Meet the Twelve Olympians

Written by Greek Boston in Greek Mythology

After Zeus and his brothers and sisters defeated the Titans, they ruled the universe. Zeus became the king of the gods because of his wisdom and strength and each of the Twelve Olympians, Zeus’ brothers and sisters (minus Hades) and six of his children, also became gods and each had a different duty. They resided on Mount Olympus, a mountain that reached up into the clouds towards the heavens where they looked down on Earth.

Meet the twelve gods of Mount Olympus:

Zeus
Zeus was the most powerful god, the ruler of the gods and humans. He served as chief judge on Mount Olympus and settled arguments between the gods. He controlled the heavens, skies, and the weather. He could morph himself and humans into anything he chose.

Poseidon
Poseidon was the second most powerful god. He was the god of the seas and earthquakes, which were affected by his violent temper. His weapon was a trident (a three pronged spear) that he struck into the sea to cause a storm. He had the power to dry up rivers, create tidal waves, and cause shipwrecks.

Hera
Hera was the most powerful of the Greek goddesses. She was the goddess of marriage and childbirth and was the protector of women. She was the wife of Zeus and also ruled the sky. Their wedding was the first formal marriage ceremony.

Hestia
Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and fire. She constantly tended to the fire so that the eternal flame never went out. She is considered to be the most gentle of all of the Olympians.

Demeter
Demeter was the goddess of the harvest and in charge of crops, farming, flowers, and trees. She could create conditions for a good or bad harvest.

Hermes
Hermes was the messenger of the gods as well as the god of travel and thieves. He guided the dead to the Underworld. The fastest of all of the Gods, both running and flying, he could fly between Mount Olympus, Earth, and the Underworld.

Ares
Ares was the god of war and violence. He was a fierce warrior that enjoyed bloody battles and wasn’t well liked or trusted by the other gods.

Hephaestus
Hephaestus was the god of fire, metalworking, and building. He was responsible for building many of the weapons of the gods and also crafted furniture and jewelry. He mostly kept to himself in his workshop.

Apollo
Apollo was the god of the sun, music, poetry, archery, and healing. He could predict the future and put an oracle in a temple in the city of Delphi that told the future to those who asked.

Artemis
Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and the moon. She was the protector of little children and animals and could cause either disease or healing with her arrows. She could turn herself and others into animals.

Athena
Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war and was the chief goddess of the city of Athens, which was named for her. She was a great warrior.

Aphrodite
Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. She could make any god or mortal fall in love with anyone she chose. Venus is the name the Romans used for Aphrodite and she has been the subject of many works of art including “Birth of Venus” and “Venus de Milo”.

Categorized in: Greek Mythology

This post was written by Greek Boston