The Twelve Olympians (And the Rest)

Zeus King of the gods and ruler of the Olympians Father of heroes Heracles and Perseus God of the sky, thunder, and lightening Married to Hera, but was a dawg. Symbolized by lightening bolt, oak tree, the eagle, or the scale

Hera Queen of the gods and wife of Zeus (as well as his sister) Goddess of marriage Symbolized by the peacock, the crown, birds, or the lion Often tried to get revenge on Zeus for his cheating ways

Poseidon God of the seas and ships, earthquakes, and horses Brother of Zeus Symbolized by the dolphin, the trident, the horse, and the bull

Demeter Goddess of family, agriculture, nature, and the seasons Sister of Zeus Symbols include wheat, a torch, and the poppy flower

Dionysus God of wine, celebrations, and the theater Son of Zeus with a mortal mother Symbols include grapes, ivy, the goat, and the panther The youngest of the Olympians

Apollo God of light, music, poetry, archery, and prophecy Son of Zeus and twin brother of Artemis Symbols include the sun, the lyre, the wolf, and the raven

Artemis Goddess of the hunt, the moon, childbirth, archery, and all animals Daughter of Zeus and twin sister of Apollo Symbols include the deer, the bow and arrow, the hound, the bear, the snake, or the cypress tree

Hermes Messenger of the gods God of travel, roads, commerce, and thieves Son of Zeus Second youngest of the Olympians Symbols include winged sandals, winged cap, the caduceus, and the turtle

Athena Goddess of wisdom, war strategy and defense, and artisans and handicrafts Daughter of Zeus Symbols include the owl, the shield, and the olive tree Patron goddess of Athens

Ares God of war, violence, and bloodshed Son of Zeus and Hera Symbols include the sword, the spear, the vulture, the boar, and the dog

Aphrodite Goddess of love, beauty, and desire Daughter of Zeus, or, in some stories, formed when Uranus’ blood fell into the sea after being murdered by Chronos Married to Hephaestus Symbols include the dove, the apple, the swan, the rose, and the bee

Hephaestus Blacksmith and craftsman to the Olympians God of fire, metal, and the forge Son of Hera (Zeus? Maybe, maybe not…) Symbols include fire, the anvil, the axe, the hammer, tongs, the quail, or the donkey

Other Important Greek Gods (They only WISH they were Olympians!)

Hades God of the underworld, the dead, wealth, and anything underground Oldest brother of Zeus and Poseidon Symbols include the two-pronged spear, mint, gold and silver jewelry, a crown, or any black animals, such as bulls, dogs, or horses

Hestia Goddess of the hearth and taking care of the family and domestic affairs She was the oldest sibling of Zeus and originally one of the twelve Olympians Symbols include the fireplace, the flame, the cooking pot, and the house

Eros God of beauty and lust Son of Aphrodite and Ares Better known to us by his Roman name, “Cupid” Symbolized by the heart, a bow and arrow, torches, and roses

Nemesis Goddess of revenge and avenging, particularly in the face of “hubris” or arrogance, and punishment May be the daughter of Zeus (or may have existed before Zeus) Symbols include the sword, a measuring stick, or a balance

Heracles The greatest of all Greek heroes Son of Zeus Was not a god, but stood for bravery, masculinity, strength, and courage Symbols include twin pillars or columns and his favorite weapon, the club

Pan God of the wild, the underbrush, shepherds, flocks, the mountains, and rustic music Also connected to spring and fertility May be the son of either Hermes of Dionysus Symbols are his horns, his hooves, and his pipes or flute

Persephone Queen of the Underworld, wife of Hades, and goddess of springtime Daughter of Demeter and Zeus Spent part of the year in the Underworld and part on the Earth Symbolized by pomegranate seeds, white roses, reeds, bats, and torches

Nike Goddess of victory and champions, strength, and speed Seen with wings Flew around battlefields rewarding the victors Symbols included a palm branch, a laurel wreath, a staff, wings, and a “swoosh”. Just kidding on that last one

The Muses 9 Goddesses of artistic inspiration The Muses oversaw inspiration in poetry, drama, literature, arts, and sciences Some were the daughters of Zeus, others the daughters of Uranus Their symbols varied depending upon what they inspired: they could include the lyre, the spyglass, the calipers, the comedy and tragedy masks, a compass, or a tablet

The Fates (Moirai) The 3 Fates controlled destiny and the lives of every living being In some stories, they were outside of even Zeus’ power The Fates would spin thread, measure it, then cut it when life was to end They were symbolized by the thread of life, or the loom on which they made it