GREEK GODS

APOLLO
Apollo was the son of Leto and Zeus. He is the God of the Sun, the Light, the Music, and the
Prophecy. He was born on the island of Delos. He and his twin sister Artemis, also an
Olympian, shared an aptitude for archery. The nine Muses were companions of his; they were
goddesses known for inspiring art and music.
Roman name: Apollo
Symbols: Lyre, Laurel wreath, Python, Raven, Bow and arrows.

ARES
Ares is the God of war, one of the Twelve OLYMPIAN GODS and the son
of ZEUS and HERA. In literature Ares represents the violent and physical untamed aspect of
war, which is in contrast to ATHENA who represents military strategy and generalship as the
goddess of intelligence.
Roman Name: Mars
Symbols: Spear, Helmet, Dog, and Chariot

DIONYSUS
Dionysus was the ancient greek God of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, fertility, ritual
madness, theater, and religious ecstasy. His Roman name was Bacchus. He may have been
worshiped as early as 1500-11000 BCE by Mycenean Greeks. As wine was a major part of
ancient Greek culture, Dionysus was an important and popular figure in mythology. He was one
of the twelve Olympians, although he was the last to arrive, and his unusual birth and upbringing
marked him as an outsider.
Roman Name: Bacchus or Liber
Symbols: Grapevine, Leopard skin, and Panther

HADES

Hades was the God of the Underworld and the name eventually came to also describe the home
of the dead as well. He was the oldest male child of Cronus and Rhea.
Roman Name: Pluto
Symbols: Cerberus, Drinking Horn, Scepter, and Narcissus key

HEPHAESTUS
Hephaestus was the God of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of
sculpture. He was the son of ZEUS and HERA and married to APHRODITE by Zeus to prevent
a war of the gods fighting for her hand. He was a smithing god, making all of the weapons for
Olympus and acting as a blacksmith for the gods.
Roman Name: Vulcan
Symbols: Hammer, Anvil, Tongs, and Quail

HERMES
Hermes was one of the 12 Olympian Gods and was God of trade, thieves, travelers, sports,
athletes, and border crossings, guide to the Underworld. He was the second youngest
Olympian god and was the son of ZEUS and Maia, one of the seven Pleiades and daughter of the
Titan Atlas.
Roman Name: Mercury
Symbols: Tortoise, Lyre, and Rooster

POSEIDON
Poseidon was God of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses, and is considered one of the
most bad-tempered, moody and greedy Olympian gods. He was known to be vengeful when
insulted.
Roman Name: Neptune
Symbols: Trident, Fish, Dolphin, Bull, and Horse

ZEUS
Zeus was the first of the GODS and a very imposing figure. Often referred to as the “Father of
Gods and men”, he is a sky god who controls lightning (often using it as a weapon) and thunder.
Zeus is king of Mount Olympus, the home of Greek gods, where he rules the world and imposes
his will onto gods and mortals alike. God of the Sky and King of the Gods

Roman Name: Jupiter

GREEK GODDESSES
APHRODITE
Aphrodite is the Goddess of Love and Beauty and according to Hesiod’s THEOGONY, she was
born from the foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus. She supposedly arose from
the foam when the Titan Cronus slew his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea.
Roman Name: Venus
Symbols: Dolphin, Rose, Myrtle, Dove, Sparrow, and Girdle
ARTEMIS
Artemis is known as the Goddess of the hunt and is one of the most respected of all the ancient
Greek deities. It is thought that her name, and even the goddess herself, may even be pre-Greek.
She was the daughter of ZEUS, king of the gods, and the Titaness Leto and she has a twin
brother, the god APOLLO.
Roman Name: Diana
Symbols: Bow, Arrows, Stags, Hunting Dog, and Moon
ATHENA
Athena also referred to as Athene, is a very important goddess of many things. She is Goddess
of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare,
mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.
Roman Name: Minerva
Symbols: Owls, Olive trees, Snakes, Helmets, and Spear
DEMETER
Demeter is the Goddess of the harvest and presides over grains and the fertility of the earth.
Although she was most often referred to as the goddess of the harvest, she was also goddess of
sacred law and the cycle of life and death.
Roman Name: Ceres
Symbols: Cornucopia, Wheat, Torch, and Bread
HERA
Hera is the Queen of the GODS and is the wife and sister of ZEUS in the Olympian pantheon.
She is known for being the Goddess of Marriage & Birth. Despite being the Goddess of
Marriage, she was known to be jealous and vengeful towards the many lovers and offspring of
her husband Zeus.
Roman Name: Juno
Symbols: Diadem, Scepter, and Pomegranate
HESTIA
Hestia was the Goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family, and the state.
She was one of only three virgin goddesses, next to ATHENA and ARTEMIS. Although
both POSEIDON and APOLLO wanted to marry her, Hestia made an oath to ZEUS that she
would remain forever pure and undefiled, never entering into a union with a man.
Roman Name: Vesta
Symbols: The hearth and its fire
SELENE
Selene, Goddess of the moon, truly represented the moon itself to the Greeks. Although she
counts as a goddess in her own right, Selene often gets associated with archer goddess, Artemis,
who is also a moon goddess. These two goddesses have additional association with Hecate.
Selene is a Titan goddess. Titan gods and goddesses were actually the divine beings that
preceded the OLYMPIAN GODS and goddesses. The first of these divine beings emerged from
the primordial and originally called GAEA mother and Uranus father.
Roman Name: Luna
Symbols: Crescent, Chariot, Torch, and Bull

OTHER GODS
NIKE
Nike was the Goddess of speed, strength and victory. Also known as Winged Goddess, Nike is
most often pictured as having wings. She was the child of Pallas (Titan) and Styx In most beliefs,
Styx is the name of the river that separates Planet Earth from the Gates of Hell (Hades). The
River Styx was named for Nike’s grandfather Tethys. Nike and her three sisters, Zelus
(Zeal/power), Bic(Force) and Kralas (Strength) were brought by Styx to Zeus to assist him in the
great TITAN BATTLE whose ultimate goal was to gain control of Mount Olympus.
Roman Name: Victoria
Symbols: Golden sandals, Wings, and Wreaths
EROS
Eros was the Greek God of Love, in some stories he first appears as a primordial god, born
from CHAOS and in others he is the son of APHRODITE.
Roman Name: Cupid
Symbols: Bows and Arrows
PAN
Pan is considered to be one of the oldest of GREEK GODS. He is associated with nature,
wooded areas and pasturelands, from which his name is derived. The worship of Pan began in
rustic areas far from the populated city centers, and therefore, he did not have large temples built
to worship him. Rather, worship of Pan centered in nature, often in caves or grottos. Pan ruled
over shepherds, hunters and rustic music. He was the patron God of Arcadia. Pan was
often in the company of the wood nymphs and other deities of the forest.
Roman Name: Faunus
Symbols: Pan flute and Goat
HELIOS
A handsome titan with flowing hair, driving a golden chariot pulled by four fiery steeds across
the sky. That was the image that would come to the minds of ancient Greeks when they thought
of Helios. He was the representation of the sun and sunlight, traveling across the sky every
day.
Roman Name: Sol
Symbols: Chariot, Horses, and Aureole
ODYSSEUS
Odysseus was a Legendary Hero in Greek mythology, king of the island of Ithaca and the main
protagonist of Homer's epic, the “Odyssey.” The son of Laertes and Anticlea, Odysseus was well
known among the Greeks as a most eloquent speaker, an ingenious and cunning trickster.
Roman Name: Ulysses
Symbols: Bow