THE TWELVE OLYMPIAN GODS

ZEUS (JUPITER)

• Son of Cronos
• Symbols are thunderbolt and eagle
• God of the sky, rain, king of the gods
• Wife to Hera, but had children through other women
• Children included Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Ares, Hephaestus, and Hermes

HERA (JUNO)

• Daughter to Cronos and Rhea
• Goddess of marriage, childbirth, and Queen of the Gods
• Symbol is the peacock
• Married to Zeus after he raped her
• Children include Ares and Hephaestus

POSEIDON (NEPTUNE)

• Son of Cronos and Rhea
• God of ocean, earthquakes, and horses
• Symbol is the trident
• Married to Amphrite
• Disliked by Athena, Zeus, and Hades

HADES (PLUTO)

• Son of Cronos and Rhea
• God of the Underworld and riches
• Symbol is the Helm of Darkness
• Dwells in the Underworld, but still considered an Olympian
• Marries Perserphone, goddess of springtime, after he kidnaps her

APOLLO

• Son of Zeus and Leto
• God of archery, music, and medicine
• Symbols include the sun, golden lyre
• Twin brother to Artemis, goddess of the hunt
• Drove around the Earth in the sun chariot pulled by golden horses

ARTEMIS (DIANA)

• Daughter of Zeus and Leto
• Goddess of the hunt, archery
• Symbols include the bow
• Pledged to remain a virgin and never married
• Not featured in many myths or interacting with demigods

ARES (MARS)

• Son of Zeus and Hera
• God of War
• Symbols include the vulture, the boar, and the spear
• Loved Aphrodite, goddess of love, even though she was married
• Patron of Sparta, the most war like state in all of Greece

APHRODITE (VENUS)

• Emerged from the ocean from the sea foam after Uranus's immortality dissolved in water
• Goddess of love, sexual desire
• Symbol is the dove
• Married to Hephaestus, but loved Ares, god of war
• Had many lovers over the centuries including Adonis

ATHENA (MINERVA)

• Daughter of Metis and Zeus, emerged from Zeus's forehead after he swallowed Metis
• Goddess of wisdom, intelligent activity, crafts, and war defending the homefront
• Symbols include the owl and the olive tree
• Pledged to be a virgin forever and to never marry anyone
• Patron of the city of Athens, the most successful city state in Greece

HEPHAESTUS (VULCAN)

• Son of Zeus and Hera
• God of the Forge and fire
• Symbols include the forge
• Was married to Aphrodite, goddess of love
• Was hideous after being thrown off of Mt. Olympus by Hera

HERMES (MERCURY)

• Son of Zeus and Maia
• God of messengers, travelers, and thieves
• Symbols include winged hat and sandals, and a cadelcus
• Was the most helpful god, one of the most common in myths
• Liked by all of the gods

DIONYSUS (BACCHUS)

• Son of Zeus and the princess Semele
• God of wine and revelry
• Symbols include wine and grapes
• Only Olympian to have a mortal parent
• Was originally a demigod

DEMENTER (CERES)

• Daughter of Cronos and Rhea
• Goddess of Agriculture and the harvest
• Symbols include the plow
• Her daughter, Persephone, is the wife of Hades
• Never married but had various children