Greek mythology comprises stories about Gods and heroes, the nature of the world, the origin of various cults, as well as ritual practices. Literature, such as the works of Homer and Hesiod, provides the main source of these narrative details, while archaeological evidence is our primary window into how they were worshipped.

The Olympians

According to mythology, after the overthrow of the Titans, the new pantheon of gods 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, are: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite and Hestia.

Zeus 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, second in power among the gods. His weapon is the trident, which he uses to cause earthquakes, drownings and shipwrecks. He’s quite moody. One of the temples dedicated to Poseidon still exists at Sounion, really close to Athens, and can easily be explored on a half-day trip.

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. A temple of Ares once existed in the Athenian Agora, though its foundations are sparse today. The beautifully preserved temple standing on the hill nearby, which was historically mistaken for the “Theseion” (Temple of Theseus), is actually the Temple of Hephaestus.

Hermes is the cleverest of the gods and messenger of the gods. He is the god of commerce and thieves, but also the guide of souls of the dead to the underworld. The ruins of the Temple of Hermes and Aphrodite can be visited on 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 (Hephaisteion) can still be admired in Athens, in the Agora.

Athena is one of the most famous goddesses in Greek mythology: 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 also 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’s family fell victim to her anger: after he killed one of her sacred deer, she stopped the winds when the king tried to sail off to join the Trojan War, forcing him to sacrifice his own daughter. A Temple of Artemis once existed at Ephesus (now in Turkey), but virtually nothing remains of it today except a single reconstructed column rising out of a marshy field.

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

Aphrodite 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 charm and beauty in nature and human life. According to the most common version of her myth, she was born from sea foam, not from Zeus like most of the others on this list. An entire city dedicated to her cult, Aphrodisias, still exists in modern-day Turkey.

There were regional differences — in Kos, for example, Heracles and Dionysus replaced Ares and Hephaestus among the twelve.
Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia were siblings, while the others are generally considered children of Zeus by various mothers — except, again, Aphrodite. As for Hades: despite being one of the six original siblings, he’s not counted among the Twelve Olympians, since the underworld was always considered separate from Olympus itself.

Besides the 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 always influenced human life, at least according to myth. Zeus is responsible for the current age of man. Athena gave the Athenians the olive tree, and Demeter taught man agriculture.

Hermes brought dreams to mortals. Dionysus gave humans wine and encourages its consumption to this day, one could argue. 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, the length of a human life.

Eros, of course, is responsible for love and making people fall in love.

Planning your mythology tour

If reading all this has you itching to see these places in person — and it should — here’s the practical bit.
Athens covers the Acropolis and the Temple of Olympian Zeus on its own, easily done over a couple of days.

Sounion is a half-day trip from the city, no overnight needed. Delphi is a double day trip from Athens too, though if you want to actually enjoy them rather than rush through, an overnight stay nearby makes a real difference.

Naxos and Samos require a ferry or a flight, so build them into a wider island-hopping itinerary rather than a quick stop.
If you’d rather not plan all this logistics yourself, a guided mythology tour covering Athens, Delphi, and Olympia is a genuinely good shortcut. Having someone explain the myths on site, standing in front of the actual ruins, hits differently than reading about it beforehand.

Here are some tours to consider:
>> Athens & Acropolis Highlights: Greek Mythology Small-Group Tour
>> Athens: Guided Mythology Walking Tour Acropolis View
>> Premium Delphi Day Trip with an Expert Guide, Museum & Lunch

Photo credits:
The Varvakeion Athena (National Archaeological Museum, Athens). Source: Wikipedia / Varvakeion Athena – Wikipedia
Eros Stringing His Bow. Source: World History Encyclopedia / Eros Stringing His Bow – World History Encyclopedia

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