THE 12 OLYMPIANS

Mythology
 What is “Olympia?”
• In Greek/ Roman
Mythology, Mount
Olympus is the
meeting place and
“home” of the major
players.

• It is unsure of
whether or not Mt.
Olympus is in
heaven or
somewhere on
earth.
Mt. Olympus
• The Greeks also
named the
highest peek in
the mountains
(between
Thessalonica and
Macedonia) Mt.
Olympus.
Why “Olympians?”
• These 12 gods and goddesses are
considered “Olympians” because
they reside on Mt. Olympus.

• The 12 Olympians were the

major gods and goddesses with
prominent roles in Greek
mythology.

• Some of the major Olympians

spent most of their time
elsewhere. Poseidon lived in the
sea and Hades in the
Underworld.
 So, who are the 12?
• Various sources report up to 20 different
names, but the majority of texts concur
that these are the 12:
gods goddesses
Zeus Hera
Poseidon Demeter
Apollo Artemis
Ares Athena
Hermes Aphrodite
Hephaestus Hestia
(Hades?)  in underworld
 Zeus
• King of the gods, mortals, and
weather

• Roman Name: Jupiter

• Symbol: Thunder Bolt

• Either raped or married

numerous goddesses and
mortals
 Hera
• Queen of gods, marriage
and birth

• Daughter of Cronus and

Rhea (Zeus’ sister and
wife)

• Roman Name: Juno

• Zeus constantly cheated

on her, and she was
always jealous
 Poseidon
• God of the sea,
earthquakes, horses

• Brother to Zeus and

Hera

• Roman Name: Neptune

• Symbols: dolphins,
tridents, fish spears
 Hermes
• Messenger of the gods
(guides souls of the dead
to the underworld)

• God of land travel,

literature and poetry 
he’s swift and athletic

• Son of Zeus and a nymph

• Roman Name: Mercury

 Hestia
• Goddess of hearth and
home

• Zeus’ oldest sister

• Wooed by Poseidon but

swore to remain a virgin

• Roman Name: Vesta

(temple built for her in
the Forum)
 Athena
• Goddess of wisdom, war,
arts and justice

• Zeus’ favorite child

• Companion: goddess of
victory, Nike

• Symbol: owl

• Roman Name: Minerva

 Ares
• God of war and battle

• Son of Zeus and Hera

• Merciless and bloody; not

liked by even his father (he
supported the Trojans in the
Trojan war?)

• Accompanied on battlefield
by: Phobos (fear) and Deimos
(terror)  sons?
 Demeter
• Goddess of fertility and
agriculture (fruit, grains)
and seasons

• Zeus’ sister

• Mother of Persephone

• Roman Name: Ceres

 Apollo
• God of sun, archery, healing
medicine, music (lyre), and dance

• Son of Zeus and twin brother of

Artemis

• Father of Asclepius (god of

healing and medicine) whose
symbol is the wand

• Roman Name: Apollo

 Artemis

• Goddess of the hunt, wild

animals, fertility, and moon

• Often identified with Selene

(goddess of the moon)

• Roman Name: Diana

• Symbols: crescent moon

above her head
 Hephaestus
• God of fire and
blacksmiths

• Son of Zeus and Hera (yet

Zeus wasn’t involved)

• Roman Name: Vulcan (god

of volcanoes)

• Born weak and crippled

• Husband of Aphrodite who

cheated on him with Ares
 Aphrodite
• Goddess of love, beauty and sex

• When Cronus castrated his father

Uranus, he threw his genitals into
the sea and thus Aphrodite was
born of the “foam”

• Aphrodisiac Festival: sex and

libido increasers

• Son: Eros
• Roman Name: Venus

• Symbols: dolphin, swan,

pomegranate