Life is ancient greek gods on Mount Olympus seemed to people like sheer fun and daily celebration. Myths and legends of those times represent a storehouse of philosophical and cultural knowledge. Having looked at the list of gods of Ancient Greece, you can plunge into a completely different world. Mythology surprises with its uniqueness; it is important because it pushed humanity to the development and emergence of many sciences, such as mathematics, astronomy, rhetoric, and logic.

First generation

Initially there was Mist, and out of it Chaos arose. From their union came Erebus (darkness), Nyx (night), Uranus (sky), Eros (love), Gaia (earth) and Tartarus (abyss). All of them played a gigantic role in the formation of the pantheon. All other deities are somehow connected with them.

Gaia is one of the first deities on earth, appearing along with the sky, sea and air. She is the great mother of everything on earth: the heavenly gods were born from her union with her son Uranus (sky), the sea gods from Pontos (sea), the giants from Tartaros (hell), and mortal beings were created from her flesh. She was depicted as an obese woman, half rising from the ground. We can assume that it was she who came up with all the names of the gods of Ancient Greece, a list of which can be found below.

Uranus is one of the primitive gods of Ancient Greece. He was the original ruler of the universe. He was overthrown by his son Kronos. Born by one Gaia, he was also her husband. Some sources call his father Akmon. Uranus was depicted as a bronze dome covering the world.

List of gods of Ancient Greece, born of Uranus and Gaia: Oceanus, Cous, Hyperion, Crius, Thea, Rhea, Themis, Iapetus, Mnemosyne, Tethys, Kronos, Cyclopes, Brontes, Steropes.

Uranus did not feel much love for his children, or rather, he hated them. And after birth, he imprisoned them in Tartarus. But during their rebellion he was defeated and castrated by his son Kronos.

Second generation

The Titans, born of Uranus and Gaia, were the six gods of time. The list of titans of Ancient Greece includes:

Ocean - tops the list of gods of Ancient Greece, titanium. Was a big river surrounding land, was the reservoir of all fresh water. Oceanus's wife was his sister, the Titanide Tethys. Their union gave birth to rivers, streams and thousands of oceanids. They did not take part in the Titanomachy. The ocean was depicted as horned bull with a fish tail instead of legs.

Kay (Koi/Keos) - Phoebe's brother and husband. Their union gave birth to Leto and Asteria. Depicted as a celestial axis. It was around her that the clouds revolved and Helios and Selene walked across the sky. The couple were thrown by Zeus into Tartarus.

Crius (Krios) is an ice titan capable of freezing all living things. He shared the fate of his brothers and sisters, thrown into Tartarus.

Iapetus (Iapetus/Iapetus) - the most eloquent, commanded the titans when attacking the gods. Also sent by Zeus to Tartarus.

Hyperion - lived on the island of Trinacria. He did not take part in the Titanomachy. The wife was the titinide Thea (thrown into Tartarus along with her brothers and sisters).

Kronos (Chronos/Kronus) is the temporary ruler of the world. He was so afraid of losing the power of the supreme god that he devoured his children so that not one of them would lay claim to the throne of the ruler. He was married to his sister Rhea. She managed to save one child and hide him from Kronos. Overthrown by his only saved heir, Zeus, and sent to Tartarus.

Closer to people

The next generation is the most famous. They are the main gods of Ancient Greece. The list of their exploits, adventures and legends with their participation is very impressive.

They not only became closer to people, descending from heaven and emerging from chaos to the top of the mountain. The gods of the third generation began to contact people more often and more willingly.

Zeus especially boasted about this, who was very partial to earthly women. And the presence of the divine wife Hera did not bother him at all. It was from his union with man that the well-known hero of myths, Hercules, was born.

Third generation

These gods lived on Mount Olympus. They got their title from its name. There are 12 gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which is known to almost everyone. They all performed their functions and were endowed with unique talents.

But more often they talk about fourteen gods, the first six of which were the children of Kronos and Rhea:

Zeus - main god Olympus, the ruler of the sky, personified power and strength. God of lightning, thunder and creator of people. The main attributes of this god were: Aegis (shield), Labrys (double-sided axe), Zeus' lightning (double-pronged pitchfork with jagged edges) and an eagle. Distributed good and evil. Was in an alliance with several women:

• Metis - the first wife, the goddess of wisdom, was swallowed by her husband;
• Themis - goddess of justice, second wife of Zeus;
• Hera - last wife, goddess of marriage, was the sister of Zeus.

Poseidon is the god of rivers, floods, seas, drought, horses and earthquakes. His attributes were: a trident, a dolphin and a chariot with white-maned horses. Wife - Amphitrite.

Demeter is the mother of Persephone, sister of Zeus and his lover. She is the goddess of fertility and patronizes farmers. Demeter's attribute is a wreath of ears.

Hestia is the sister of Demeter, Zeus, Hades, Hera and Poseidon. Patroness of sacrificial fire and family hearth. She took a vow of chastity. The main attribute was a torch.

Hades is the ruler of the underworld of the dead. Consort of Persephone (goddess of fertility and queen of the kingdom of the dead). The attributes of Hades were a bident or a rod. Depicted with the underground monster Cerberus - a three-headed dog who stood guard at the entrance to Tartarus.

Hera is the sister and at the same time the wife of Zeus. The most powerful and wise goddess of Olympus. She was the patroness of family and marriage. A mandatory attribute of Hera is a diadem. This decoration is a symbol of the fact that she is the main one on Olympus. All the main gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which she headed, obeyed her (sometimes reluctantly).

Other Olympians

Even if these gods did not have such powerful parents, almost all of them were born from Zeus. Each of them was talented in their own way. And he coped well with his duties.

Ares is the son of Hera and Zeus. God of battles, war and masculinity. He was a lover and then the husband of the goddess Aphrodite. Ares' companions were Eris (goddess of discord) and Enyo (goddess of furious war). The main attributes were: helmet, sword, dogs, burning torch and shield.

Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, was the twin brother of Artemis. God of light, leader of the muses, god-healer and predictor of the future. Apollo was very loving, he had many mistresses and lovers. The attributes were: a laurel wreath, a chariot, a bow and arrows and a golden lyre.

Hermes is the son of Zeus and the galaxy of Maya or Persephone. God of trade, eloquence, dexterity, intelligence, animal husbandry and roads. Patron of athletes, merchants, artisans, shepherds, travelers, ambassadors and thieves. He is the personal messenger of Zeus and the guide of the dead to the kingdom of Hades. He taught people writing, trade and bookkeeping. Attributes: winged sandals that allow him to fly, invisibility helmet, caduceus (a rod decorated with two intertwined snakes).

Hephaestus is the son of Hera and Zeus. God of blacksmithing and fire. He was limping on both legs. Hephaestus's wives are Aphrodite and Aglaia. The attributes of the god were: blacksmith's bellows, tongs, chariot and pilos.

Dionysus is the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Semele. God of vineyards and winemaking, inspiration and ecstasy. Patron of the theater. He was married to Ariadne. Attributes of God: a cup of wine, a wreath of vines and a chariot.

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Leto, twin sister of Apollo. The young goddess is a hunter. Born first, she helped her mother give birth to Apollo. Chaste. Attributes of Artemis: a doe, a quiver of arrows and a chariot.

Demeter is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Mother of Persephone (wife of Hades), sister of Zeus and his lover. Goddess of agriculture and fertility. Demeter's attribute is a wreath of ears.

Athena, the daughter of Zeus, completes our list of gods of Ancient Greece. She was born from his head after he swallowed her mother Themis. Goddess of war, wisdom and craft. Patroness Greek city Athens. Her attributes were: a shield with the image of the Gorgon Medusa, an owl, a snake and a spear.

Born in foam?

I would like to say something about the next goddess separately. She is not only a symbol of female beauty to this day. Moreover, the history of its origin is hidden in mystery.

There is a lot of controversy and speculation about the birth of Aphrodite. First version: the goddess was born from the seed and blood of Uranus castrated by Kronos, which fell into the sea and formed foam. Second version: Aphrodite arose from a sea shell. Third hypothesis: she is the daughter of Dione and Zeus.

This goddess was in charge of beauty and love. Spouses: Ares and Hephaestus. Attributes: chariot, apple, rose, mirror and dove.

How they lived on the great Olympus

All the Olympian gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which you see above, had the right to live and spend all their free time from miracles on great grief. The relationship between them was not always rosy, but few of them decided on open hostility, knowing the power of their enemy.

Even among the great divine creatures there was no permanent peace. But everything was decided by intrigues, secret conspiracies and betrayals. It's very similar to the human world. And this is understandable, because humanity was created precisely by the gods, so they are all similar to us.

Gods who do not live on top of Olympus

Not all deities had the chance to reach such heights and climb Mount Olympus to rule the world there, feasting and having fun. Many other gods either could not deserve such a high honor, or were modest and were content ordinary life. If, of course, you can call the existence of a deity that way. Except olympian gods, there were other gods of Ancient Greece, a list of their names is here:

• Hymen is the god of marriage (the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope).
• Nike is the goddess of victory (daughter of Styx and the Titan Pallant).
• Iris is the goddess of the rainbow (daughter of the sea god Thaumant and the oceanid Electra).
• Ata is the goddess of darkness (daughter of Zeus).
• Apata is the mistress of lies (heir to the goddess of night darkness Nyukta).
• Morpheus is the god of dreams (son of the lord of dreams Hypnos).
• Phobos is the god of fear (descendant of Aphrodite and Ares).
• Deimos - Lord of Terror (son of Ares and Aphrodite).
• Ora - goddesses of the seasons (daughters of Zeus and Themis).
• Aeolus is the demigod of the winds (heir to Poseidon and Arna).
• Hecate is the mistress of darkness and all monsters (the result of the union of the titan Persian and Asteria).
• Thanatos - god of death (son of Erebus and Nyukta).
• Erinyes - goddess of revenge (daughter of Erebus and Nyukta).
• Pontus is the ruler inland sea(successor of Ether and Gaia).
• Moiras are goddesses of fate (daughters of Zeus and Themis).

These are not all the gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which can be continued even further. But to get acquainted with the main myths and legends, it is enough to know only these characters. If you want to read more stories about each, we are sure that the ancient storytellers came up with a lot of intertwining of their destinies and details of divine life, in which you will gradually become acquainted with more and more new heroes.

Meaning of Greek Mythology

There were also muses, nymphs, satyrs, centaurs, heroes, cyclops, giants and monsters. This whole huge world was not invented in one day. Myths and legends have been written for decades, with each retelling acquiring new details and previously unseen characters. More and more new gods of Ancient Greece appeared, the list of whose names grew from one storyteller to another.

The main purpose of these stories was to teach future generations the wisdom of elders, in clear language talk about good and evil, about honor and cowardice, about loyalty and lies. Well, besides, such a huge pantheon made it possible to explain almost any natural phenomenon, which has not yet been scientifically substantiated.

Greece is unthinkable without mythology. When we talk about this state, the name Olympus, the sacred mountain where Zeus and other supreme deities reigned, naturally comes to mind. 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, and sometimes generous.

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

Legends about the Olympian gods passed from generation to generation and had a huge influence on world culture. Stories from ancient Greek mythology were present in literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, and music. They “exerted” influence on almost all areas human life, as they reflected people’s ideas about the structure of the world.

The information that has reached our times about the legends and tales of Ancient Greece came from the works of Homer, Ovid, Nonnus, and Euripides. Thus, 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 birth to Eternal Darkness and dark night. From them came Eternal Light and bright day. So, night began to give way to day, and day to night, forever and ever.

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

In addition, Gaia gave birth to three Cyclops giants and three giants, each of whom had 50 heads and 100 arms. Uranus saw these monsters and hated them, since they had a violent character and powerful 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, deception, nightmares, destruction and revenge. Kronos began to rule in a world where struggle, horror and misfortune reigned. This is how Night punished the cunning Kronos.

Most of all, he was afraid that his children could do away with him 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. The merciless Kronos swallowed all of them - Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon. 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 secretly from her ruthless husband, she went to the island of Crete, where she gave birth to a baby in a dark cave.

Zeus

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

Zeus grew up, went to war against his father, overthrew him from the throne and imprisoned him in Tartarus - an abyss from which one cannot escape. 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, patron of Sky, 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 axe) in his hands. The wife of the Thunderer was Hera.

Zeus is often presented as punitive and cruel, but he “arranged” the lives of people, 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 so that she would pay attention to him, he turned into a cuckoo, and Hera caught her. However, in family life she experienced painful jealousy of her husband, who satisfied 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. The Goddess was depicted as a stately and noble lady, with a diadem or crown on her head, with a cuckoo or peacock, sometimes with the head of a horse.

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 similar to his brother the Thunderer. In painting and sculpture he was depicted as a powerful man with strong arms and legs, and a powerful torso.

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

Hades

The god of the underworld Hades was the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea. At the same time, he was revered as the patron of the harvest, because everything that grows comes from the depths 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 depicted. If there was an image, then he looked like this: a gloomy man of mature age in dark clothes, powerful, on a golden throne, with the three-headed dog Cerberus at his feet, guarding the entrance to the kingdom of the dead. Next to Hades was depicted his beautiful wife, the daughter of Demeter and the queen of the dead Persephone, whom he once kidnapped 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 are Zeus and Rhea. Demeter has a beautiful appearance and thick light curls. She was mainly 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 is about Demeter and her daughter Persephone, who was kidnapped by Hades. The mother left Olympus and wandered the Earth in search of her missing daughter. Demeter grieved greatly for Persephone, even the crops stopped sprouting. Famine set in, people began to die. The gods wondered why people stopped making sacrifices to them, and complained about this to Zeus. Then he sent for Demeter to Earth so that she could 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 by adding pomegranate seeds to her. Demeter, seeing her daughter, rejoiced. Zeus ordered Persephone to spend a third of the year with her mother, and the rest of the time with her husband. 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 grain and cultivate wheat. In painting, Demeter was depicted as a girl with a wreath of ears of grain or as a grieving mother.

Apollo

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

Apollo is young, beautiful and strong: on olympic games won a fist fight with Ares himself (God of War). He had no wife, and more than 70 children. Mythology attributes him with numerous relationships with goddesses, mortal women and even young men.

Athena

There was also the goddess of war on Olympus - Athena. She personified faith in victory, wisdom and the power of military strategy. Athena was the patron of art, crafts, science and knowledge.

Thanks to her unusual appearance, the goddess of war is easy to distinguish in paintings and sculptures. Her clothes are a linen dress, armor, and a helmet. In her hands there must be a spear, and next to her is a chariot. Athena has a strong-willed face, clear eyes, gray expressive eyes, and long brown hair. Her appearance expresses calm and determination.

It is not entirely clear who Athena’s parents are. According to one version, he was Zeus, who gave birth to her single-handedly.

Hermes

Even the gods of Olympus were no strangers to deceit and deceit. One very handsome, judging by ancient images, a god named Hermes was known as a famous cheat and thief. He was born to the Maya galaxy from Zeus. Being just 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, subsequently Zeus more than once turned to the clever child to carry out his orders. One day 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 efficient. He showed signs of attention to Aphrodite, but she rejected him. Hermes has many children, as well as lovers, but no wife. IN fine arts and in sculpture he was depicted wearing a hat with wings and winged sandals.

Hephaestus

It's not easy with this god. 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 despair, threw the boy into the depths of the sea, where the sea goddess Thetis sheltered him.

Since childhood, Hephaestus loved to forge: 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, whom the best blacksmith in the world had to chain to a rock by order of Zeus. Hephaestus' wives were Aglaia 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 legend 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. Almighty Hera could not forgive Aphrodite for her incomparable beauty and made the ugly Hephaestus become her husband. However, the goddess cheated on her spouse more than once. The most sensational story about Aphrodite was her love for the earthly hunter Adonis.

Aphrodite - "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, harites, dolphins and oras. Sometimes she was portrayed as a naked modesty, sometimes as a flirtatious girl, sometimes as a passionate woman.

Ares

The god of war, Ares, is distinguished by treachery and deceit. If he fought, it was for the sake of war, rather 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 magic flower.

Zeus did not have paternal feelings for Ares and even hated him. On sacred Olympus, he had difficulty “pushing through” his authority. Ares participated in Trojan War, but fair Athena defeated him.

In art he was depicted as 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's 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 were married and 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 Titanide Leto. Oceanids and nymphs served her. Despite the fact that she was the patroness of childbirth, Artemis herself was unmarried and childless. Artists and sculptors depicted her as a young woman, dressed in a chiton convenient for hunting, with a spear in her hand, with a bow and quiver on her back. When Artemis appeared naked on Houdon’s canvas, a real scandal broke out. It was the end of the 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 Liliya-Travel.RU - Anna Lazareva

The Pantheon of the Gods of Ancient Greece is an intriguing, interesting and colorful journey, with many questions and unusual facts. A journey where the real and fictional worlds are closely intertwined. How clear it is, and at the same time how strange it sounds, modern realities, this is a concept. But, despite the time, the pantheon of the gods of Greece arouses 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 broad meaning denotes 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 was pagan polytheism, and the pantheon of gods itself consisted of huge amount 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 unchangeable and fundamental thing in Greek pantheon- this is the immortality of the gods. In appearance and behavior, the gods of Greece were similar to people, and therefore they had completely human manners in behavior: they quarreled and made peace, deceived and intrigued, loved and cunned, were merciful and formidable. The relationship of the gods, over time, became overgrown with many myths, which even today serve as 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 the 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 - mother of Zeus, saved her youngest 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, made 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 submission. Children knew about the great Zeus from the cradle, and all failures were attributed to the wrath of the great deity.

The Greeks built in honor of Zeus large number temples, 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 ruler of the sea.

Poseidon.

Poseidon among the ancient Greeks was the personification of strength, courage and tough character. He commanded the seas, rivers, lakes and oceans. Having become the patron of fishermen and sailors, he could decide their destinies, sink ships or cause famine. He was often called the Earth Shaker to explain the strange changes in the world that are called earthquakes today.

Poseidon, having drawn the kingdom of the sea by lot, considered himself deceived and tried to win their kingdoms from the 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 hot temper. God's stormy temper was only replaced by generous gifts, but not for long.

Hades.

Hades was the ruler of the underworld or lower world. It was to Hades that all dead souls went. Hades had great wealth and peace of mind in his power. 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 portray Hades as evil or bad, on the contrary, he is always indifferent, always coldly doing his job. This frightened the ancient Greeks. One can only enter into a kingdom where the rays of the sun do not penetrate. There is no way back from there.

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

Gods of Ancient Greece - list

• Apollo - god sunlight, artistic beauty, healing and spiritual purity.
• Hermes is the god of roads, travel, 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 wine.
• Morpheus is the god of dreams and dreams.
• Phobos is the god of fear.
• Deimos is the god of horror.
• Plutos 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 initial role was:

Hera.

Hera, in ancient mythology, was the wife of Zeus. This is the main goddess who patronized marriage and conjugal love. The goddess was angry and strict, very jealous and somewhat cruel. Hera experienced her husband’s betrayal especially hard. In a state of rage, she could bring great troubles to the earth and people. Hera was portrayed as a beauty with big eyes, long hair and a wonderful 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 wonderful, easily making everyone around her fall in love with her, and she fell 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 battle uniform. The goddess's wisdom, justice and patronage of knowledge made Athena one of the most beloved residents 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. The list of beautiful goddesses who were revered and feared includes 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 which talks 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 past and present is palpable in every contact with ancient history, and therefore so important for study.

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Mythical names

Mythical men's and female names and their meaning

Mythical names- these are names taken from Roman, Greek, Scandinavian, Slavic, Egyptian and other mythologies.

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Mythical names. Mythical male and female names and their meanings

The stories in which the gods of Ancient Greece act constitute a great page of a great civilization. The gods are defenders, judges and organizers of the state, each of whose actions is imbued with deep meaning. At the same time, they are endowed with human traits, this makes them alive and close to those who created stories about the great gods.

Zeus is “king of gods and men.” Also called Founder, Protector, Scepter, Thunderer, Victorious, Zeus of Crete. For the Greeks, he is the personification of life itself in physical terms and the key to balance in the Cosmos. All other gods are responsible for certain aspects of life, but Zeus concentrates in himself all aspects of the deities.

It was Zeus who stopped the state of chaos on earth and pacified the forces of nature, represented by giants and titans. In a bloody battle, he, together with other gods, defeated his father, the titan Kron, and overthrew him into dark Tartarus. After this, Zeus chose the sky for his stay, one of his brothers, Poseidon, received the sea, Hades, and another brother was entrusted with the underworld with the souls of the dead. The land remained in common ownership.

The great god is the guardian of contracts and oaths, the patron of the poor and homeless, those who have no roof over their heads and who can only hope for the mercy of heaven. Temples dedicated to the Thunderer did not have a roof: the Greeks believed that in a closed place God would not see them and would not hear their prayers. The largest temple was called Olympion and was located in Athens. As an Organizer, he is the creator of society, social laws and institutions.

In honor of Olympian Zeus, the Olympic Games were held in Elis. Greeks of all tribes and all lands took part in them. The veneration of Zeus in all corners of Greece was so great that during the games warriors, disputes and strife ceased.
Zeus is married to his sister Hera.

Family union ancient greek mythology attributes the appearance four children:

• Ares - god of war;
• Hephaestus - the blacksmith god;
• Hebes - goddesses of youth;
• Ilithyia is the patron goddess of women in labor.

Zeus also has children from other goddesses, nymphs, and mortal women. The most famous: Persephone, Apollo and Artemis, Hermes. Minos, Rhadamanthos, Hercules, Dioscuri and their sister Helen, Perseus. He is the father of the muses and the harites.
In art, Zeus was depicted as handsome man in the prime of life with a beard. He has long wavy hair, divided on the forehead. He is immediately recognized by his symbols: the eagle, the scepter and the thunder arrows. Zeus was often depicted accompanied by winged goddess victories - Niki.

Hera. Divine consort of the greatest of gods

Hera is the sister and wife of Zeus. Also known under the names Volookaya, Lileyarmukaya. If her divine husband is the creator and preserver public order, then she is the guardian of the family and the patroness of monogamy, marital love, strong and numerous offspring.

The marriage of Zeus and Hera was secret for a long time, and only 300 years later she ascended Olympus as the supreme goddess and legal wife.
Hera reigns on Olympus. As the main goddess, she is given the right to command rain, thunder and lightning. She can cause menacing storms and dark rain clouds and is considered the patroness of moisture. The Greeks turned to her, the mistress of nature, with prayers for rain and a generous harvest. Therefore, she often appears accompanied by Iris - the rainbow.

In the mythology of Ancient Greece, Hera was endowed with a grumpy and jealous character. She often opposes her husband at meetings of the Olympian gods. Once, she even plotted to overthrow Zeus and brought Poseidon to her side. The plot failed and Hera was severely punished for her treason.

Since then, she has been trying to defeat her husband not by force, but by cunning.

Hera has a hard time dealing with her husband's betrayal. Unable to take revenge on him, she pursues his beloved women and illegitimate children. She is the cause of the death of Semele, mother of Dionysus and main enemy Hercules, son of Alcmene. She turned Io into a cow and Callisto into a bear.

Hera has two sons - Ares and Hephaestus and two daughters - Hebe and Ilithyia. Hebe, the personification of youth, became the wife of Hercules after his deification. Ilithyia, the patroness of happy childbirth, wished to remain a virgin and helps women in labor.

The appearance of the goddess is strict and majestic.

As the wife of Zeus and a virtuous mother, she is always shrouded in a veil woven by Zeus's daughter Athena, only part of her neck and arms remain uncovered. She is tall, stately figure, proud posture, luxurious hair, big eyes. For this she was nicknamed Volooka. She does not walk, but walks proudly, her movements are leisurely and measured.
The main symbols of Hera are the veil, the diadem adorning the high forehead, the cuckoo and the peacock.

Poseidon - Lord of the Sea Elements

Poseidon is the brother of Zeus and the second son of the Titan Cronus and Rhea. The Greeks gave him nicknames: Hypiius (Horse), Pelagius (Sea), Enosichthon (“Earth Shaker”). In the fight against the Titans, Poseidon took the side of Zeus, for which he received power over all waters as a reward. The Palace of Poseidon is located in the Aegean Sea.

Numerous floods and earthquakes are the consequences of his anger. He is known for his intolerant character, which the Greeks tried to appease with sacrifices and the construction of numerous temples. Poseidon was especially revered by residents of coastal cities, sailors and merchants. They asked him for a happy journey, fair winds and protection from pirates and robbers.

In honor of Poseidon, once every two years the Greeks organized the Isthmian Games on the Isthmus of Corinth. The main competition was horse racing. Thus, the Greeks honored the sea god, who was the first to tame the horse.

Unlike his royal brother sea ​​god looks like his element. Like waves, he is fast and restless in his movements, distinguished by his wild appearance and disheveled hair. In his retinue there are numerous sea monsters, oceanids, nereids, ready to obey him at his first call.

You can recognize Poseidon among other gods by his trident, horse and dolphin. The trident is a harpoon used to catch sharks and whales. This image was especially revered by fishermen. The dolphin did Poseidon a great service by showing him the place where the Nereid Amphitrite, with whom he was in love, was hiding. Since then, he has occupied an honorable place in the retinue.

In her marriage to Poseidon, Amphitrite gave birth to a son, Triton, and daughters, Rhoda and Besenticima. Just like his brother, Zeus, Poseidon was not distinguished by fidelity in marriage. He is the father of the hero Theseus from Erfa, the daughter of the Troezenian king, the giant Antaeus from Gaia (Earth) and the cyclops Polyphemus from the nymph Thoosa.

Demeter - goddess who revives nature

Demeter is the sister of Zeus, daughter of Cronus and Rhea. One of ancient goddesses, as evidenced by the translation of her name - “Mother Earth”. Known under the names Avenger, Hot, Earthly, Underground, Thesmophora (“Legislator”), Mother of Sorrows.

Goddess of agriculture, patroness of grain crops, agriculture and everyone involved in cultivating the land. She cared not only about grains, but also about improving people's lives. It was she who taught the Greeks agriculture, patronized legislation, the state and legal marriages, and helped those peoples who led a sedentary lifestyle. But she could also be very harsh towards those who did not worship her.

She dealt harshly with Erysichthon, who dared to cut down a tree in her sacred grove. Until his death, he was tormented by insatiable hunger, in the end, the unfortunate man tore his body into pieces.

The center of the cult of Demeter was in the city of Eleusis, then the veneration of the goddess spread throughout Greece. In her honor, the Eleusinian Mysteries were held annually, symbolizing the awakening of nature after winter.

Demeter was depicted as a stately woman with soft features wearing long, loose robes. As the goddess of fertility, she wears a wreath of ears of corn or a crown of cobs. In her hands the goddess holds a basket filled with ears of corn. A common plot is in which Demeter holds a torch and moves quickly on a chariot drawn by dragons (symbols of fertility). 1,098