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by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on June 25th, 2004

Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony

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In Greek Mythology, what are The 12 Olympians?

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  • by Kristen W on September 7th, 2006

    Kristen W

    The original and most commonly known Olympians were:

    Hera - queen of heaven (Zeus's wife) and goddess of marriage
    Zeus - king of gods/heaven
    Hades - god of underworld
    Poseidon - god of sea
    Hestia - goddess of hearth/domesticity
    Ares - god of war
    Hephaestus - blacksmith of gods
    Apollo - god of music
    Hermes - patron of thieves and merchants/traders, messenger of Zeus
    Artemis - huntress, goddess of moon
    Aphrodite - goddess of love and beauty
    Athene - goddess of wisdom, justice, crafts, and war

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  • by Anonymous on October 12th, 2008

    Anonymous

    Hades*
    Hera
    Zeus
    Aphrodite
    Posiedon
    Demeter*
    Hestia*
    Apollo
    Artemis
    Athena
    Hephaestus
    Hermes

    Ares is left out because he was dispised and unruly. Dionysus came later and was hardly ever a true Olympian. He was like a substitute for the real Olympian, Hestia, who was on break. The reason I left Hestia, Demeter, and Hades in the group is because they are of the first 6 Olympians and the true Olympians. Hades might have been feared but he still is an Olympian. In Roman Mythology they changed it up a little, moving around the variables.

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  • by Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony on June 25th, 2004

    Andy Is Wicked Married to Penal Colony

    The Twelve Olympians, in Greek Mythology, were the principle gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. There were, at various times, fourteen different gods recognized as Olympians, though never more than twelve at one time.

    Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis are always considered Olympians. Hestia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Hades are the variable gods among the Twelve. Hestia gave up her position as an Olympian to Dionysus in order to live among mankind (eventually she was assigned the role of tending the fire on Mount Olympus). Demeter was allowed to leave Olympus six months of the year to be with her daughter, Persephone in Hades (causing winter). And, although Hades was always one of the principle Greek gods, his home in the underworld of the dead made his connection to the Olympians more tenuous.

    The Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans; Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings; all other Olympians (with the usual exception of foam-born Aphrodite) are usually considered the children of Zeus by various mothers (except for Athena, who was possibly born of Zeus alone). Additionally, it is also possible that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone as Hera's revenge for Zeus's solo birth of Athena.

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  • by Anon on October 27th, 2005

    Anon

    Greek Name Roman Name Area
    Zeus Jupiter king of the gods, the sky and storms
    Hera Juno queen of the gods, marriage
    Poseidon Neptune oceans and other bodies of water
    Demeter Ceres agriculture
    Aphrodite Venus love, beauty
    Hephaestus Vulcan smith god
    Athena Minerva wisdom, arts and crafts, just wars
    Apollo Apollo reason, light, sun, prophecy, music
    Artemis Diana hunt, night, moon
    Ares Mars war
    Dionysus Bacchus wine and revelry
    Hermes Mercury messenger god, led dead to underworld

    Hades was not an Olympian god, although he was the brother of Zeus. He was actually a Cthonian god, i.e., a god of the underworld (where he lived instead of Olympus). While he is considered by some to be the equivalent of the Roman god Pluto, Pluto was actually the Roman god wealth. He was also an underworld god (since precious gems and metals come from undergroud). However, the Roman god of the dead and underworld was actually Dis. Therefore, Hades is also considered the equivalent of Dis (more appropriately, I believe). To complicate things further, both the Greeks and Romans used euphemisms to try to avoid saying the name of their god of the dead since they did not want to provoke him. Thus, both deities have many nicknames.

    Hestia (Roman name - Vesta) was the sister of Zeus. However, according some myths she gave up her seat to Dionysus (Bacchus) when he became immortal. Although she wasn't considered one of the "12 Olympians", she did, however, still live on Olympus. She took her seat at the hearth since she was the goddess of the hearth (and therefore home).

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  • by Lachesis on November 1st, 2004

    Lachesis

    GREEK ROMAN GOD OF... SYMBOL

    Zeus Jupiter/Jove King of the Gods Thunderbolt, eagle and oak tree
    Hera Juno Queen of the Gods Peacock, cow, wedding ring
    Poseidon Neptune The Sea Trident, sea, horse, dolphin
    Hades Pluto The Underworld Pomegranate, cap of invisibility
    Hestia Vesta Hearth/Home Fireplace
    Athena Minerva Wisdom/War Owl, olive, tree, plow, loom
    Artemis Diana Moon/Hunt Moon, deer, silver bow and arrows
    Apollo Apollo Light/Music/Prophecy Lyre, sun, mice, Laurel tree
    Aphrodite Venus Love/Beauty Dove, swan, roses
    Hephaestus Vulcan Fire/Forge Hammer, quail
    Ares Mars War Dog, wild boar, vulture
    Hermes Mercury Messenger/Herald Caduceus, crane

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  • by Anonymous on January 11th, 2005

    Anonymous

    I think the Olympians were initally the children of Rhea and Cronos.
    They are: Hades, Zeus, Hera, Hestia, Demeter, Poseidon. (Have I missed any?) Then Zeus increased his kingdom, by siring many children, and so deites like Ares and Aphrodite become Olympins too.

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  • by King Arthur Pendragon on May 14th, 2010

    King Arthur Pendragon

    I'll answer this without looking.

    Zeus, God of the Sky, Thunder, Fate, Storms
    Poseidon, God of the Seas and Oceans, Earthquakes, Horses
    Hades, God of the Underworld
    Demeter, Goddess of Nature
    Hera, Goddess of Women and Marriage
    Hestia, Goddess of Hearth and Home
    Athena, Goddess of Battle and Wisdom
    Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty
    Hermes, God of Traveling and Trade
    Apollo, God of the Sun, Art, Music
    Artemis, Goddess of the Moon, Hunt, Childbirth
    Hephaestus, God of Fire and Forge

    YAY i did it.

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You're reading In Greek Mythology, what are The 12 Olympians? - which can also be phrased in the following ways:

  • Who were the twelve Olympian Gods?
  • Who were the original and most commonly known 12 Olympians(gods)?

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