Greek Gods: a mythology tour of Greece

zeusThe Greek mythology comprises stories about Gods and heroes, nature of the world, the origin of the cult, as well as ritual practices. Archeological evidence is the main source of details about Greek mythology as the Gods are featured in the decorations of many artifacts.

The Olympians

According to mythology, after the overthrow of the Titans the new pantheon of god and goddesses was confirmed. Among them, the principal Greek deities were the Olympians, twelve gods and goddesses residing atop Mount Olympus under the watchful eye of Zeus.

The Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon, comprises the following gods:

Zeus (photo top right): is the most important of the Greek gods, the lord of heavens. He was worshiped all over Greece. He is the personification of law, justice and morals and his weapon is a thunderbolt. In Athens, you can still admire the Temple of Olympian Zeus

Poseidon: is the lord of the sea, the second in power among gods. His weapon is the trident which he uses to cause earthquakes, drowning and ship wrecks. He’s quite moody. One of the temples dedicated to Poseidon still exists at at Sounion, really close to Athens (and can easily explored if taking a half-day trip to its location).

aphrodite-pan-and-erosAphrodite : is the goddess of love, beauty, desire and sex. She’s always accompanied by the three Graces: Aglaea (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth) and Thalia (Good Cheer), who represent the charm and beauty in nature and human life. An entire city dedicated to Aphrodite (called Aphrodisias) still exists in nowadays Turkey.

Hera: is the Queen of the gods, worshiped as the goddess of marriage and birth. In Olympia, you can still admire the Temple of Hera.

Demeter: is the goddess of grain and fertility, as well as the preserver of marriage. The remains of the Temple of Demeter can still be visited in Naxos.

Ares: is the god of war. He is a very handsome god but also very cruel, bloodstained and …a coward. Whenever he was hurt he went to Zeus to be healed. The Temple of Ares existed in Athens but over the years it was probably turned into Athena’s temple (in the Agora).

Hermes:is the cleverest of the gods and messenger of gods. He is the god of commerce and thieves, but also the guide to the souls of the dead to the underworld. The ruins of the Temple of Hermes and Aphrodite can be visited in Samos.

Hephaestus: is the god of volcanoes, fire and the forge. He is the kindest and most peaceful of all the Greek gods. The temple of Hephaestus (Hefaisteion) can still be admired in Athens (in the Agora).

athenaAthena (photo right): is one of the most famous goddess in Greek mythology, she is the virgin goddess of wisdom, war, intelligent activity, justice, arts and literature. The Parthenon on the Acropolis is dedicated to Athena.

Apollo: is the god of music, light, truth and healing. He is a master archer. The Temple of Apollo can still be admired in Delphi. The entire divination center of Delphi is dedicated to him.

Artemis: is the goddess of chastity and virginity, as well as the goddess of hunting and wilderness. She hunts with silver arrows. King Agamemnon was one of her victims; after he killed one of her sacred deer, she stopped the winds when the king tried to sail to be part of the Trojan war. There existed a Temple of Artemis is the ancient world, at Ephesus (now in Turkey), but nothing remains of it.

Hestia: is goddess of the house and domestic life. She’s the gentlest of the gods and usually plays no part in myths. There was a temple of Hestia at Hermione, but nothing remains of it.

There were regional differences and, for example, in Kos, Heracles and Dionysus replaced Ares and Hephaestus.

Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia were siblings, while the others are considered children of Zeus by various mothers, except Athens and Aphrodite.

Besides these major gods, the Greeks also worshiped minor earth deities, such as the goat-god Pan, Nymphs – spirits of the rivers -, Dryads – spirits of the trees – , Nereids and many more. Then there were the dark gods, such as the Furies, who pursue those guilty of crimes against blood-relatives.

Greek Gods and Human Lives

Greek Gods have been influencing the human lives. Zeus is responsible for the current age of man. Athena gave the Athenians the olive tree and Demeter was the one who taught the man agriculture. Hermes brought the dreams to the mortals. Dionysus gave humans the wine and encourages its consumption. Nemesis deals with punishing people as she’s the goddess of divine retribution for evil deeds or undeserved good fortune. The Furies do pretty much the same thing, while Tyche (Chance) and the Moirae (Fates) are the goddesses of chance and fate (length of human life). Eros, of course, is responsible for love and making people fell in love.

2 thoughts on “Greek Gods: a mythology tour of Greece

  1. We just had a French nine-year-old give us a lesson on the Greek gods and their symbols. He noticed that one of our wall hangings featured the Greek gods in their various chariots and proceeded to name almost all of them. Your post was timely. I need to brush up on my mythology so I can converse with our French visitors – especially their kids!

  2. Parisgirl, glad to have helped. As a child, I found mythology quite interesting. And obviously, this barely scratched the surface.

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