OLYMPUS GODS NAMES: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares

In Ancient Greece, religion played a very important role, although this concept was not known as such. The Greeks were polytheists, that is, they worshipped more than one divinity. There was more than one god and each one was associated with different elements, actions, powers, interventions, myths, rituals…etc. The Olympic gods were the main divinities, those that were at the top of Mount Olympus according to Greek mythology.

The Council of the Gods on Mount Olympus was made up of twelve gods. There are ten that were always Olympians and the dozen was completed by two other gods that could vary.

The Twelve Olympic Gods

Who are the Olympic gods of Greek mythology ?

The twelve most important deities of Greek mythology were the following. The top ten on this list were always considered Olympians and the last two changed from time to time:

Zeus
God of heaven and thunder, ruler of Mount Olympus and king of gods. He is the husband of Hera and the father of Hercules, one of the best-known figures in popular culture. Among his symbols are the lightning, the eagle, the oak and the scepter.
Hera
She’s the goddess of marriage and family. Queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, of whom she is also a sister. She is represented with the crown, the peacock, the pomegranate and the cow.
Poseidon
God of the seas, earthquakes and horses. He is brother of Zeus and Hades and his most recognizable symbol is the trident, as well as the horse, bull and dolphin.
Ares
Son of Zeus and Hera and god of war and violence. He is despised by the rest of the Olympic gods and among his symbols are the wild boar, the snake, the dog, the vulture, the spear and the shield.
Hermes
He’s the god of commerce and rhetoric. He was the messenger of the gods and is represented with sandals, a winged helmet and a caduceus.
Hephaestus
God of fire and forge. He was the blacksmith and artisan of the gods. It is symbolized with a forge, an anvil, the fire, a hammer, a donkey, the tongs and the axe.
Aphrodite
Goddess of love, beauty and desire. From it comes the word aphrodisiac. It is represented by the dove, the bird, the apple, the bee, the swan, the myrtle and the rose.
Athena
Goddess of wisdom, craftsmanship, defense and strategic warfare. She is the daughter of Zeus and is represented by the owl and the olive tree.
Apollo
God of light and sun, of knowledge, music, poetry, prophecy and archery. It is symbolized by the sun, the lyre, the bow and the felcha, the crow, the cinema and the mouse.
Mugwort
Goddess of hunting, virginity, archery and all animals. The bow and arrow, the serpent, the deer and the moon are the most representative symbols of this divinity.
Démeter
The goddess of agriculture, fertility, nature and the seasons of the year. She was implored for good harvests and her symbols are poppy, wheat, torch and pork.
Hestia
Goddess of home and family. According to history, she ceded her place among the Olympic gods to Dionysus. He never went to war.