1. The Olympians

2. Cronus and Rhea
Cronus/Saturn ruled the Titans, the second generation of gods.
He had overthrown his father Ouranos/Uranus
He and his sister/wife, Rhea, were the parents of the Olympians.

3. Cronus’s Plot & Fall Won’t be overthrown Om nom nom!
Zeus’s secret birth
Omphalos
Titanomachy

4. Mt. Olympus
Home of the gods after the Titanomachy

5. Zeus / Jupiter King of the Gods Mightier than all others put together
Ruler of the sky, rain and clouds
“bright shining light of heaven”

6. Zeus cont’d Symbols: Lightning, storms Eagle Bull Oak tree
Sacred site: Olympia
Women:
Hera
Metis
Leto
Semele
Dozens of others

7. Hera / Juno Symbols: peacock, cow Sacred city: Argos
Sister and wife of Zeus; Queen of the Gods
Goddess of marriage and married women
Jealous and vengeful
Had 4 Children with Zeus
Hephaestus, Ares, Hebe, Eileithyia
Symbols: peacock, cow
Sacred city: Argos
Messenger was Iris

8. Poseidon / Neptune God of the sea, horses, and earthquakes
Drew lots at a Council of the Gods
Symbols: trident, horse, dolphin
Wife was Amphitrite, son Triton

9. Hades / Pluto God of the underworld & wealth Drew the short stick
Not a bad guy
The Underworld
5 Rivers & 3 Judges
Cerberus & Charon
Elysian Fields
Tartarus
Fields of Mourning
Symbol: bident

10. Demeter / Ceres
Goddess of corn, fruit, agriculture in general and a goddess of fertility. Usually on a chariot drawn by dragons.
Daughter with Zeus was Persephone, queen of the underworld
Kidnapping & search
Origin of the seasons

11. Apollo & Artemis Twin children of Zeus and Leto
Artemis: Goddess of the moon, forest, hunt, childbirth, children, woodland critters
Apollo: God of the sun, music/poetry, medicine, knowledge – all things Greeky
Artemis born on Ortygia, helps deliver Apollo on Delos

12. Artemis / Diana One of 3 virgin goddesses
Actaeon the hunter – wrong place, wrong time
Orion the hunter
Apollo’s plot to keep her a virgin
Symbols: bow and arrows, moon,
woodland critters dead or alive

13. Apollo / Apollo Oracle at Delphi Symbol: Lyre, bow Niobe’s Pride
Python
Pythia
Symbol: Lyre, bow
Niobe’s Pride

14. Athena / Minerva Goddess of wisdom, skill, defensive/strategic warfare
Daughter of Zeus and Metis
Popped out of Zeus’s head fully clothed and armored
Symbols: war helmet, the Aegis, owls, olive trees, snakes, and spears

15. Athena vs. Poseidon King Cecrops needed a patron god for his new city
Poseidon struck the ground to make a spring – salt water
Athena struck the ground and planted the first olive tree
The city chose her and named itself Athens

16. Hermes / Mercury Messenger and herald of the gods
God of thieves, travelers, crossing boundaries in general
Hermes Psychopompos
Son of Zeus and Maia
First-day mischief
Stole Apollo’s cattle
Invented lyre
Symbols: winged sandals, cap, caduceus

17. Aphrodite / Venus Goddess of love, beauty, and naughtiness
Born from sea-foam near Cyprus
Symbols: doves, swans, seashells
Wife of Hephaestus
Judgment of Paris
Mother of Aeneas

18. Ares / Mars God of War – physical aspect of it Son of Zeus and Hera
Very violent and had a horrible temper
Other gods and goddesses couldn’t stand him
Not too important to Greeks – very important to Romans
Symbols: vultures, weapons and shields

19. Hephaestus / Vulcan Son of Zeus and Hera
God of fire and the gods’ chief workman
He was lame and deformed so his parents were ashamed of him; cast from Olympus and landed on Lemnos
Forge under Mt. Aetna
Caught Aphrodite and Ares in a net

20. Dionysus / Bacchus Son of Zeus and Semele, a mortal
Hera makes her doubt the paternity
Zeus reveals himself; bacon sizzle
Dionysus saved
God of wine, partying, theater
Maenads/Bacchants
Symbols: grapes, thyrsus, vines, drinks

21. Recap
13 gods and 12 Olympians – sometimes Hades or Dionysus is excluded as an Olympian
Hades has his own place
Dionysus a late entry