Ideology > Twelve Olympians
Twelve Olympians
Background
The Twelve Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon who resided on Mount Olympus. These gods and goddesses were considered the principal figures in Greek mythology, each presiding over different aspects of the world and human life. Here are the Twelve Olympians, along with their domains and key attributes:
1. Zeus
- Domain: King of the gods, sky, thunder, law, order, and justice.
- Attributes: Thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, and aegis (a protective cloak or shield).
2. Hera
- Domain: Queen of the gods, marriage, women, childbirth, and family.
- Attributes: Peacock, cow, wedding ring, and diadem.
3. Poseidon
- Domain: God of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses.
- Attributes: Trident, horse, dolphin, and bull.
4. Demeter
- Domain: Goddess of agriculture, harvest, fertility, and the earth.
- Attributes: Sheaf of wheat, torch, cornucopia, and poppy.
5. Athena
- Domain: Goddess of wisdom, war strategy, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.
- Attributes: Owl, olive tree, shield (Aegis), and helmet.
6. Apollo
- Domain: God of the sun, light, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, and archery.
- Attributes: Lyre, laurel wreath, bow and arrows, and the sun chariot.
7. Artemis
- Domain: Goddess of the hunt, wilderness, moon, and archery.
- Attributes: Bow and arrows, deer, cypress tree, and moon.
8. Ares
- Domain: God of war, violence, and bloodshed.
- Attributes: Spear, helmet, dog, vulture, and boar.
9. Aphrodite
- Domain: Goddess of love, beauty, desire, and fertility.
- Attributes: Rose, dove, swan, myrtle, and apple.
10. Hephaestus
- Domain: God of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges, and sculpture.
- Attributes: Anvil, hammer, tongs, and quail.
11. Hermes
- Domain: God of travel, trade, thieves, sports, and border crossings. Messenger of the gods.
- Attributes: Winged sandals, caduceus (staff with two snakes), and winged helmet.
12. Hestia
- Domain: Goddess of the hearth, home, and domestic life.
- Attributes: Hearth, flame, and kettle.
Hades and Dionysus
- Hades: Although not traditionally considered one of the Twelve Olympians, Hades, the god of the underworld, is sometimes included in lists replacing Hestia, particularly in later traditions.
- Dionysus: In some accounts, Dionysus, the god of wine, pleasure, festivity, and ecstasy, replaces Hestia as one of the Twelve Olympians. His attributes include the grapevine, ivy, cup, and thyrsus (a pine-cone-tipped staff).
Summary
The Twelve Olympians are the primary deities in Greek mythology, each overseeing different aspects of the world and human life. They resided on Mount Olympus and played central roles in Greek religion, mythology, and cultural practices. These gods and goddesses were worshipped and revered throughout ancient Greece, and their myths have profoundly influenced Western culture and literature.
Sources
Greek Ideology
- Abaris The Hyperborean
- Aegis
- Aegisthus
- Agamemnon
- Agenor
- Ages Of Man
- Aletes Son Of Aegisthus
- Amazonomachy
- Amazons
- Anchialos
- Anemoi
- Aphroditite
- Apollo
- Ares
- Artemis
- Asclepius
- Asphodel Meadows
- Asterion
- Asteropaios
- Athena
- Atlantis
- Atreus
- Catreus
- Caucones
- Clytemnestra
- Cranaus
- Cronus
- Curetes
- Cyclops
- Demeter
- Demi God
- Deucalion Of Crete
- Dionysus
- Doris
- Echidna
- Electryon
- Eleusinian Mysteries
- Elysium
- Ephesia Grammata
- Europa
- Eurystheus
- Gaia
- Garden Of Hesperides
- Gigantes
- Gigantomachy
- Gorgons
- Graecus
- Greek Deities
- Greek Heroes
- Greek Heroic Age
- Greek Mythological Characters
- Greek Mythology
- Greek Pantheon Of Gods
- Greek Religion
- Greek Underworld
- Hades
- Halizones
- Hephaestus
- Hera
- Hercules
- Hermes
- Hesperides
- Hestia
- Hippocampus
- Hyas
- Hyperborea
- Idomeneus
- Iunterpretatio Graeca
- Kings Of Argos
- Kings Of Athens
- Kings Of Crete
- Lapiths
- Melicertes
- Melissus Of Crete
- Minoan Religion
- Minotaur
- Minotaurs Labyrinth
- Mount Olympus
- Mycenaean Deities
- Nemean Lion
- Nessus
- Ogyges
- Ogygia
- Ogygian Flood Myth
- Orestes
- Persephone
- Perseus
- Phlegyas
- Polymatheia
- Poseidon
- Pyraechmes
- Rhadamanthus
- Rhea
- River Styx
- Rod Of Asclepius
- Sacred Bull
- Seven Sages Of Greece
- Sthenelus
- Tartarus
- Tectamus
- Teleboans
- Telephus
- Thyestes
- Tisamenus Son Of Orestes
- Titanomachy
- Twelve Olympians
- Typhon
- Uranus
- Zeus