The gods of Olympus were the most revered among the whole Greek pantheon, which also included titans and various small deities. These major Olympic gods fed on the ambrosia prepared for them, were deprived of prejudices and many moral concepts, and that is why they are so interesting to ordinary people.
12 Olympic gods
The Olympic gods of Ancient Greece considered Zeus, Hera, Ares, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Demeter, Hestia, Hermes and Dionysus. Sometimes on this list included the brothers Zeus - Poseidon and Aida, who undoubtedly were significant gods, but lived not on Olympus, but in their realms - underwater and underground.
Myths about the most ancient gods of Ancient Greece did not survive in their entirety, however, those that reached contemporaries cause strange feelings. The main Olympic god was Zeus. His genealogy begins with Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Heaven), who gave birth to huge monsters first - Storyuky and Cyclops, and then - Titans. The monsters were thrown into Tartarus, and the Titans became the parents of many gods - Helios, Atlanta, Prometheus and others. The youngest son of Gaia Cron overthrew and scolded his father because he threw so many monsters into the bosom of the earth.
Becoming the supreme god, Cron took as his wife a sister - Ray. She bore him Hestia, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon and Hades. But since Cron knew about the prediction to be overthrown by one of his children, he ate them. The last son - Zeus, the mother hid on the island of Crete and raised. Becoming an adult, Zeus gave his father a drug that made him throw out the eaten children. And then Zeus started the war against Crohn and his allies, and his brothers and sisters helped him, as well as Storukies, Cyclops and some Titans.
Having won, Zeus with his supporters began to live on Olympus. Cyclops forged a thunderbolt and thunder, and so Zeus became a thunderer.
Hera . The wife of the main Olympian god Zeus was his sister Hera - the goddess of the family and the defender of women, but at the same time jealous and cruel to rivals and children of a loving husband. The most famous children of Hera are Ares, Hephaestus and Hebe.
Ares is a cruel god of aggressive and bloody war, patronizing the generals. He was loved by very few people, and even his father only tolerated this son.
Hephaestus is a son rejected for his ugliness. After his mother threw him from Olympus, Hephaestus was brought up by sea goddesses, and he became a wonderful blacksmith who created magical and very beautiful things. Despite the ugliness, it was Hephaestus who became the spouse of the most beautiful Aphrodite.
Aphrodite was born from sea foam - many people know this, but not everyone knows that the seed of Zeus first got into this froth (according to some versions it was the blood of the burnt Uranus). The goddess of love Aphrodite could subjugate anyone - both god and mortal.
Hestia is the sister of Zeus, personifying justice, purity and happiness. She was the protector of the family hearth, and later - the patroness of the entire Greek people.
Demeter is another sister of Zeus, the goddess of fertility, prosperity, spring. After the kidnapping by Hades of Demeter's only daughter, Persephone, there was a drought on the earth. Then Zeus sent Hermes to return the niece, but Hades denied his brother. After long negotiations it was decided that Persephone will live with her mother for 8 months, and 4 - with her husband in the underworld.
Hermes is the son of Zeus and the Maya nymph. Since infancy, he has shown cunning, agility and excellent diplomatic qualities, which is why Hermes became a messenger of the gods, helping to solve the most difficult problems safely. In addition, Hermes was considered the patron of merchants, travelers and even thieves.
Athena appeared from the head of her father - Zeus, therefore this goddess was considered the personification of wisdom , strength and justice. She was a defender of Greek cities and a symbol of just war. The cult of Athena was very common in ancient Greece, in honor of it was even named the city.
Apollo and Artemis are extramarital children of Zeus and the goddess Latona. Apollo possessed the gift of clairvoyance and in honor of it the Delphic temple was built. In addition, this beautiful god was a patron of arts and a healer. Artemis is a wonderful hunter, patroness of all life on earth. This goddess was described as a virgin, but she blessed marriage and the birth of children.
Dionysus - the son of Zeus and the daughter of the king - Semely. Because of the jealousy of Hera, Dionysus's mother was killed, and God bore a son, sewing his legs in the thigh. This god of winemaking gave people joy and inspiration.
Having settled on the mountain and divided spheres of influence, the Olympic gods of Ancient Greece turned their eyes to the land. To some extent, people have become pawns in the hands of the gods who have committed fates, rewarded and punished. However, due to connections with ordinary women, many heroes were born who defied the gods and sometimes became winners, such as Hercules.