The history of mythology and the significant gods and goddesses

 Myths were used to explain the “unexplainable” in ancient Greece; aim to answer questions such as:  Who made the world?  Who was the first man?  Where do souls go after they die?  They also serve to justify traditional rites and customs  The stories of the Greek gods were passed down orally from generation to generation; this often lead to inconsistencies within the myths  The Greek myths gave meaning to the world around them

 Kronos was the king of the Titans (a group of ancient gods who ruled before the Olympians took power)  He was married to Rhea  Kronos was afraid his children would kill him and take away his power, so he ate each one of them immediately after they were born  After the birth of their sixth child, Rhea gave Kronos a rock wrapped in a blanket to swallow. She hid the baby (Zeus) with Mother Earth and allowed him to grow up safely  When Zeus was older, he become his father’s cup bearer and gave him poison. This cause Kronos to vomit up his children  Zeus lead his siblings in a battle against the Titans; he won this battle and became king of the Olympians and chief god

 King of the gods  He could control the weather  His most powerful weapon was the lightening bolt  The ancient Greeks believed when lightening struck the earth, Zeus was present  He was also the god of hospitality  The Anicent Olympic Games were dedicated to honouring Zeus  Had hundreds of children

 Zeus’ wife and queen of the gods  Goddess of weddings and marriage  Extremely jealous of Zeus’ many affairs  She often took extreme revenge on Zeus’ girlfriends and his illegitimate children  She tried to kill Hercules (one of Zeus’ other children)

 Was Zeus’ brother  God of horses and the sea  Symbol is the trident  Had an awful temper and could cause storms and earthquakes as well as fresh water to gush forth from the earth

 Only god not to live on Mount Olympus; instead he lived in the underworld where the souls of the dead resided  He was the most feared of the gods because he was thought to have an invisible helmet  When a soul died, it was taken to the underworld via the River Styx  Souls were judged; good souls were granted eternal life in the Elysian fields, while bad souls were tortured

 Daughter of Zeus  The goddess of the city of Athens  She invented the chariot, the bridle and built the first ship  She considers the olive tree sacred

 God of sun, music, truth, poetry, dance and healing  Poets put themselves under his protection  In times of war, his symbol was the bow; in time of peace it was the lyre  His sister is Artemis

 Goddess of hunting, archery and childbirth  Also the goddess of wild animals and was often thought of as living in the country side  Had the ability to send plagues or sudden death to mortals, but could also heal them  Twin sister of the god Apollo

 Goddess of fertility and agriculture  Important to farmers and women  Also associated with the underworld  Her daughter Persephone was kidnapped by Hades  Symbolized by sheaves of grain

 Goddess of love and beauty  Was the wife of Hephaestus, but was also in love with the god of war, Ares  Often symbolized with birds, doves and sparrows  Was born of the sea  Was determined to be the fairest of the goddesses  This essential caused the Trojan war

 god of travel, business, weights and measures and sports  He was also the messenger of the gods and guided the souls of the dead to the underworld  Symbolized by winged sandals  Status of Hermes were placed at the entrances of houses and towns as he was the god of boundaries

 God of war  Unlike Athena, was not very cunning in battle  He was not a popular god  Symbols include armour and a helmet  Tradition dictated that warriors offer Ares a sacrifice before battle

 God of fire, volcanos, and blacksmiths  He was lame and this got him thrown out of Mount Olympus  Married to Aphrodite  Symbols include a twisted foot, and metal working tools

 God of high spirits, strong emotions and wine  Closely associated with drama and theatre  Symbols include the vine, a wine cup and satyrs