Religion played an important role in the daily life of the ancient Greeks. The main gods were considered the younger generation of celestials, who defeated their predecessors, the titans, who personified the universal forces. After the victory, they settled on the sacred Mount Olympus. Only Hades, the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, lived underground in his domain. The gods were immortal, but very similar to people - they were characterized by human features: they quarreled and reconciled, committed meanness and weaved intrigues, loved and cunning. A huge number of myths that have survived to this day, exciting and fascinating, are associated with the pantheon of Greek gods. Each god played his own role, occupied a certain place in a complex hierarchy and performed the function assigned to him.

The supreme god of the Greek pantheon is the king of all gods. He commanded thunder, lightning, the sky and the whole world. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Hades, Demeter and Poseidon. Zeus had a difficult childhood - his father, the titan Kronos, fearing competition, devoured his children immediately after birth. However, thanks to his mother Rhea, Zeus managed to survive. Strengthened, Zeus threw his father from Olympus to Tartarus and received unlimited power over people and gods. He was very revered - the best sacrifices were brought to him. The life of every Greek from infancy was saturated with the praise of Zeus.

One of the three main gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus and Hades. He was subject to the water element, which he got after the victory over the titans. He personified courage and a quick temper - he could be appeased with generous gifts .. but not for long. The Greeks blamed it for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. He was the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. The invariable attribute of Poseidon was a trident - with it he could cause storms and break rocks.

Brother of Zeus and Poseidon, closing the top three most influential gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Immediately after birth, he was swallowed by his father Kronos, but was subsequently released from the womb of the latter by Zeus. He ruled the underground kingdom of the dead, inhabited by the gloomy shadows of the dead and demons. One could only enter this kingdom - there was no turning back. One mention of Hades caused awe among the Greeks, because the touch of this invisible cold god meant death for a person. Fertility also depended on Hades, giving a harvest from the depths of the earth. He commanded the underground riches.

Wife and sister of Zeus. According to legend, they kept their marriage a secret for 300 years. The most powerful of all the goddesses of Olympus. The patroness of marriage and conjugal love. Protected mothers during childbirth. She was distinguished by her amazing beauty and ... monstrous character - she was vicious, cruel, quick-tempered and jealous, often sending misfortunes to the earth and people. Despite its character, it was revered by the ancient Greeks almost on a par with Zeus.

God of unjust war and bloodshed. Son of Zeus and Hera. Zeus hated his son and tolerated it only because of his close relationship. Ares was distinguished by cunning and treachery, starting a war only for the sake of bloodshed. He had an impulsive, irascible character. He was married to the goddess Aphrodite, from her he had eight children, to whom he was very attached. All images of Ares contain military paraphernalia: a shield, helmet, sword or spear, sometimes armor.

Daughter of Zeus and the goddess Dione. Goddess of love and beauty. Personifying love, she was a very unfaithful wife, easily falling in love with others. In addition, she was the embodiment of eternal spring, life and fertility. The cult of Aphrodite was very revered in ancient Greece - magnificent temples were dedicated to her and great sacrifices were made. An invariable attribute of the goddess's attire was a magical belt (the belt of Venus), which made those who wore it unusually attractive.

Goddess of just war and wisdom. She was born from the head of Zeus .. without the participation of a woman. Born in full combat gear. Depicted as a virgin warrior. She patronized knowledge, crafts and arts, sciences and inventions. She is credited with inventing the flute. She was a favorite of the Greeks. Her images invariably accompanied the attributes (or at least one attribute) of a warrior: armor, spear, sword and shield.

Daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Goddess of fertility and agriculture. As a child, she repeated the fate of her brother Hades and was devoured by her father, but then she was saved by being removed from his womb. She was the lover of her brother Zeus. From a relationship with him, she had a daughter, Persephone. According to legend, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, and Demeter wandered the earth for a long time in search of her daughter. During her wanderings, the land was struck by crop failure, which caused famine and death of people. People stopped bringing gifts to the gods, and Zeus ordered Hades to return the mother's daughter.

Son of Zeus and Semele. The youngest of the inhabitants of Olympus. God of winemaking (he was credited with the invention of wine and beer), vegetation, the productive forces of nature, inspiration and religious ecstasy. The cult of Dionysus was distinguished by uncontrollable dancing, bewitching music and immoderate drunkenness. According to legend, Hera, the wife of Zeus, who hated the illegitimate child of the Thunderer, sent madness to Dionysus. He himself was credited with the ability to drive people crazy. Dionysus wandered all his life and even visited Hades, from where he rescued his mother Semele. Once every three years, the Greeks held Bacchic festivities in memory of the campaign of Dionysus against India.

Daughter of the Thunderer Zeus and the goddess Leto. She was born at the same time as her twin brother, the golden-haired Apollo. Virgin goddess of hunting, fertility, female chastity. The patroness of women in childbirth, bestowing happiness in marriage. Being a protector during childbirth, she was often depicted as having many breasts. In honor of her, a temple was built in Ephesus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. Often depicted with a golden bow and a quiver over her shoulders.

God of fire, patron of blacksmiths. Son of Zeus and Hera, brother of Ares and Athena. However, the paternity of Zeus was questioned by the Greeks. Various versions have been put forward. One of them - the obstinate Hera gave birth to Hephaestus from her thigh without male participation, in revenge on Zeus for the birth of Athena. The child was born weak and lame. Hera refused him and threw him off Olympus into the sea. However, Hephaestus did not die and found shelter with the sea goddess Thetis. The thirst for revenge tormented Hephaestus, rejected by his parents, and in the end he had a chance to take revenge. Being a skilled blacksmith, he forged a golden throne of incredible beauty, which he sent as a gift to Olympus. The delighted Hera sat on him and immediately found herself bound by previously invisible fetters. No persuasion and even the order of Zeus had no effect on the blacksmith god - he refused to release his mother. Only Dionysus was able to cope with the shrew, having drunk him.

Son of Zeus and Pleiades Maya. God of trade, profit, eloquence, agility and athleticism. He patronized merchants, helping them to get generous profits. In addition, he was the patron of travelers, ambassadors, shepherds, astrologers and magicians. He also had another honorary function - he accompanied the souls of the dead to Hades. He was credited with the invention of writing and numbers. From infancy, Hermes was distinguished by a penchant for theft. According to legend, he even managed to steal the scepter from Zeus. He did it as a joke ... as a baby. The invariable attributes of Hermes were: a winged rod capable of reconciling enemies, a wide-brimmed hat and winged sandals.

Ahasuerus - the name of one of the Persian kings
Hades (Greek and Roman myth.) - the lord of the underworld of the dead, as well as the underworld itself
Aquilon (Roman) - god of the north wind
Cupid (Roman) - god of love
Ambrosium - from Ambrosia - the food of the gods, giving them immortality and eternal youth
Anubis (Egypt.) - god, patron of the dead, depicted with the head of a jackal or dog
Apollo (Greek) - god of light, patron of the arts
Ares (Greek) - god of war
Argus (Greek) - a many-eyed giant, a vigilant guardian
Athenogenes (Greek) - born of the goddess Athena
Achilles - the hero of Greek folk legends and the epic "Iliad"
Bacchus (Roman) - god of wine
Boreas (Greek) - the son of Astrea and Eos, the deity of the cold north wind
Boyan, Bayan (famous) - singer
Bacchus (Roman) - god of fertility and winemaking
Vlasy (Greek) - consonant with the name of the Slavic god of livestock Veles
Vulcan (Roman) - the god of fire and blacksmithing
Hector (Greek) - one of the bravest heroes of the battle of Troy. After killing Achilles' friend Patroclus, he was slain by Achilles
Hercules (Greek) - the son of Zeus and Alcmene, the greatest of the Greek heroes, who performed twelve labors, cleansed the earth of monsters and evil, and received immortality from the gods. Hercules is the Roman form of the name Heracles.
Hermes (Greek) - the son of Zeus and Maya, the messenger of the gods, the guide of the dead to the underworld, a clever, skillful kidnapper. Patron of travelers, merchants, artisans and gymnasts
Hermogenes (Greek) - born of Hermes (Mercury)
Hymen, Hymen (Greek) - the god of marriage
Hyperborea (Greek) - a fabulous people who, according to legend, lived in the far north in the eternally sunny country of universal prosperity
Dionysus (Greek) – god of wine and fertility
Dior (Greek) - son of Amarink, leader of the Buprasians on a campaign against Troy
Dmitry (Greek) - belonging to Demeter, the goddess of the earth
Zeus (Greek) - god of thunder and lightning
Eremey (Greek) - dedicated to Hermes (Mercury)
Zephyr (Greek) - deity of a light western wind
Zenobius (Greek) - the power of Zeus
Icarus (Greek) - a young man who flew away with his father Daedalus from the island of Crete, where they were held captive, on wings made of wax. Despite the warnings of his father, during the flight, Icarus approached the sun, which melted the wax, and the young man fell into the sea, where he died.
Iliodor (Greek) - gift of Helios (Sun)
Heraclius (Greek) - from Heracles, on behalf of Hercules, meaning: the glory of Hera (wife of Zeus)
Isidore (Greek) - a gift from the goddess Isis
Castor (Greek) - the son of Leda from Tyndareus, who, together with his brother Pollux (Pollux), performed a number of feats
Claudius (Roman) - the adjective "claudus" was one of the epithets of the lame-footed god Vulcan, Hephaestus
Cupid (Roman) - god of love
Lucifer (Rom.) - Romans have an ancient name for the planet Venus. In Christian mythology, the lord of hell
Mantius (Greek) - son of Melamp, soothsayer
Maron (Greek) - grandson of Dionysus and Ariadne, priest of Apollo in the city of Ismar, in Thrace
Mars (Roman) - god of war
Melanthius (Greek) - the son of Dolion, a shepherd, a slave of Odysseus, whom he betrayed, serving the suitors of Penelope
Menelaus (Greek) - son of Atreus, husband of Helen, king of Sparta
Mentor (Greek) - friend of Odysseus, tutor of Telemachus. Literally, a mentor
Mercury (Roman) - the name of the Roman god Mercury, corresponding to the Greek Hermes
Morpheus - the son of the god of sleep, the creator of dreams
Neptune (Roman) - god of the seas
Nereus (Greek) - the son of Pontus and Gaia, the father of Amphitrite and Nereids. Deity personifying the calm sea
Nestor (Greek) - the son of Neleus and Chloris, the wise king of the island of Pylos
Nirey (Greek) - the son of King Harop and Aglaya, the leader of the troops from Sima on a campaign against Troy
Notus (Greek) - the son of Astrea and Eos, a humid south wind
Oden (Odin) - the supreme god in Scandinavian mythology
Odysseus (Greek) - son of Laertes and Anticlea, king of the island of Ithaca
Oracle - priest, soothsayer, fortune teller
Orestes is the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who killed his mother in revenge for his father. Clytemnestra cheated on her husband with Aegisthus, with whom she killed Agamemnon.
Orion - the legendary Boeotian, a giant hunter, with whom the goddess of the dawn Eos fell in love, after death he was turned into a star.
Orkan - hurricane
Orpheus (Greek) - a singer and musician, the husband of the nymph Eurydice, who enchanted wild animals, trees and rocks with his art
Pan (Greek) - son of Hermes, god of forests, patron of shepherds and herds
Paris (Greek) - the son of Priam, who kidnapped Helen and killed Achilles
Parnassus is a mountain in Phocis, on the slope of which was the Delphic temple of Apollo. In myths - the habitat of Apollo and the Muses
Pean - god of healing
Pegasus (Greek) - the winged horse of Zeus. From the blow of his hoof on Mount Helikon, the source of Hippocrene clogged, the water of which gave inspiration to poets
Penates - in Roman mythology, the patron gods of the hearth
Perseus (Greek) - the son of Zeus and Danae
Perun - in Slavic mythology, the god of thunder and lightning
Pygmalion is the king of the island of Cyprus and a legendary sculptor who created an ivory statue of a girl of extraordinary beauty and fell in love with her. Aphrodite brought the statue to life and Pygmalion married the girl
Pluto (Greek) - god of the underworld
Pollux (Greek) - brother of Castor, son of Leda from Tyndareus, who performed a number of feats with his brother
Polydorus - the youngest son of Priam, killed by Achilles
Poseidon (Greek) - in Roman mythology, Neptune is the god of the seas, brother of Zeus
Priam - the last king of Troy
Proteus - soothsayer, father of the nymph Eidothea
Rhadamanthus - the son of Zeus and Europe, the brother of Minos, the king of Okalea in Boeotia, famous for his justice
Ramses (Egyptian) - a worshiper of the god Ra
Rem (Rom.) - one of the two legendary founders of Rome (brother of Romulus)
Samson - the legendary biblical hero, distinguished by exceptional strength
Satyrs - in Greek. mythology, lower deities depicted as half-human, half-goat
Saturn (Roman) is the father of Jupiter. Cast out of heaven by his son, Saturn settled in southern Italy, where he established a golden age
Seraphim (Heb.) - fiery angel
Sylvan (Rom.) - god of forests
Sylphs (Celtic and German) - spirits of the air
Sisyphus is the founder of Corinth, who divulged the secrets of the gods among people and, as a punishment for this, rolled a stone block up the mountain in the underworld, which rolled down as soon as it reached the top. Hence the Sisyphean labor
Sim (Sima) is an island off the southern coast of Asia Minor, near Rhodes. Shem - the eldest of the three sons of Noah (heb.)
Skald - Old Norse singer
Stribog - in Slavic mythology, the god of the winds
Tantalus (Greek) - a king who insulted the gods and severely punished by them. In the underworld, he, standing up to his neck in water and seeing ripe fruits above his head, could not quench his thirst and hunger, since water and branches with fruits left him
Tartar (Greek) - hell
Theseus (Theseus) - the son of Aegeus, the legendary king of Athens, who performed a number of difficult feats
Telamon - the king of the island of Salamina, a member of the Argonauts' campaign
Thelem - son of Eurymeus, old Cyclops, soothsayer
Telemachus - son of Odysseus and Penelope
The term (Rom.) - the god of the boundary
Tyndareus - king of Sparta, husband of Leda
Titans (Greek) - the ancestors of the generation of gods, overthrown by the last to tartar (hell)
Typhius, Typhos (Greek) - a giant imprisoned by the gods in the underworld, where two kites pecked at his liver, which constantly grew again
Tritons - sea deities, depicted in the form of half-humans, half-fish
Uranus - god of the sky, husband of Gaia, father of Kron, Rhea, Prometheus, Iapetus and other gods and titans
Fauns (Roman) - forest deities
Phaeton is the son of Helios, who begged his father to allow him to drive the solar chariot. Unable to restrain his horses, he approached the Earth, on which forests began to burn and rivers to dry. Zeus hit Phaethon with lightning
Phoebus (Greek) - one of the names of Apollo, the god of the sun, light, poetry and art
Phoenix - son of the Thessalian king Amyntor, educator of Achilles
Fork - sea god, father of the nymph Foosa
Ham - in the biblical legend, the son of Patriarch Noah, cursed by his father for disrespect
Harop - king of the city of Sima, father of Nireus
Cerberus (Greek) - a three-headed hellish dog guarding the entrance to the underworld
Cyclops (Greek) - one-eyed giant
Eumeus - the son of King Ctesias, the swineherd of Odysseus
Eurus - deity of the morning, warm east wind
Aegeus - the legendary king of Athens, father of Theseus
Egeon (Briareus) - a hundred-armed giant, son of Gaia
Electron - amber
Endymion is a beautiful young man, beloved of Selena, who asked Zeus to fulfill his every wish. Endymion asked for immortality and eternal youth
Aeneas - the son of King Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite, the leader of the Dardanians in the Trojan War
Enipeus - the god of the river of the same name in Thessaly
Aeol (Greek) - god of the winds
Ermiy, Hermes (Greek) - the messenger of the Olympic gods, the herald of Zeus, the patron of travelers, merchants, artisans
Eros (Eros) - the god of love
Aeson - king of the city of Iolka in Thessaly, father of Jason
Jan, Janus (Roman) - the god of the beginning and the end, depicted with two faces turned in opposite directions. During the war, the temple of Janus stood open
Jason (Jason) - son of Aeson, brother of Pelias, leader of the Argonauts' campaign to Colchis for the Golden Fleece

Female names of the Gods of Greek mythology:

Aurora (Roman) - goddess of the dawn
Ambrosia - the food of the gods, giving them immortality and eternal youth
Apollinaria (Greek) - dedicated to Apollo, the god of light
Artemis (Greek) - goddess of the hunt
Astrea (Greek) - goddess of justice
Aphrodite (Greek) - goddess of love and beauty
Bellona (Roman) - goddess of war
Valkyries (Scand. myth.) - Odin's daughters, warrior maidens who carried the souls of slain heroes to Valhalla
Venus (Roman) - goddess of beauty and love
Vesta (Roman) - goddess of the hearth
Halcyone (Greek) - the daughter of the god of the winds Eol, turned by Zeus into a sea bird
Hebe (Greek) - the goddess of eternal youth; on Olympus she brought the gods their drink - nectar
Gehenna (dr. Heb.) - hell
Gela (Scand.) - goddess of death
Hera (Greek) - the eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea, the sister and wife of Zeus, the patroness of marriage, an assistant in childbirth
Hestia (Greek) - goddess of the hearth
Gaia (Greek) - the goddess of the earth. Gave life to all gods and all living things
Hyades (Greek) - rain nymphs
Hydra (Greek) - a monster killed by Hercules
Graces (Roman) - three goddesses of beauty
Daphne (Greek) - a nymph who fled from the persecution of the god Apollo and was turned into a laurel tree by her mother
Diana (Roman) - goddess of the hunt
Dido (Rom.) - the Carthaginian queen, into whose kingdom Aeneas falls during his wanderings
Dione (Greek) - mother of Aphrodite
Dryad (Greek) - forest nymph
Europa (Greek) - daughter of Phoenix and Perimedes, abducted by Zeus and gave birth to sons Minos and Rhadamanth from him
Helen (Greek) - daughter of Zeus and Leda, wife of Menelaus, whose abduction by Paris caused the Trojan War
Zinaida (Greek) - born of Zeus, from the genus of Zeus
Zlata (glory.) - the goddess of the Dawn
Ida (Greek) - a mountain in Asia Minor, near Troy
Idothea (Greek) - daughter of Proteus, goddess of the sea
Isis (Egypt.) - the goddess of life, fertility and motherhood, who was also revered in Rome
Ilithyia (Greek) - the daughter of Zeus and Hera, the goddess who helps women in childbirth
Irida (Greek) - the granddaughter of the Ocean and Gaia, the goddess of the rainbow
Calypso, Calypsa (Greek) - daughter of Atlanta, nymph of the island of Ogygia, who held Odysseus captive for seven years
Cassandra (Greek) - the daughter of the Trojan king Priam and Hecuba, a soothsayer. After the capture of Troy, she was given as a reward to Agamemnon and was killed with him by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus
Kera - the winged goddess of death, stealing the soul of a dying person at the moment when she leaves the body
Claudius (Roman) - the adjective "claudus" was one of the epithets of the lame-footed god Vulcan, Hephaestus
Clio (Greek) - the muse of history
Lada (glor.) - the goddess of the moon, the patroness of love and family happiness
Lelya (glor.) - the goddess of youth
Leda (Greek) - daughter of the Aetolian king Thestius, wife of the Spartan king Tyndareus, mother of Castor, Clytemnestra. From Zeus she gave birth to Helena and Polydeuces
Lydia - a region on the western coast of Asia Minor
Maya (Greek) - nymph of mountains, daughter of Atlanta, mother of Hermes
Mara (glor.) - the patroness of magic, the spirit of Death
Megaera (Greek) - one of the deities of hell in ancient mythology, the goddess of vengeance
Melpomene (Greek) - daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne, muse of tragedy and sad song
Minerva (Roman) - goddess of wisdom
Mnemosyne (Greek) - daughter of Uranus and Gaia, goddess of memory, mother of nine muses
Moira (Greek) - fate, fate. Moira are three inexorable sister goddesses who were in charge of the fate of people and gods. Clotho spun the thread of human life, Lachesis pulled it through all the vicissitudes of fate, Atropos cut the thread, interrupting human life
Muse (Greek) - the muses in ancient Greece were the patron goddesses of the arts and sciences. The word "music" is related to this name
Nemesis (Greek) - a goddess who personified fate, justice and vengeance
Nike (Greek) - the name of the goddess of victory
Niksa - in Germanic mythology - a water spirit
Nymphodora (Greek) - a gift from a nymph
Nymphs are young goddesses who personified natural phenomena. Nymphs of sea water (nereids), springs and rivers (naiads), valleys (napei), mountains (oreads), forests (alseids), trees (dryads) were distinguished
Ores - goddesses of the seasons
Parks - in Roman mythology, the goddess of fate
Penelope (Greek) - daughter of Ikaria, wife of Odysseus, mother of Telemachus. In a common sense - a faithful wife
Polyxena - daughter of King Priam and Tekuba
Psyche is the daughter of Helios, beloved of Eros. The personification of the human soul
Pomona (Roman) - goddess of fruits
Retra - a bay in Ithaca
Rhea is the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, the sister and wife of Cronus, the mother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera
Selene - the goddess of the night sky, the personification of the Moon, the daughter of Hyperion and Feya, the sister of Helios and Eos
Semiramis - Babylonian queen, famous for decorating the city of Babylon and creating hanging gardens
Seraphim (Heb.) - fiery angel
Sirens - bloodthirsty birds with female heads, captivating singing attracted sailors, whom they killed and devoured
Terpsichore (Greek) - the muse of dancing and choral singing
Tisiphone (Greek) - goddess of vengeance
Undine - a wave, in Germanic mythology - a mermaid
Urania (Greek) - the muse of astronomy
Phaedra - Theseus' wife who fell in love with her stepson Hippolytus and committed suicide when he rejected her love
Themis (in Roman mythology - Justitia) - the daughter of Uranus and Gaia, the goddess of justice
Thetis (Greek) - sea goddess, mother of Achilles
Flora (Roman) - goddess of spring, flowers and youth
Thetis (Greek) - goddess of the sea, daughter of Nereus, mother of Achilles
Fortune (Roman) - goddess of fate, good luck, happy occasion
Furies (Roman) - goddesses of vengeance
Harita (Greek) - among the ancient Greeks, charites - the goddess of joy, love, beauty
Chrissa - the mythical island on which the sanctuary of Apollo was located
Ceres (Roman) - goddess of agriculture and fertility
Cyana - cornflower
cicada is an insect
Circe is the daughter of Helios and the Persians, an evil sorceress, the ruler of the island of Ei, a seductress
Cythera - goddess of love and beauty
Eurydice - nymph, wife of Orpheus
Eumenides (Greek) - avenging goddesses corresponding to the Furies in Roman mythology
Aegis - a shield with the image of the Gorgon's head, plunging people into horror. It was worn by Zeus, Athena and Apollo
Aegina - nymph, daughter of Ason, who gave birth to Aeacus by Zeus
Hellas (Gellada) - Greece as a whole
Aeolia - the legendary floating island inhabited by the winds, surrounded by a high copper wall
Eos (in Roman mythology - Aurora) - daughter of Hyperion and Feya, sister of Helios and Selene, goddess of the dawn
Erata, Erato (Greek) - the muse of lyrical, love poetry
Echidna - a bloodthirsty monster, a snake
Echo (Greek) - a nymph who, due to hopeless love for the young man Narcissus, lost her bodily appearance and turned into an invisible creature repeating other people's words
Juno (Roman) - patroness of marriage and family, assistant in childbirth

The religion of Ancient Greece refers to pagan polytheism. The gods played important roles in the structure of the world, each performing its own function. The immortal deities were like people and behaved quite humanly: they were sad and rejoiced, quarreled and reconciled, betrayed and sacrificed their interests, were cunning and were sincere, loved and hated, forgave and avenged, punished and pardoned.

In contact with

The behavior, as well as the commands of the gods and goddesses, the ancient Greeks explained natural phenomena, the origin of man, moral principles, and social relations. Mythology reflected the ideas of the Greeks about the world around them. Myths originated in different parts of Hellas and eventually merged into an ordered system of beliefs.

Ancient Greek gods and goddesses

The main gods and goddesses belonging to the younger generation were considered. The older generation, which embodied the forces of the universe and the elements of nature, lost its dominance over the world, unable to resist the onslaught of the younger ones. having won, the young gods chose Mount Olympus as their home. The ancient Greeks singled out 12 main Olympic gods from all the deities. So, the gods of Ancient Greece, the list and description:

Zeus - God of Ancient Greece- in mythology it is called the father of the gods, Zeus the Thunderer, the lord of lightning and clouds. It is he who has the mighty power to create life, to resist chaos, to establish order and a fair trial on earth. Legends tell about the deity as a noble and kind being. The Lord of Lightning gave birth to the goddesses Or and Muses. Or govern the time and seasons of the year. Music brings inspiration and joy to people.

Hera was the wife of the Thunderer. The Greeks considered her the absurd goddess of the atmosphere. Hera is the guardian of the house, the patroness of wives who are faithful to their husbands. With her daughter Ilithia, Hera relieved the pains of childbirth. Zeus was famous for his passion. After a three-hundred-year marriage, the lord of lightning began to visit ordinary women who gave birth to heroes from him - demigods. Zeus appeared to his chosen ones in different guises. Before the beautiful Europe, the father of the gods stood like a bull with golden horns. Zeus visited Danae as a golden rain.

Poseidon

Sea god - lord of the oceans and seas, patron saint of sailors and fishermen. The Greeks considered Poseidon a just god, all punishments of which were sent to people deservedly. Preparing for the voyage, the sailors offered prayers not to Zeus, but to the lord of the seas. Before going out to sea, incense was offered on altars to please the sea deity.

The Greeks believed that Poseidon could be seen during a strong storm on the high seas. His magnificent golden chariot emerged from the sea foam, drawn by swift horses. The lord of the ocean received dashing horses as a gift from his brother Hades. The wife of Poseidon is the goddess of the noisy sea, Amphrita. The trident - a symbol of power, gave the deity absolute power over the depths of the sea. Poseidon was distinguished by a gentle character, sought to avoid quarrels. His loyalty to Zeus was not questioned - unlike Hades, the ruler of the seas did not dispute the primacy of the thunderer.

Hades

Lord of the underworld. Hades and his wife Persephone ruled over the kingdom of the dead. The inhabitants of Hellas feared Hades more than Zeus himself. It is impossible to get into the underworld - and even more so, to return - without the will of a gloomy deity. Hades traveled the surface of the earth in a chariot drawn by horses. The eyes of the horses blazed with hellish fire. People in fear prayed that the gloomy god would not take them to their abode. A favorite of Hades, the three-headed dog Cerberus guarded the entrance to the realm of the dead.

According to the legends, when the gods shared power and Hades got dominion over the kingdom of the dead, the celestial was dissatisfied. He considered himself humiliated and held a grudge against Zeus. Hades never openly opposed the power of the Thunderer, but constantly tried to harm the father of the gods as much as possible.

Hades kidnapped the beautiful Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and the goddess of fertility Demeter, by force making her his wife and ruler of the underworld. Zeus had no power over the realm of the dead, so he refused Demeter's request to return her daughter to Olympus. The distressed goddess of fertility stopped caring about the earth, drought came, then famine came. The lord of thunder and lightning had to conclude an agreement with Hades, according to which Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year in heaven, and a third of the year in the underworld.

Pallas Athena and Ares

Athena is probably the most beloved goddess of the ancient Greeks. The daughter of Zeus, born from his head, she embodied the three virtues:

• wisdom;
• calm;
• insight.

Goddess of victorious energy, Athena was portrayed as a powerful warrior with a spear and shield. She was also the deity of clear skies, having the power to disperse dark clouds with her weapons. The daughter of Zeus traveled with Nike, the goddess of victory. Athena was called upon as the protector of cities and fortresses. It was she who sent down just state laws to Ancient Hellas.

Ares - deity of stormy skies, the eternal rival of Athena. The son of Hera and Zeus, he was revered as the god of war. A warrior full of rage, with a sword or a spear - this is how Ares was depicted by the imagination of the ancient Greeks. The god of war enjoyed the noise of battle and bloodshed. Unlike Athena, who fought judiciously and honestly, Ares preferred fierce fights. The god of war approved the tribunal - a special trial of particularly cruel murderers. The hill where the courts took place is named after the warlike deity Areopagus.

Hephaestus

God of blacksmithing and fire. According to legend, Hephaestus was cruel to people, frightened and destroyed them with volcanic eruptions. People lived without fire on the surface of the earth, suffering and dying in the eternal cold. Hephaestus, like Zeus, did not want to help mortals and give them fire. Prometheus - a titan, the last of the older generation of gods, was the assistant of Zeus and lived on Olympus. Filled with compassion, he brought fire to the earth. For stealing fire, the Thunderer doomed the titan to eternal torment.

Prometheus managed to escape punishment. With visionary abilities, the titan knew that Zeus in the future was threatened with death at the hands of his own son. Thanks to the hint of Prometheus, the lord of lightning did not unite in a marriage alliance with the one who would give birth to a parricide son, and strengthened his dominion forever. For the secret of maintaining power, Zeus gave the titan freedom.

In Hellas there was a holiday of running. Participants competed with lit torches in their hands. Athena, Hephaestus and Prometheus were symbols of the celebration that gave rise to the Olympic Games.

Hermes

The deities of Olympus were characterized not only by noble impulses, lies and deceit often guided their actions. God Hermes is a rogue and a thief, the patron of trade and banking, magic, alchemy, astrology. Born by Zeus from the Mayan galaxy. His mission was to convey the will of the gods to people through dreams. From the name of Hermes came the name of the science of hermeneutics - the art and theory of interpretation of texts, including ancient ones.

Hermes invented writing, was young, handsome, energetic. Antique images depict him as a handsome young man in a winged hat and sandals. According to legend, Aphrodite rejected the advances of the god of commerce. Gremes is not married, although he has many children, as well as many lovers.

The first theft of Hermes - 50 cows of Apollo, he committed it at a very young age. Zeus gave the kid a good "bashing" and he returned the stolen. In the future, the Thunderer more than once turned to the resourceful offspring to solve thorny problems. For example, at the request of Zeus, Hermes stole a cow from Hera, into which the beloved of the lightning lord turned.

Apollo and Artemis

Apollo is the Greek god of the sun. As the son of Zeus, Apollo spent the winter in the lands of the Hyperboreans. In Greece, the god returned in the spring, bringing the awakening of nature, immersed in hibernation. Apollo patronized the arts, and was also the deity of music and singing. After all, together with the spring, the desire to create returned to people. Apollo was credited with the ability to heal. As the sun casts out darkness, so the celestial cast out ailments. The sun god was depicted as an extremely handsome young man with a harp in his hands.

Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and the moon, the patroness of animals. The Greeks believed that Artemis made night walks with naiads - the patroness of the waters - and shed dew on the grass. At a certain period in history, Artemis was considered a cruel goddess who destroys sailors. Human sacrifices were made to the deity to gain favor.

At one time, girls worshiped Artemis as the organizer of a strong marriage. Artemis of Ephesus was considered the goddess of fertility. Sculptures and pictures of Artemis depicted a woman with a large number of nipples on her chest to emphasize the generosity of the goddess.

Soon the god of the sun Helios and the goddess of the moon Selene appeared in the legends. Apollo remained the deity of music and art, Artemis - goddess of the hunt.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite the Beautiful was worshiped as the patroness of lovers. The Phoenician goddess Aphrodite combined two principles:

• femininity, when the goddess enjoyed the love of the young man Adonis and the singing of birds, the sounds of nature;
• militancy, when the goddess was portrayed as a cruel warrior who obliged her followers to take a vow of chastity, and was also a zealous guardian of fidelity in marriage.

The ancient Greeks managed to harmoniously combine femininity and militancy, creating a perfect image of female beauty. The embodiment of the ideal was Aphrodite, carrying pure, immaculate love. The goddess was depicted as a beautiful naked woman emerging from the foam of the sea. Aphrodite is the most revered muse of poets, sculptors, artists of that time.

The son of the beautiful goddess Eros (Eros) was her faithful messenger and assistant. The main task of the god of love was to connect the life lines of lovers. According to legend, Eros looked like a plump baby with wings.

Demeter

Demeter is the patron goddess of farmers and winemakers. Mother Earth, as they called her. Demeter was the embodiment of nature, which gives people fruits and cereals, absorbing sunlight and rains. They portrayed the goddess of fertility with blond, wheaten hair. Demeter gave people the science of arable farming and crops grown by hard work. The daughter of the goddess of winemaking Persephone, becoming the queen of the underworld, connected the world of the living with the kingdom of the dead.

Together with Demeter, Dionysus was revered - the deity of winemaking. Dionysus was portrayed as a cheerful young man. Usually his body was entwined with a vine, and in his hands the god held a jug filled with wine. Dionysus taught people to take care of vines, to sing exuberant songs, which later formed the basis of ancient Greek drama.

Hestia

Goddess of family well-being, unity and peace. The altar of Hestia stood in every house near the family hearth. The inhabitants of Hellas perceived urban communities as large families, therefore, in the pritanei (administrative buildings in Greek cities), the sanctuaries of Hestia were always present. They were a symbol of civil unity and peace. There was a sign that if you take coals from the altar of the pritanei on a long journey, then the goddess will provide her protection on the way. The goddess also protected strangers and the afflicted.

Temples to Hestia were not built because she was worshiped in every home. Fire was considered a clean, cleansing natural phenomenon, so Hestia was perceived as the patroness of chastity. The goddess asked Zeus for permission not to marry, although Poseidon and Apollo sought her favor.
Myths and legends have evolved over decades. With each retelling of the story, new details were acquired, previously unknown characters appeared. The list of gods grew, making it possible to explain natural phenomena, the essence of which ancient people could not understand. Myths conveyed the wisdom of the older generations to the young, explained the state structure, and affirmed the moral principles of society.

The mythology of ancient Greece gave mankind many plots and images that are reflected in the masterpieces of world art. Throughout the centuries, artists, sculptors, poets and architects have drawn inspiration from the legends of Hellas.

Gods of Olympus Ancient Greece

The names of the ancient Greek gods that are on everyone's lips - Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hephaestus - are actually the descendants of the main celestials - the titans. Having defeated them, the younger gods, led by Zeus, became the inhabitants of Mount Olympus. The Greeks worshiped, revered and paid tribute to the 12 gods of Olympus, who personified in Ancient Greece elements, virtue or the most important spheres of social and cultural life.

Worshiped Ancient Greeks and Hades, but he did not live on Olympus, but lived underground, in the kingdom of the dead.

Who is more important? Gods of Ancient Greece

They got along well with each other, but sometimes there were skirmishes between them. From their life, which is described in ancient Greek treatises, the legends and myths of this country appeared. Among the celestials were those who occupied the high steps of the podium, while others were content with glory, being at the feet of the rulers. The list of the gods of Olympia is as follows:

• Zeus.

• Gera.

• Hephaestus.

• Athena.

• Poseidon.

• Apollo.

• Artemis.

• Ares.

• Demeter.

• Hermes.

• Aphrodite.

• Hestia.

Zeus- the most important of all. He is the king of all gods. This Thunderer personifies the endless firmament. Under his leadership lightning. It is this arbiter who distributes good and evil on the planet, the Greeks believed. The son of the Titans married his own sister. Their four children were named Ilithyia, Hebe, Hephaestus and Ares. Zeus is a terrible traitor. He constantly engaged in adultery with other goddesses. He did not neglect the earthly girls either. Zeus had something to surprise them with. He appeared before the Greek women either in the form of rain, or as a swan or a bull. Symbols of Zeus - eagle, thunder, oak.

Poseidon. This god ruled over the sea element. In importance, he was in second place after Zeus. In addition to the oceans, seas and rivers, storms and sea monsters, Poseidon was "responsible" for earthquakes and volcanoes. In ancient Greek mythology, he was the brother of Zeus. Poseidon lived in a palace under water. He rode in a rich chariot drawn by white horses. The trident is the symbol of this Greek god.

Hera. She is the chief of the female goddesses. This celestial patronizes family traditions, marriage and love unions. Hera is jealous. She severely punishes people for adultery.

Apollo is the son of Zeus. He is the twin brother of Artemis. Initially, this god was the personification of light, the sun. But gradually his cult expanded its boundaries. This god has become the patron of the beauty of the soul, skill in art, all that is beautiful. The Muses were under his influence. Before the Greeks, he appeared in a rather refined image of a man with aristocratic features. Apollo played music beautifully. He was engaged in healing and divination. He is the father of the god Asclepius, the patron saint of doctors. At one time, Apollo destroyed the terrible monster that occupied Delphi. For this he was exiled for as much as 8 years. Later, he created his oracle, the symbol of which was the laurel.

Without Artemis The ancient Greeks did not imagine hunting. The patroness of forests personifies fertility, birth and high relations between the sexes.

Athena. Everything related to wisdom, spiritual beauty and harmony is under the auspices of this goddess. She is a great inventor, lover of science and art. Craftsmen and farmers obey her. Athena "gives the green light" to the construction of cities and buildings. Thanks to her, state life flows smoothly. This goddess is called upon to protect the walls of fortresses and castles.

Hermes. This ancient Greek god is quite mischievous and has earned the fame of a fidget. Hermes patronizes travelers and merchants. He is also the messenger of the gods on earth. It was on his heels that the lovely wings shone for the first time. The Greeks attribute traits of resourcefulness to Hermes. He is cunning, smart and knows all foreign languages. When Hermes stole ten cows from Apollo, he earned his wrath. But he was forgiven, because Apollo was captivated by the invention of Hermes - the lyre, which he presented to the god of beauty.

Ares. This god personifies war and everything connected with it. All kinds of battles and battles - under the representation of Ares. He is always young, strong and handsome. The Greeks portrayed him as powerful and warlike.

Aphrodite. She is the goddess of love and sensuality. Aphrodite constantly incites her son Eros to shoot arrows that kindle the fire of love in the hearts of people. Eros is the prototype of the Roman Cupid, a boy with a bow and a quiver.

Hymen- the god of marriage. Its bonds bind the hearts of people who met and fell in love at first sight. Ancient Greek wedding chants were called "hymens".

Hephaestus God of volcanoes and fire. Under his patronage are potters and blacksmiths. This is a hardworking and kind god. His fate was not very good. From birth, he limped because his mother Hera threw him off Mount Olympus. Hephaestus was in the upbringing of the goddesses - the queens of the sea. On Olympus he returned and generously endowed Achilles, presenting him with a shield, and Helios with a chariot.
Demeter. She personifies the forces of nature that people have conquered. This is agriculture. Under the vigilant control of Demeter is the whole life of a person - from birth to death.
Hestia. This goddess patronizes family ties, guards the hearth and comfort. The Greeks took care of the offerings to Hestia by setting up altars in their homes. All residents of one city are one big community-family, the Greeks are sure. Even in the main city building there was a symbol of Hestia's sacrifices.
Hades- Ruler of the realm of the dead. In his underworld, dark creatures, gloomy shadows, demonic monsters rejoice. Hades is one of the most powerful gods. He moved around the kingdom of Hades in a chariot made of gold. His horses are black. Hades - owns untold wealth. All gems, ores that are enclosed in the depths, belong to him. The Greeks feared him more than fire and even Zeus himself.

Except 12 gods of Olympus and Hades, the Greeks still have a lot of gods and even demigods. All of them are descendants and brothers of the main celestials. Each of them has its own legends or myths.

Seaside mosaic. Thessaloniki, history and attractions

Athenian cemeteries and burial customs

Keramik, the district of potters, is also the territory of an ancient cemetery. It is located west of the Agora. Part of the ancient cemetery is occupied by excavations of German archaeologists. The first cemetery is the most interesting of those that emerged after the restoration of the independence of Athens. Both cemeteries contain the most touching pieces of art from that era. According to ancient Athenian custom, the dead were buried outside the city walls. The fallen in the war were usually buried where they died, but at the beginning of the 5th century BC. e. the dead began to be brought home and given a state funeral in a common cemetery outside the city walls, in Keramika

Leptokaria

The Iliad by Homer

The Iliad is a poem about war. The poem is called the "Iliad" in honor of Ilion (i.e. Troy) - the city near which the events described in the poem take place. In the 12th century BC, Greek tribes captured and burned Troy, a powerful city located on the Asian coast of the Hellespont. The theme of the Iliad is the "wrath" of Achilles directed against Agamemnon and its terrible consequences. All events in the Iliad take place within 52 days, the poem consists of 15537 verses, which form 24 songs.

Salamis Island: the history of the great battle

The Persians, defeated in a fierce battle near Marathon by an enemy who had much less strength, were forced to return to Asia, and for ten years they could not come to terms with their defeat. A decade later, they began a new military campaign, stretching for many years. Athens at that time was itself a playground of political battles between the democratic group and the aristocrats, who were supported by large and medium landowners.

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid are mystics, specialists in esotericism and the occult, authors of 15 books.

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