Written and Illustrated by Phillip Martin Phillip Martin The 12 Olympians

Zeus was the king of the Greek gods. He was the god of thunder and sky. Zeus was the father of many of the gods up on Mount Olympus as well as humans in Greece. The Twelve Olympians Zeus

Hera was the queen of the gods, both sister and wife of Zeus. She was the goddess of women and marriage. Peacocks, lions and cows were sacred to her. Heracles (or Hercules) was not. The Twelve Olympians Hera

Poseidon, King Zeus’ brother, was the god of the oceans but that included seas and rivers as well. He tamed horses, caused earthquakes as well as storms, and carried a trident. The Twelve Olympians Poseidon

Demeter was the goddess of the harvest. She was a sister of Zeus as well as the mother of Persephone. It should come as no surprise that wheat, the cornucopia and bread were her symbols. The Twelve Olympians Demeter

Athena was the goddess of wisdom and courage. She was the patroness of Athens and the people The Twelve Olympians Athena of the city built the Parthenon in her honor. Owls, helmets and spears were among her symbols.

Apollo was the god of light, the sun, truth and poetry. His twin sister was Artemis. He is often seen holding a lyre, a gift from Hermes. He’s also associated with music, the arts and healing. The Twelve Olympians Apollo

Artemis was the goddess of wild animals and the hunt. She also helped women in childbirth. Her temple was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. The Twelve Olympians Artemis

Ares, the god of war, represented all the destruction of battle. It should come as no surprise his children were Fear and Terror. Some of his symbols were the spear, the helmet, a chariot and a flaming torch. The Twelve Olympians Ares

Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. She was so lovely that Zeus feared it would cause problems. Zeus had her marry Hephaestus, who was really ugly. The Twelve Olympians Aphrodite

Hermes was the messenger of the gods. He was also the god of thieves, travelers and sport. He carried a herald’s wand and wore both sandals and a hat with wings. The Twelve Olympians Hermes

Hestia was the goddess of the hearth, domesticity and family. She almost never left home. Her sisters were Hera and Demeter. There is a debate that possibly Hestia gave up her seat to Dionysus in order to stop conflict. The jury is still out. The Twelve Olympians Hestia

Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, wine, fertility and theater. Among his symbols are a staff tipped with a pine cone, the grapevine and a leopard skin. The Twelve Olympians Dionysus

It’s debated whether the final Olympian was Hephaestus or Hades. Hephaestus was the god of fire, volcanoes and blacksmiths. He made weapons for the gods and his symbols were the hammer, anvil and tongs. The Twelve Olympians Hephaestus

The Twelve Olympians Hades Hades was the god of the dead. He didn’t spend so much time, if any, at Mt. Olympus. No, Hades lived in the underworld. His symbols included wealth and the lovely three - headed dog Cerberus.

To learn more about the Greeks, continue on to the presentation on Ancient Greece.Ancient Greece The Twelve Olympians

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