheus managed to escape punishment. Possessing prophetic abilities, the titan knew that Zeus was in danger of death at the hands of his own son in the future. Thanks to Prometheus's hint, the lord of lightning did not unite in marriage with the one who would give birth to a patricidal son, and strengthened his rule forever. For the secret of maintaining power, Zeus granted the titan freedom.
In Hellas there was a running festival. Participants competed with lit torches in their hands. Athena, Hephaestus and Prometheus were symbols of the triumph that served as the birth Olympic Games.
Hermes
The deities of Olympus were not only characterized by noble impulses, lies and deceit often guided their actions. God Hermes is a rogue and thief, the patron of trade and banking, magic, alchemy, and astrology. Born by Zeus from the Mayan galaxy. His mission was to convey the will of the gods to people through dreams. From the name of Hermes comes the name of the science of hermeneutics - the art and theory of interpretation of texts, including ancient ones.
Hermes invented writing, was young, handsome, energetic. Antique images depict him as a handsome young man in a winged hat and sandals. According to legend, Aphrodite rejected the advances of the god of trade. Gremes is not married, although he has many children, as well as many lovers.
The first theft of Hermes was 50 cows of Apollo, he committed it at a very young age. Zeus gave the kid a good beating and he returned the stolen goods. Subsequently, the Thunderer more than once turned to his resourceful son to solve sensitive problems. For example, at the request of Zeus, Hermes stole a cow from Hera, into which the beloved of the lord of lightning turned.
Apollo and Artemis
Apollo is the sun god of the Greeks. Being the son of Zeus, Apollo spent the winter in the lands of the Hyperboreans. God returned to Greece in the spring, bringing awakening to nature, immersed in winter hibernation. Apollo patronized the arts and was also the deity of music and singing. After all, along with spring, the desire to create returned to people. Apollo was credited with the ability to heal. Just as the sun drives out darkness, so the celestial being drove out illnesses. The sun god was depicted as an extremely handsome young man holding a harp.
Artemis is the goddess of hunting and the moon, patroness of animals. The Greeks believed that Artemis took night walks with the naiads - the patroness of water - and shed dew on the grass. At a certain period in history, Artemis was considered a cruel goddess who destroys sailors. Human sacrifices were made to the deity to gain favor.
At one time, girls worshiped Artemis as the organizer of a strong marriage. Artemis of Ephesus began to be considered the goddess of fertility. Sculptures and pictures of Artemis depicted a woman with many breasts on her chest to emphasize the goddess's generosity.
Soon the sun god Helios and the moon goddess Selene appeared in legends. Apollo remained the deity of music and art, Artemis - goddess of the hunt.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite the Beautiful was worshiped as the patroness of lovers. The Phoenician goddess Aphrodite combined two principles:
- femininity when the goddess enjoyed love young man Adonis and the singing of birds, the sounds of nature;
- militancy, when the goddess was portrayed as a cruel warrior who obliged her followers to take a vow of chastity, and was also a zealous guardian of fidelity in marriage.
The ancient Greeks managed to harmoniously combine femininity and belligerence, creating a perfect image of female beauty. The embodiment of the ideal was Aphrodite, bringing pure, immaculate love. The goddess was depicted as a beautiful naked woman emerging from the foam of the sea. Aphrodite is the most revered muse of poets, sculptors, and artists of that time.
The son of the beautiful goddess Eros (Eros) was her faithful messenger and assistant. The main task the god of love was to connect the life lines of lovers. According to legend, Eros looked like a well-fed baby with wings.
Demeter
Demeter is the patron goddess of farmers and winemakers. Mother Earth, that’s what they called her. Demeter was the embodiment of nature, which gives people fruits and grains, absorbing sunlight and rains. They depicted the goddess of fertility with light brown, wheat-colored hair. Demeter gave people the science of arable farming and crops grown with hard work. The daughter of the goddess of wine, Persephone, becoming the queen of the underworld, connected the world of the living with the kingdom of the dead.
Along with Demeter, Dionysus, the deity of winemaking, was revered. Dionysus was portrayed as a cheerful young man. Usually his body was entwined with a vine, and in his hands the god held a jug filled with wine. Dionysus taught people to care for vines and sing wild songs, which later formed the basis of ancient Greek drama.
Hestia
Goddess family well-being, unity and peace. The altar of Hestia stood in every house near the family hearth. The inhabitants of Hellas perceived urban communities as large families, therefore, in the prytanei (administrative buildings in greek cities) sanctuaries of Hestia were always present. They were a symbol of civil unity and peace. There was a sign that if in long journey take coals from the altar of Prytaneus, then the goddess will provide her protection along the way. The goddess also protected foreigners and the afflicted.
Temples to Hestia were not built, because she was worshiped in every home. Fire was considered a pure, cleansing natural phenomenon, so Hestia was perceived as the patroness of chastity. The goddess asked Zeus for permission not to marry, although Poseidon and Apollo sought her favor.
Myths and legends have evolved over decades. With each retelling of the story, new details were acquired and previously unknown characters emerged. The list of gods grew, making it possible to explain natural phenomena the essence of which ancient people could not understand. Myths passed on the wisdom of older generations to young ones, explained government structure, affirmed the moral principles of society.
The mythology of Ancient Greece gave humanity many stories and images that were reflected in the masterpieces of world art. For centuries, artists, sculptors, poets and architects have drawn inspiration from the legends of Hellas.
Religion played a major role in Everyday life ancient Greeks. The main gods were considered the younger generation of celestials, who defeated their predecessors, the titans, who personified the universal forces. After the victory, they settled on the sacred Mount Olympus. Only Hades, the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, lived underground in his domain. The gods were immortal, but very similar to people - they were characterized by human traits: they quarreled and made peace, committed meanness and intrigue, loved and cunned. Associated with the pantheon of Greek gods great amount myths that have survived to this day are exciting and fascinating. Each god played his role, occupied a certain place in a complex hierarchy and performed his assigned function.
Supreme God Greek pantheon- the king of all gods. He commanded thunder, lightning, the sky and the whole world. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Hades, Demeter and Poseidon. Zeus had a difficult childhood - his father, the Titan Kronos, fearing competition, devoured his children immediately after birth. However, thanks to his mother Rhea, Zeus managed to survive. Having grown stronger, Zeus threw his father from Olympus to Tartarus and received unlimited power over people and gods. He was very revered - the best sacrifices were made to him. The life of every Greek from infancy was saturated with the praise of Zeus.
One of three main gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus and Hades. He was subordinate to the water element, which he got after his victory over the titans. He personified courage and a hot temper - he could be appeased with generous gifts... but not for long. The Greeks blamed it for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. He was the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. Poseidon's constant attribute was a trident - with it he could cause storms and break rocks.
Brother of Zeus and Poseidon, completing the top three most influential gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Immediately after birth, he was swallowed by his father Kronos, but was subsequently released from the latter's womb by Zeus. He ruled the underground kingdom of the dead, inhabited by the dark shadows of the dead and demons. One could only enter this kingdom - there was no turning back. The mere mention of Hades caused awe among the Greeks, because the touch of this invisible cold god meant death for a person. Fertility also depended on Hades, giving the harvest from the depths of the earth. He commanded underground riches.
Wife and at the same time sister of Zeus. According to legend, they kept their marriage a secret for 300 years. The most influential of all the goddesses of Olympus. Patroness of marriage and conjugal love. Protected mothers during childbirth. She was distinguished by her amazing beauty and... monstrous character - she was angry, cruel, hot-tempered and jealous, often sending misfortunes to the earth and people. Despite her character, she was revered by the ancient Greeks almost on a par with Zeus.
God of unjust war and bloodshed. Son of Zeus and Hera. Zeus hated his son and tolerated him only because of his close relationship. Ares was distinguished by cunning and treachery, starting a war only for the sake of bloodshed. He was distinguished by an impulsive, hot-tempered character. He was married to the goddess Aphrodite, with her he had eight children, to whom he was very attached. All images of Ares contain military paraphernalia: a shield, helmet, sword or spear, sometimes armor.
Daughter of Zeus and the goddess Dione. Goddess of love and beauty. Personifying love, she was a very unfaithful wife and easily fell in love with those around her. In addition, she was the embodiment of eternal spring, life and fertility. The cult of Aphrodite was very revered in Ancient Greece - magnificent temples were dedicated to her and great sacrifices were made. An invariable attribute of the goddess’s attire was a magic belt (the belt of Venus), which made those who wore it unusually attractive.
Goddess of just war and wisdom. She was born from the head of Zeus... without the participation of a woman. Born in full combat uniform. She was depicted as a virgin warrior. She patronized knowledge, crafts and art, sciences and invention. She is, in particular, credited with the invention of the flute. She was a favorite of the Greeks. Her images were invariably accompanied by the attributes (or at least one attribute) of a warrior: armor, spear, sword and shield.
Daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Goddess of fertility and agriculture. As a child, she repeated the fate of her brother Hades and was devoured by her father, but was later saved by being extracted from his womb. She was the lover of her brother Zeus. From her relationship with him, she had a daughter, Persephone. According to legend, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, and Demeter wandered the earth for a long time in search of her daughter. During her wanderings, the land was struck by crop failure, causing famine and death of people. People stopped bringing gifts to the gods, and Zeus ordered Hades to return his daughter to her mother.
Son of Zeus and Semele. The youngest of the inhabitants of Olympus. God of winemaking (he was credited with the invention of wine and beer), vegetation, the productive forces of nature, inspiration and religious ecstasy. The cult of Dionysus was characterized by uncontrollable dancing, mesmerizing music and immoderate drunkenness. According to legend, Hera, the wife of Zeus, who hated the illegitimate child of the Thunderer, sent madness to Dionysus. He himself was credited with the ability to drive people crazy. Dionysus wandered all his life and even visited Hades, from where he rescued his mother Semele. Once every three years, the Greeks held Bacchic festivals in memory of the campaign of Dionysus against India.
Daughter of the thunderer Zeus and the goddess Leto. She was born at the same time as her twin brother, the golden-haired Apollo. Virgin goddess of hunting, fertility, female chastity. Patroness of women in labor, giving happiness in marriage. Being a protector during childbirth, she was often depicted with many breasts. A temple was built in her honor at Ephesus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. She was often depicted with a golden bow and quiver over her shoulders.
God of fire, patron of blacksmiths. Son of Zeus and Hera, brother of Ares and Athena. However, the paternity of Zeus was questioned by the Greeks. Different versions have been put forward. One of them, the obstinate Hera, gave birth to Hephaestus from her thigh without male participation, in revenge on Zeus for the birth of Athena. The child was born weak and lame. Hera abandoned him and threw him from Olympus into the sea. However, Hephaestus did not die and found shelter with the sea goddess Thetis. The thirst for revenge tormented Hephaestus, rejected by his parents, and the opportunity to take revenge eventually presented itself to him. Being a skilled blacksmith, he forged a golden throne of incredible beauty, which he sent as a gift to Olympus. The delighted Hera sat down on him and immediately found herself shackled with previously invisible shackles. No amount of persuasion or even the order of Zeus had any effect on the blacksmith god - he refused to free his mother. Only Dionysus was able to cope with the obstinate man by drugging him.
Son of Zeus and the Pleiades of Maya. God of trade, profit, eloquence, dexterity and athleticism. He patronized merchants, helping them get generous profits. In addition, he was the patron of travelers, ambassadors, shepherds, astrologers and magicians. He also had another honorable function - he accompanied the souls of the dead to Hades. He was credited with the invention of writing and numbers. From infancy, Hermes had a penchant for theft. According to legend, he even managed to steal the scepter from Zeus. He did it as a joke... when he was a baby. The constant attributes of Hermes were: a winged staff capable of reconciling enemies, a wide-brimmed hat and winged sandals.
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 way of life of Greece itself at that time. Questions of faith have always been extremely sensitive, but in this country the gods were often divided.
The choice of the god to be worshiped depended on many things, in particular on the lifestyle 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 insult the other, which sometimes became the cause of real tragedies.
Thus, in Thebes, seven boys of a noble man who worshiped Zeus were slaughtered. The reason for such 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 entered the house without pity 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 goddesses of fate Moira and the galaxy supernatural creatures. But then they were not gods, they belonged to the powerful 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. Nose last child Rhea could not leave: tormented soul my mother suffered too much. Kronos swallowed a stone instead of Zeus, and hid his little son Rhea 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 their hated father.
Every goddess, every god of Olympus was a patron for man, temples and sacrificial altars grew and multiplied throughout the country and beyond.
Names of goddesses of Ancient Greece. List
Hera, guardian of marriage bonds and devotion
The royal wife, 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 ruler of heaven and earth had to give his word to marry, but the cunning Hera asked him to swear by the sacred waters of the underground Styx. She knew: even the flighty supreme god would not dare to break such an oath. The underground river is always mentioned in mythology when it comes to any 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 ruin the life of Hercules’ mother and the young man himself 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 war god Ares, whom his father did not really like for his love of blood and murder. In revenge 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 angry at the birth of Zeus's beloved daughter: 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 is Poseidon, according to others, she is a wandering girl who swore an oath of 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 the earthly girl by taking the form simple guy. But Hera, having learned about another 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 of 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 to Zeus and ask him to appear to her in his true form. This destroyed 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 severe pain in his head, then Hephaestus cut off his head to look at the reason for this phenomenon. And from her father’s head, in shining armor, came Athena, the goddess whose name will inspire reverence and awe.
Pallas Athena patronized men; her brother, the god of war, Ares, was constantly in conflict with her. But the wisdom of the goddess always prevailed over ardor. Athena was revered by artisans; men did not begin important work unless they made a sacrifice to the goddess. But Athena is an unusual goddess 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, an angry warrior maiden turned the weaver into a spider to punish her for her insolence. Odysseus is her favorite and his campaign would not have been so successful if not for the patronage of the wise goddess. The cult of Athena was comparable to the cult of Zeus himself, but at the same time, the daughter’s special obedience to her father was noted everywhere. Athens set this quality as an example for girls, so that they would also honor their parents.
Aphrodite, goddess of love
Born from the foam of the sea, the beautiful Aphrodite had 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.
By order 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 disappeared into the foam of the sea laughing. It is noteworthy that this did not anger Zeus and Poseidon; a little later Aphrodite married Hephaestus, which amazed everyone. A colorful marriage: the ugly and lame god of fire and the most beautiful of goddesses. Although it was believed that the goddess also had a favorite: young Adonis, who died by chance.
Temples of Aphrodite were in many cities, she was revered as Venus Romans. Luxurious holidays were held in her honor and sacrifices were made to her. Orgies were held in her temples, participation in which was a great honor.
Artemis, goddess of the hunt in Ancient Greece, patroness of childbirth
Artemis is always depicted in skin and with a bow, and is officially considered the goddess of the hunt. At the same time, she has pity for animals and can severely punish for hunting in those places where she likes to relax.
The daughter of Latona and the sister of the golden-haired Apollo may be a gentle daughter, but she can also bring death to people. In the legends, the legend about how the mortal Niobe insulted her mother stands out especially clearly. Niobe had 14 beautiful children and thought that Latona was defective since she gave birth to only two. Angry Apollo and Artemis killed all her children, despite the repentance of the unfortunate mother.
Artemis protected women in labor, 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 was 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 attempts to be cured of deadly diseases.
Demeter, goddess of fertility in Ancient Greece
Demeter was the sister of the thunderer Zeus and provided protection to farmers. They prayed to her so that the harvest would be born and the earth would bear fruit. Demeter had only daughter and joy is the beautiful Persephone. But she liked the gloomy and formidable god world of the dead. The brother of Zeus himself, the stern Hades, kidnapped the daughter of Demeter. To which the goddess responded by leaving Olympus and vowing never to return if her daughter was not returned to her.
At first Zeus refused his sister, but without Demeter the earth stopped bearing fruit, and the cattle began to die of hunger. Gradually, people stopped making sacrifices to the gods, because there was nothing to eat: everything was dying. Then Zeus made a Solomonic decision: Persephone lived with Hades for six months and with her mother for six months. Hades was forced to obey: on the same day Persephone returned to her mother.
From then on, the time when the daughter and mother are together, the earth blooms and produces harvests, is summer and spring. And when Persephone returns to her husband, Demeter goes away to mourn and autumn and winter begin.
The Twelve Gods were the main gods worshiped by the ancient Greeks. According to legend, they lived on the top of Olympus, among them there were 6 men and 6 women.
Hestia: patroness of family happiness, protector of virgins, the only goddess who got along with all the gods. It was eldest daughter and the first child of Kronos and Rhea, therefore she was introduced to the rank of the main great Goddesses.
Aphrodite: When Aphrodite emerged from the sea she became synonymous with female beauty in ancient times, she was the goddess of love and beauty. Gods and mortals alike were all captivated by the beauty of Aphrodite. During her marriage to Hephaestus, she had a love affair with Ares.
Athena: goddess of justice, wisdom, strategy, war. The Parthenon in Athens is the most famous temple dedicated to her. Athena was the beloved daughter of Zeus, born from his head. The symbols of the goddess are owl, aegis, olive, snake.
Artemis: was a goddess wildlife and hunting, patronized pregnant women and women in labor, especially in rural areas, twin sister of Apollo. Symbols of Artemis are animals and plants, weapons, goat, deer, snake, Bay leaf, palm, sword, quiver, spear and others.