(Roman name: Jupiter) - The Thunderer Zeus (Roman name: Jupiter) - The Thunderer The Greeks worshiped Zeus as the ruler of all gods and humans. As the lord of the sky and earth, Zeus reigned over all from the home of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus punished the wicked by hurling thunderbolts down from the sky. He had many love affairs with Goddesses and female humans.

(Roman name: Juno) - The Jealous Protector of Marriage Hera (Roman name: Juno) - The Jealous Protector of Marriage Hera was Zeus’ wife and the queen of the Immortals. She was known for her beauty as well as for her jealous streak and fiery temper. Because she often quarreled with Zeus over his love affairs, Hera was worshiped as the protector of marriage and married women.

(Roman name: Neptune) – The Earth Shaker Poseidon (Roman name: Neptune) – The Earth Shaker Poseidon was a brother of Zeus and the second most powerful God on Mount Olympus. As the mighty lord of the sea, he could cause storms, floods, and earth quakes with one stroke of his trident, a three- pronged spear. Poseidon was also worshiped as the God of horses. He is said to have created the first horse out of the waves of the sea as a gift to humans.

(Roman name: Minerva) – The Gray-Eyed Goddess Athena (Roman name: Minerva) – The Gray-Eyed Goddess Athena was the goddess of wisdom and also of warfare. She is said to have been born full grown from Zeus’ head, wearing a bronze helmet and shield. Though the goddess of warfare, Athena was also The patroness of wisdom, reason, and justice. The city of Athens was named after her, and the Parthenon was the temple of Athena.

(Roman name: Apollo) – The God of Light and Reason This even-tempered son of Zeus was celebrated as the God of the sun, light, truth, and reason. Pictured as exceptionally handsome, Apollo was honored as the protector of athletes. Apollo was also the patron of many arts, including poetry and music, as well as of medicine, archery, and agriculture. He is often shown playing his lyre.

(Roman name: Diana) – The Huntress Artemis (Roman name: Diana) – The Huntress Artemis was Apollo’s twin sister. She was goddess of the hunt and of the moon. She loved hunting and archery. Artemis was worshiped by hunters. The woods and wild animals were sacred to her.

(Roman name: Pluto) – The King of the Underworld Hades (Roman name: Pluto) – The King of the Underworld Hades was the dreaded God of the dead and King of the Underworld. A brother of Zeus, he rarely left his kingdom below to appear on Mount Olympus with the other Gods. Like its ruler, the kingdom of the dead was also known as Hades. It was imagined as the shadowy region beneath the earth where souls were sent to be judged after their lives on earth.

(Roman name: Venus) – Beauty Born from the Sea Aphrodite (Roman name: Venus) – Beauty Born from the Sea An enchanting daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite was the Goddess of love and beauty. She was known as the friend of lovers. Because of her beauty, she had Great power over humans and Gods. Some believed Aphrodite was born from the sea, appearing full-grown from the ocean spray. Surprisingly, she was married to the ugliest of Gods, Hephaestus.

(Roman name: Mars) – The Quarrelsome God of War Ares (Roman name: Mars) – The Quarrelsome God of War Ares was the hateful God of war. He was such a blood-thirsty bully that even his parents, Zeus and Hera, despised Ares for his quarrelsomeness. Despite his fierceness, Ares was actually a coward who sometimes ran from the battlefield. He was also unpredictable and likely to change sides in the middle of battle.

(Roman name: Ceres) – The Goddess of the Harvest Demeter (Roman name: Ceres) – The Goddess of the Harvest Demeter was the Goddess of the earth, particularly of grain and agriculture. She was worshipped in harvest festivals. Demeter was also the mother of Persephone, the girl whom Hades stole to be his bride in the Underworld.

(Roman name: Mercury) – The Messenger of the Gods Hermes (Roman name: Mercury) – The Messenger of the Gods Hermes was the winged messenger of the Gods. He was graceful and very fleet afoot, and his actions were said to be “swifter than thought.” Hermes was the protector of travelers. He also led souls of the dead to the underworld. The shrewdest and most cunning of the Gods, Hermes was worshiped by merchants and thieves as the protector of traders.

(Roman name: Vulcan) – The Friendly God of Fire Hephaestus (Roman name: Vulcan) – The Friendly God of Fire Hephaestus was the kindly and many-talented god of fire. Lame and ugly, he was the only immortal who was not beautiful. But his peace-loving nature made him a friend of Gods and humans. A master craftsman and blacksmith, Hephaestus forged the armor of the Gods. He became the patron of handicrafts, pottery, and sculpture.

(Roman name: Vesta) – The Goddess of the Hearth Hestia (Roman name: Vesta) – The Goddess of the Hearth A sister of Zeus, Hestia was the Goddess who was sacred to home and hearth. She played a relatively small part in the myths, but was important to the Greek people. Each city had a public hearth sacred to Hestia, where the fire was never allowed to go out. In Rome, her fire was cared for by six priestesses called Vestals.

(Roman name: Bacchus) – The God of Wine Dionysus (Roman name: Bacchus) – The God of Wine Dionysus was the joy-giving God of wine. He is said to have invented the art of raising grapes and wine making. He brought great pleasure to the humans who worshiped him. However, Dionysus also had a violent side to his nature. When his followers became drunk, they could be wild and out of control. Dionysus was the patron God of drama, poetry, and song.

(Roman name: Faunus) – The God of All Nature Pan (Roman name: Faunus) – The God of All Nature Half goat and half human, Pan was the God of nature. He was the protector of shepherds, woods, and pastures. Pan was known for his beautiful flute playing on his pipe, made of reeds, but he also had a wild, unpredictable nature. Sometimes his presence filled humans and animals with sudden, inexplicable terror.

(Roman name: Cupid) – The Young God of Love Eros (Roman name: Cupid) – The Young God of Love The youngest of the Gods, Eros was the God of love. He was the playful son of Aphrodite. Shooting his gold-tipped arrows, he could cause both Gods and humans to fall hopelessly in love. Because of his playfulness, Eros was sometimes shown blindfolded, to symbolize the belief that love is blind.