At the center of Greek mythology is the pantheon of deities who were said to live on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. From their perch, they ruled every aspect of human life. Olympian gods and goddesses looked like men and women (though they could change themselves into animals and other things) and were–as many myths recounted–vulnerable to human foibles and passions. The twelve main Olympians are:
Zeus (Jupiter, in Roman mythology): the king of all the gods (and father to many) and god of weather, law and fateHera (Juno): the queen of the gods and goddess of women and marriageAphrodite (Venus): goddess of beauty and loveApollo (Apollo): god of prophesy, music and poetry and knowledgeAres (Mars): god of warArtemis (Diana): goddess of hunting, animals and childbirthAthena (Minerva): goddess of wisdom and defenseDemeter (Ceres): goddess of agriculture and grainDionysus (Bacchus): god of wine, pleasure and festivityHephaestus (Vulcan): god of fire, metalworking and sculptureHermes (Mercury): god of travel, hospitality and trade and Zeus's personal messengerPoseidon (Neptune): god of the sea
Other gods and goddesses sometimes included in the roster of Olympians are:
Hades (Pluto): god of the underworldHestia (Vesta): goddess of home and familyEros (Cupid): god of sex and minion to Aphrodite
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greek mythology
FantasyGreek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore.
