The gods of ancient Greece and what they patronized. goddesses of ancient greece


The life of the ancient Greek gods on Mount Olympus seemed to people a continuous fun and a daily holiday. Myths and legends of those times are a storehouse of philosophical and cultural knowledge. Having considered the list of the gods of Ancient Greece, you can plunge into a completely different world. Mythology surprises with its uniqueness, it is important because it pushed humanity to the development and emergence of many sciences, such as mathematics, astronomy, rhetoric, and logic.

First generation

Initially, there was Mist, and Chaos arose from it. From their union came Erebus (darkness), Nikta (night), Uranus (sky), Eros (love), Gaia (earth) and Tartarus (abyss). All of them played a gigantic role in the formation of the pantheon. All other deities are related to them in one way or another.

Gaia is one of the first deities on earth, which arose along with the sky, sea and air. She is the great mother of everything on earth: heavenly gods were born from her union with her son Uranus (heaven), sea gods from Pontos (sea), giants from Tartaros (hell), and mortal beings were created from her flesh. Depicted as a fat woman, half rising from the ground. We can assume that it was she who came up with all the names of the gods of Ancient Greece, a list of which can be found below.

Uranus is one of the primitive gods of Ancient Greece. He was the original ruler of the universe. He was overthrown by his son Kronos. Born to one Gaia, was also her husband. Some sources call his father Akmon. Uranus was depicted as a bronze dome covering the world.

List of gods of Ancient Greece born by Uranus and Gaia: Oceanus, Kous, Hyperion, Crius, Thea, Rhea, Themis, Iapetus, Mnemosyne, Tethys, Kronos, Cyclopes, Brontes, Steropes.

Uranus did not feel much love for his children, more precisely, he hated them. And after their birth he imprisoned them in Tartarus. But during their rebellion he was defeated and castrated by his son Kronos.

Second generation

The Titans, born of Uranus and Gaia, were the six gods of time. The list of titans of ancient Greece includes:

Ocean - tops the list of gods of Ancient Greece, titanium. It was a large river surrounding the earth, was the reservoir of all fresh water. Oceanus' wife was his sister, the titanide Tethys. Their union gave birth to rivers, streams and thousands of oceanids. They did not take part in the Titanomachy. The ocean was depicted as a horned bull with a fish tail instead of legs.

Kay (Koy/Keos) - Phoebe's brother and husband. Their union gave birth to Leto and Asteria. Depicted in the form of a celestial axis. It was around her that the clouds revolved and Helios and Selena walked across the sky. The couple were thrown by Zeus into Tartarus.

Kriy (Krios) - an ice titan that can freeze all living things. He shared the fate of his brothers and sisters, thrown into Tartarus.

Iapetus (Iapetus / Iapetus) - the most eloquent, commanded the titans during the attack on the gods. Also sent by Zeus to Tartarus.

Hyperion - lived on the island of Trinacria. He did not take part in the Titanomachy. The wife was the titinide Thea (she was thrown into Tartarus along with her brothers and sisters).

Kronos (Chronos/Kronus) is the temporary ruler of the world. He was so afraid of losing the power of the supreme god that he devoured his children so that none of them would claim the throne of the ruler. He was married to his sister Rhea. She managed to save one child and hide him from Kronos. Deposed by his only rescued heir, Zeus, and sent to Tartarus.

Closer to people

The next generation is the most famous. They are the main gods of Ancient Greece. The list of their exploits, adventures and legends with their participation is very impressive.

They not only became closer to people, descending from heaven and emerging from chaos to the top of the mountain. The gods of the third generation began to contact people more often and more willingly.

This was especially boasted by Zeus, who was very partial to earthly women. And the presence of the divine wife Hera did not bother him at all. It was from his union with a man that the familiar hero of myths, Hercules, was born.

third generation

These gods lived on Mount Olympus. From its name they got their title. There are 12 gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which is known to almost everyone. All of them performed their functions and were endowed with unique talents.

But more often they talk about fourteen gods, the first six of which were the children of Kronos and Rhea:

Zeus - the main god of Olympus, the ruler of the sky, personified power and strength. God of lightning, thunder and creator of people. The main attributes of this god were: Aegis (shield), Labrys (double-sided ax), Zeus' lightning (two-pointed pitchfork with notches) and an eagle. Distributed good and evil. Was in alliance with several women:

  • Metis - the first wife, the goddess of wisdom, was swallowed by her husband;
  • Themis - the goddess of justice, the second wife of Zeus;
  • Hera - the last wife, the goddess of marriage, was the sister of Zeus.

Poseidon is the god of rivers, floods, seas, drought, horses and earthquakes. His attributes were: a trident, a dolphin and a chariot with white-maned horses. Wife - Amphitrite.

Demeter is the mother of Persephone, the sister of Zeus and his lover. She is the goddess of fertility and patronizes farmers. Demeter's attribute is a wreath of ears of corn.

Hestia is the sister of Demeter, Zeus, Hades, Hera and Poseidon. The patroness of the sacrificial fire and the family hearth. I took a vow of chastity. The main attribute was a torch.

Hades is the ruler of the underworld of the dead. Husband of Persephone (goddess of fertility and queen of the kingdom of the dead). The attributes of Hades were a bident or a wand. Depicted with an underground monster Cerberus - a three-headed dog, who stood guard at the entrance to Tartarus.

Hera is the sister and wife of Zeus. The most powerful and wise goddess of Olympus. She was the patroness of family and marriage. A mandatory attribute of Hera is a diadem. This decoration is a symbol of the fact that she is the main one on Olympus. She obeyed (sometimes reluctantly) all the main gods of ancient Greece, the list of which she headed.

Other Olympians

Although these gods did not have such powerful parents, almost all of them were born from Zeus. Each of them was talented in their own way. And he did his job well.

Ares is the son of Hera and Zeus. God of battles, war and masculinity. He was a lover, then the husband of the goddess Aphrodite. Ares' companions were Eris (goddess of discord) and Enyo (goddess of violent war). The main attributes were: a helmet, a sword, dogs, a burning torch and a shield.

Apollo - the son of Zeus and Leto, was the twin brother of Artemis. The god of light, the leader of the muses, the god of medicine and the predictor of the future. Apollo was very loving, he had many mistresses and lovers. The attributes were: a laurel wreath, a chariot, a bow with arrows and a golden lyre.

Hermes is the son of Zeus and the Pleiades Maya or Persephone. God of trade, eloquence, dexterity, intelligence, animal husbandry and roads. Patron of athletes, merchants, artisans, shepherds, travelers, ambassadors and thieves. He is the personal messenger of Zeus and the escort of the dead to the kingdom of Hades. He taught people writing, trade and accounting. Attributes: winged sandals that allow him to fly, an invisibility helmet, a caduceus (a wand adorned with two intertwined snakes).

Hephaestus is the son of Hera and Zeus. God of blacksmithing and fire. Lame on both legs. Wives of Hephaestus - Aphrodite and Aglaya. The attributes of the god were: bellows, tongs, a chariot and a pilos.

Dionysus is the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Semele. God of vineyards and winemaking, inspiration and ecstasy. Theater patron. He was married to Ariadne. Attributes of God: a cup of wine, a vine wreath and a chariot.

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Leto, the twin sister of Apollo. The young goddess is a hunter. Being the first to be born, she helped her mother give birth to Apollo. Chaste. Attributes of Artemis: doe, quiver with arrows and chariot.

Demeter is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Mother of Persephone (wife of Hades), sister of Zeus and his lover. Goddess of agriculture and fertility. Demeter's attribute is a wreath of ears.

Athena, the daughter of Zeus, completes our list of the gods of Ancient Greece. She was born from his head after he swallowed her mother Themis. Goddess of war, wisdom and craft. Patroness of the Greek city of Athens. Her attributes were: a shield with the image of the Gorgon Medusa, an owl, a snake and a spear.

Born in foam?

I want to talk about the next goddess separately. She is not only to this day a symbol of female beauty. In addition, the history of its origin is hidden in mystery.

There is a lot of controversy and speculation about the birth of Aphrodite. The first version: the goddess was born from the seed and blood of Uranus castrated by Kronos, which fell into the sea and formed foam. The second version: Aphrodite originated from a sea shell. The third hypothesis: she is the daughter of Dione and Zeus.

This goddess was in charge of beauty and love. Spouses: Ares and Hephaestus. Attributes: chariot, apple, rose, mirror and dove.

How they lived on the great Olympus

All the Olympic gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which you see above, had the right to live and spend all their free time from miracles on the great mountain. The relationship between them was not always rosy, but few of them dared to open hostility, knowing the power of their opponent.

Even among the great divine beings, there was no permanent peace. But everything was decided by intrigues, secret conspiracies and betrayals. It is very similar to the human world. And this is understandable, because humanity was created by the gods, so they all look like us.

Gods who do not live on Mount Olympus

Not all deities had a chance to reach such heights and climb Mount Olympus to rule the world there, feasting and having fun. Many other gods either failed to deserve such a high honor, or were modest and content with an ordinary life. If, of course, you can call the existence of a deity that way. In addition to the Olympic gods, there were other gods of Ancient Greece, a list of their names is here:

  • Hymen is the god of marriage bonds (the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope).
  • Nike is the goddess of victory (daughter of Styx and the titan Pallas).
  • Irida is the goddess of the rainbow (daughter of the sea god Tawmant and the oceanid Electra).
  • Ata is the goddess of obscuration of the mind (daughter of Zeus).
  • Apata is the mistress of lies (heiress of the goddess of night darkness Nyukta).
  • Morpheus is the god of dreams (the son of the lord of dreams Hypnos).
  • Phobos - the god of fear (a descendant of Aphrodite and Ares).
  • Deimos - the lord of horror (the son of Ares and Aphrodite).
  • Ora - the goddess of the seasons (daughters of Zeus and Themis).
  • Eol - the demigod of the winds (the heir of Poseidon and Arna).
  • Hecate is the mistress of darkness and all monsters (the result of the union of the titan Perse and Asteria).
  • Thanatos is the god of death (son of Erebus and Nyukta).
  • Erinyes - goddesses of revenge (daughters of Erebus and Nyukta).
  • Pontus is the ruler of the inland sea (heir to Ether and Gaia).
  • Moira - the goddess of fate (daughter of Zeus and Themis).

These are not all the gods of Ancient Greece, the list of which can be continued even further. But to get acquainted with the main myths and legends, it is enough to know only these characters. If you want to read more stories about each, we are sure that the ancient storytellers came up with a lot of interweaving of their destinies and details of the divine life, in which you will gradually get to know more and more new heroes.

Meaning of Greek mythology

There were also muses, nymphs, satyrs, centaurs, heroes, cyclops, giants and monsters. This whole vast world was not invented in one day. Myths and legends have been written for decades, with each retelling acquiring other details and characters that have never been seen before. All the new gods of ancient Greece appeared, the list of names of which grew from one storyteller to another.

The main goal of these stories was to teach future generations the wisdom of the elders, to tell in an understandable language about good and evil, about honor and cowardice, about loyalty and lies. And besides, such a huge pantheon made it possible to explain almost any natural phenomenon, the scientific justification of which was not yet available.

Gods of Ancient Greece

Olympic gods

Olympic gods(Olympians) in ancient Greek mythology - the gods of the second generation (after the original gods and titans - the gods of the first generation), the highest beings who lived on Mount Olympus. Olympus (Olumpoz) is a mountain in Thessaly, on which, according to ancient Greek myths, the gods live. The name Olympus is of pre-Greek origin (possibly related to the Indo-European root ulu / uelu, “to rotate”, that is, an indication of the roundness of the peaks) and belongs to a number of mountains in Greece and Asia Minor. On Olympus are the palaces of Zeus and other gods, built and decorated by Hephaestus. The gates of Olympus open and close the Oras as they ride out in golden chariots. Olympus is thought of as a symbol of the supreme power of a new generation of Olympian gods who defeated the titans.

Zeus- the god of the sky, thunder and lightning, in charge of the whole world. The chief of the Olympian gods, the third son of the titan Kronos and Rhea.

Poseidon- the god of the seas. Son of Kronos and Rhea. Considering himself equal to his brother Zeus, he opposed him along with Hera and Aphrodite, but was defeated and was saved by Thetis. When the world was divided, he got the sea.

Hades (Hades)- the god of the underworld of the dead (and the name of the kingdom of the dead), the first son of Kronos and Rhea, brother of Zeus, Poseidon and Demeter. Husband of Persephone, honored and invoked with him. After the division of the world between the three brothers (Zeus, Poseidon and Hades), after the victory over the titans, Hades got the underworld and power over the shadows of the dead.

Hestia- the goddess of the family hearth and sacrificial fire in Ancient Greece. Eldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea.

Hera- the goddess, the patroness of marriage, protecting the mother during childbirth. Hera, the third daughter of Kronos and Rhea, is the wife of Zeus, her brother.

Ares- the god of insidious, treacherous war, war for the sake of war, the son of Zeus and Hera.

Athena- the goddess of just war and wisdom, knowledge, arts and crafts; warrior maiden, patroness of cities and states, sciences and crafts, intelligence, skill, ingenuity. Daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Apollo (Phoebus)- the god of the sun, light, art, the god-healer, the leader and patron of the muses, the patron of sciences and arts, the son of the goddess Latona and Zeus.

Aphrodite- the goddess of beauty and love, the personification of eternal youth, the patroness of navigation.

Hermes- the god of trade, profit, intelligence, dexterity, deceit, theft and eloquence, giving wealth and income in trade, the god of gymnastics. Patron of heralds, ambassadors, shepherds and travelers; patron of magic and astrology. Messenger of the gods and guide of the souls of the dead to the underworld of Hades. The son of Zeus and the Pleiades Maya (in ancient Greek mythology, the daughters of the Titan Atlanta and the Oceanid Pleione).

Artemis- always a young goddess of hunting, goddess of fertility, goddess of female chastity, patroness of all life on earth, giving happiness in marriage and assistance in childbirth, later the goddess of the Moon (her brother Apollo was the personification of the Sun). Daughter of Zeus and goddess Latona.

Hephaestus- the god of fire, the patron of blacksmithing and a skilled blacksmith himself. Son of Zeus and Hera.

Demeter- the second daughter of Kronos and Rhea, the goddess of fertility and agriculture. It was Demeter, according to the myths, who taught people how to farm.

Dionysus- the god of winemaking, the productive forces of nature, inspiration and religious ecstasy.

Nika (Nike)- the goddess of victory, accompanied Zeus in his fight against the titans and giants.

Pan- the son of the god Hermes, originally revered as the patron of shepherds, the god of herds; later as the patron of all nature. Depicted as a man with horns, goat legs and a goat beard.

Eos- the goddess of the dawn, the sister of Helios (the sun) and Selena (the moon). The Greeks represented her as a beautiful young woman whose fingers and clothes shone with a golden-pink sheen as she rode her chariot to heaven in the morning.

Eros (Eros)- the god of love, the personification of love attraction, ensuring the continuation of life on earth.

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It causes genuine interest, intrigues and excites. It combines the fictional and modern world. Many books have been written about him and many films have been made. The pantheon of the Greek gods is a real storehouse for studying the history, customs and life of Ancient Greece. What function did the celestials perform on the sacred Mount Olympus? What unthinkable power and authority were endowed with? This and much more will be discussed in our new divine article!

The pantheon, or simply a group of gods belonging to the same religion, consisted of a large number of celestials, each of which performed the assigned role and carried out its function. In their appearance and behavior, the gods and goddesses were similar to ordinary people. They experienced the same emotions and feelings, fell in love and quarreled, got angry and had mercy, deceived and spread gossip. But their main difference was immortality! Over time, the history of the relationship between the gods increasingly grew into myths. And this only increased interest and admiration for the ancient religion ...


Representatives of the younger generation of celestials in Ancient Hellas were considered the main gods. Once they took away the right to rule the world from the older generation (titans), who personified the elements of nature and universal forces. Having defeated the titans, the younger gods, led by Zeus, settled on Mount Olympus. We will talk about the 12 main Olympian gods and goddesses, their assistants and companions, who were worshiped by the Greeks!

The king of the gods and the main deity. The representative of the infinite sky, the lord of lightning and thunder. Zeus had unlimited power over both people and gods. The ancient Greeks honored and feared the Thunderer, appeasing him in every possible way with the best donations. Babies learned about Zeus even in the womb, and all misfortunes were attributed to the wrath of the greatest and all-powerful.


Brother of Zeus, ruler of the sea, rivers, lakes and oceans. He personified courage, stormy temper, quick-tempered character and unearthly strength. Being the patron saint of sailors, he could induce hunger, turn over and sink ships and decide the fate of fishermen in open waters. Poseidon is closely associated with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.


The brother of Poseidon and Zeus, to whom the entire underworld, the kingdom of the dead, obeyed. The only one who did not live on Olympus, but was rightfully considered the Olympic god. All the dead went to Hades. Although people were afraid to even pronounce the name of Hades, in ancient mythology he is presented as a cold, unshakable and indifferent god, whose decision must be unquestioningly carried out. In his dark kingdom with demons and shadows of the dead, where the sun's rays do not penetrate, you can only enter. There is no way back.


Aristocratic and refined, the god of healing, sunlight, spiritual purity and artistic beauty. Having become the patron of creativity, he is considered the head of 9 muses, as well as the father of the god of doctors Asclepius.


The most ancient god of roads and travel, the patron of trade and merchants. This celestial with wings on his heels was associated with a subtle mind, resourcefulness, cunning and an excellent knowledge of foreign languages.


The insidious god of war and fierce battles. The mighty warrior preferred massacres and waged war for the sake of war itself.


The patron saint of blacksmithing, pottery and other crafts associated with fire. Even in the era of ancient times, Hephaestus was associated with volcanic activity, roar and flame.


Wife of Zeus, patroness of marriage and conjugal love. The goddess was distinguished by jealousy, anger, cruelty and excessive severity. In a state of rage, she could bring terrible troubles to people.


The daughter of Zeus, the beautiful goddess of love, who easily fell in love with herself and fell in love herself. In her hands was concentrated a great power of love, pure and sincere, which she bestowed on gods and people.


Goddess of just war, wisdom, patroness of spiritual pursuits, art, agriculture and crafts. Athena Pallas was born from the head of Zeus in full uniform. Thanks to her, state life flows and cities are built. For her knowledge and intelligence among the pantheon of Greek gods, she was the most respected and authoritative celestial.


The patroness of agriculture and the goddess of fertility. She is the guardian of life, who taught a person peasant labor. She fills the barns and restocks. Demeter is the embodiment of the primeval energy of creativity, the great mother that gives birth to all living things.


Artemis

Goddess of forests and hunting, sister of Apollo. The patroness of vegetation and fertility. The virginity of the goddess is closely related to the idea of ​​birth and sexual relations.

In addition to the 12 main Olympic gods, among the Greek celestials there were many no less significant and authoritative names.

God of winemaking and all natural forces that make a person happy.


Morpheus. Everyone was in his arms. Greek god of dreams, son of Hypnos, the god of sleep. Morpheus knew how to take any form, accurately copy the voice and appear to people in dreams.

The son of Aphrodite and concurrently the god of love. A cute boy with a quiver and a bow accurately throws arrows at people, which kindle indestructible love in the hearts of gods and people. In Rome, Amur corresponded to him.


Persephone. Daughter of Demeter, kidnapped by Hades, who dragged her to his underworld and made her his wife. She spends part of the year upstairs with her mother, the rest of the time she lives underground. Persephone personified the seed that is sown in the ground and comes to life at the time when it comes to light.

The patroness of the hearth, family and sacrificial fire.


Pan. Greek god of forests, patron of shepherds and flocks. Presented with goat legs, horns and a beard with a flute in his hands.

Goddess of victory and constant companion of Zeus. The divine symbol of success and a happy outcome is always depicted in a pose of rapid movement or with wings. Nika takes part in all musical competitions, military enterprises and religious celebrations.


And this is not all the Greek names of the gods:

  • Asclepius is the Greek god of healing.
  • Proteus is the son of Poseidon, a sea deity. He had the gift to predict the future and change appearance.
  • Triton - the son of Poseidon, brought news from the depths of the sea, blowing into the shell. Depicted as a mixture of horse, fish and man.
  • Eirene - the goddess of peace, stands at the Olympian throne of Zeus.
  • Dike is the patroness of truth, a goddess who does not tolerate deceit.
  • Tyukhe is the goddess of good luck and a successful event.
  • Plutos is the ancient Greek god of wealth.
  • Enyo is the goddess of furious war, causing rage in the fighters, bringing confusion into the battle.
  • Phobos and Deimos are the sons and companions of Ares, the god of war.

The most interesting and instructive stories, fascinating stories and adventures gave the world Greek mythology. The story immerses us in a fairy-tale world where you can meet heroes and gods, scary monsters and unusual animals. The myths of Ancient Greece, written many centuries ago, are currently the greatest cultural heritage of all mankind.

What are myths

Mythology is an amazing separate world in which people opposed the deities of Olympus, fought for honor and resisted evil and destruction.

However, it is worth remembering that myths are works created exclusively by people using fantasy and fiction. These are stories about gods, heroes and exploits, unusual natural phenomena and mysterious creatures.

The origin of legends is no different from the origin of folk tales and legends. The Greeks invented and retold unusual stories that mixed truth and fiction.

It is possible that there was some truth in the stories - a life case or an example could be taken as a basis.

Source of the myths of ancient Greece

How do modern people know the myths and their plots for certain? It turns out that Greek mythology was preserved on the tablets of the Aegean culture. They were written in Linear B, which was deciphered only in the 20th century.

The Crete-Mycenaean period, to which this type of writing belongs, knew most of the gods: Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and so on. However, due to the decline of civilization and the emergence of ancient Greek mythology, mythology could have its gaps: we know it only from the latest sources.

Various plots of the myths of Ancient Greece were often used by writers of that time. And before the onset of the Hellenistic era, it became popular to create their own legends based on them.

The largest and most famous sources are:

  1. Homer, Iliad, Odyssey
  2. Hesiod "Theogony"
  3. Pseudo-Apollodorus, "Library"
  4. Gigin, "Myths"
  5. Ovid, "Metamorphoses"
  6. Nonnus, "Acts of Dionysus"

Karl Marx believed that the mythology of Greece was a vast repository of art, and also created the ground for it, thus fulfilling a dual function.

ancient greek mythology

Myths did not appear overnight: they took shape over several centuries, passed from mouth to mouth. Thanks to the poetry of Hesiod and Homer, the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, we can get acquainted with the stories at the present time.

Each story has value, keeping in itself the atmosphere of antiquity. Specially trained people - mythographers - began to appear in Greece in the 4th century BC.

These include the sophist Hippias, Herodotus of Heracles, Heraclitus of Pontus and others. Dionysius of Samoia, in particular, was engaged in compiling genealogical tables and studied tragic myths.

There are many myths, but the most popular are stories related to Olympus and its inhabitants.

However, the complex hierarchy and history of the origin of the gods can confuse any reader, and therefore we propose to understand this in detail!

With the help of myths, it becomes possible to recreate the picture of the world in the view of the inhabitants of Ancient Greece: the world is inhabited by monsters and giants, among which are giants - one-eyed creatures and Titans.

Origin of the gods

Eternal, boundless Chaos enveloped the Earth. It contained the world source of life.

It was believed that it was Chaos that gave birth to everything around: the world, the immortal gods, the goddess of the Earth, Gaia, who gave life to everything growing and living, and the mighty force that animates everything - Love.

However, a birth also took place under the Earth: the gloomy Tartarus was born - an abyss of horror filled with eternal darkness.

In the process of creating the world, Chaos gave birth to the Eternal Darkness, called Erebus, and the dark Night, named Nikta. As a result of the union of Nikta and Erebus, Ether was born - the eternal Light and Hemera - the bright Day. Thanks to their appearance, the light filled the whole world, and day and night began to replace each other.

Gaia, a powerful and gracious goddess, created the immense blue Sky - Uranus. Spread over the Earth, he reigned throughout the world. High Mountains proudly stretched towards him, and the noisy Sea spread over the whole Earth.

Goddess Gaia and her Titan children

After Mother Earth created the Sky, Mountains and Sea, Uranus decided to take Gaia as his wife. From the divine union came 6 sons and 6 daughters.

Titan Ocean and the goddess Thetis created all the rivers that rolled their waters to the sea, and the goddesses of the seas, called oceanides. Titan Gipperion and Theia gave the world Helios - the Sun, Selena - the Moon and Eos - the Dawn. Astrea and Eos gave birth to all the stars and all the winds: Boreas - the north, Eurus - the east, Notus - the south, Zephyr - the west.

The overthrow of Uranus - the beginning of a new era

The goddess Gaia - the mighty Earth - gave birth to 6 more sons: 3 cyclops - giants with one eye in the forehead, and 3 fifty-headed hundred-armed monsters called Hekantocheirs. They possessed boundless power that knew no limits.

Struck by the ugliness of his giant children, Uranus renounced them and ordered them to be imprisoned in the bowels of the Earth. Gaia, being a Mother, suffered, weighed down by a terrible burden: after all, her own children were imprisoned in her bowels. Unable to stand it, Gaia called her children-titans, persuading them to rebel against their father - Uranus.

Battle of the gods with the titans

Being great and powerful, the titans were still afraid of their father. And only Kronos, the youngest and most treacherous, accepted his mother's offer. Having outwitted Uranus, he overthrew him, seizing power.

As a punishment for the deed of Kronos, the goddess Night gave birth to death (Tanat), discord (Eris), deceit (Apata),

Kronos devouring his child

destruction (Ker), nightmare (Hypnos) and vengeance (Nemesis) and other terrible gods. All of them brought horror, discord, deceit, struggle and misfortune to the world of Kronos.

Despite his cunning, Kronos was afraid. His fear was built on personal experience: after all, the children could overthrow him, as he once overthrew Uranus - his father.

Fearing for his life, Kronos ordered his wife Rhea to bring him born children. To Rhea's horror, 5 of them were eaten: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon.

Zeus and his reign

Heeding the advice of her father Uranus and her mother Gaia, Rhea fled to the island of Crete. There, in a deep cave, she gave birth to her youngest son, Zeus.

Hiding the newborn in it, Rhea tricked the hard Kronos into swallowing a long stone wrapped in swaddling clothes instead of her son.

As time went. Kronos did not figure out his wife's deceit. Zeus grew up while in Crete. His nannies were nymphs - Adrastea and Idea, instead of mother's milk, he was fed with the milk of the divine goat Amalthea, and industrious bees carried honey to baby Zeus from Mount Dikty.

If Zeus began to cry, the young Kuretes, who stood at the entrance to the cave, struck their shields with swords. Loud sounds drowned out the crying so that Kronos would not hear it.

The myth of the birth of Zeus: feeding the milk of the divine goat Amalthea

Zeus grew up. Having defeated Kronos in battle with the help of the Titans and the Cyclopes, he became the supreme deity of the Olympian Pantheon. The lord of the heavenly powers commanded thunder, lightning, clouds and downpours. He dominated the universe, giving people laws and protecting order.

Views of the Ancient Greeks

The Greeks believed that the gods of Olympus are like people, and the relationship between them is comparable to human. Their lives were also filled with quarrels and reconciliations, envy and interference, resentment and forgiveness, joy, fun and love.

In the views of the ancient Greeks, each deity had its own occupation and sphere of influence:

  • Zeus - lord of the sky, father of gods and people
  • Hera - the wife of Zeus, the patroness of the family
  • Poseidon - the sea
  • Hestia - family hearth
  • Demeter - agriculture
  • Apollo - light and music
  • Athena - wisdom
  • Hermes - trade and messenger of the gods
  • Hephaestus - fire
  • Aphrodite - beauty
  • Ares - war
  • Artemis - hunting

From the earth, people each turned to their god, according to their destiny. Temples were built everywhere to propitiate them, and gifts were offered instead of sacrifices.

In Greek mythology, not only Chaos, the Titans and the Olympian Pantheon mattered, there were other gods.

  • Nymphs Naiads who lived in streams and rivers
  • Nereids - nymphs of the seas
  • Dryads and Satyrs - nymphs of the forests
  • Echo - nymph of mountains
  • Goddesses of fate: Lachesis, Clotho and Atropos.

The rich world of myths was given to us by ancient Greece. It is filled with deep meaning and instructive stories. Thanks to them, people can learn ancient wisdom and knowledge.

How many different legends exist at the moment, do not count. But believe me, every person should get acquainted with them after spending time with Apollo, Hephaestus, Hercules, Narcissus, Poseidon and others. Welcome to the ancient world of the ancient Greeks!

The names of the Greek gods and goddesses are well known even today - we know the myths and legends about them, we can use them to convey the image. Often in modern literary works some motifs known since ancient Greece are mentioned. Consider brief information about the Greek gods and goddesses, the mythology of this country.

Greek gods

There are many Greek gods and goddesses, but we will focus on those of them whose names are to some extent familiar to a wide range of people today:

  • Hades is the famous ruler of the world of the dead, which in myths is often called the kingdom of Hades;
  • Apollo - the god of light and the sun, the most beautiful young man who is still mentioned as a model of male attractiveness;
  • Ares - aggressive god of war;
  • Bacchus or Dionysus - the eternally young god of winemaking (who, by the way, was sometimes depicted as an obese man);
  • Zeus is the supreme deity, ruler over people and other gods.
  • Pluto is the god of the underworld, who owned innumerable underground riches (while Hades commanded the souls of the dead).
  • Poseidon is the god of the entire sea element, who could easily control earthquakes and storms;
  • Thanatos - the god of death;
  • Eol - the lord of the winds;
  • Eros is the god of love, the force that contributed to the emergence of an orderly world from chaos.

As a rule, the Greek gods and goddesses were symbolically depicted by people living on Olympus, beautiful and powerful. They were not perfect, they were connected by intricate relationships and simple human passions.

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Consider the most famous ancient Greek goddesses. There are a lot of them, and each of them is responsible for something of its own:

  • Artemis - the goddess of nature, the patroness of hunting and hunters;
  • Athena - the famous goddess of wisdom and war, patronizing sciences and knowledge;
  • Aphrodite - the goddess of love and beauty, was considered the standard of female perfection;
  • Hebe - the deity of eternal youth, who participated in the feasts of the Olympians;
  • Hekate is a slightly lesser-known goddess of dreams, darkness, and sorcery;
  • Hera - the supreme goddess, the patroness of marriage;
  • Hestia - the goddess of fire in general and the hearth in particular;
  • Demeter - the patroness of fertility, helping farmers;
  • Metis - the goddess of wisdom, the mother of Athena herself;
  • Eris is the warrior goddess of dissection.

This is not a complete list of all Greek gods and goddesses, but here are the most famous and recognizable of them.

Greek mythology has always attracted attention with its diversity. The names of the Greek gods and goddesses began to appear in a variety of ballads, stories and movies. A special role has always been given to the goddesses of Hellas. Each of them had its own charm and zest.

Greek goddess names

This list is quite wide and varied, but there are those goddesses who played a crucial role in Greek mythology. One of them was Aurora, whose name was increasingly given to daughters. Daughter of Hyperion and Thea, goddess of the dawn and wife of the titan Astrea. The Greek names of the goddesses and their images have always been carefully thought out and carried a special semantic load. Aurora brought daylight to people and was often portrayed as winged. Often she sat on a chariot drawn by horses in red and yellow blankets. A halo or crown was depicted above her head, and in her hands she held a burning torch. Homer described her image especially vividly. Rising early in the morning from her bed, the goddess sailed out on her chariot from the depths of the seas, illuminating the entire Universe with bright light.

The famous Greek goddess names also include Artemis, a wild and unrestrained young maiden. She was depicted in a tightly tucked dress, sandals, with a bow and a spear behind her back. A hunter by nature, she led her nymph friends, and they were always accompanied by a pack of dogs. She was the daughter of Zeus and Latona.
Artemis was born on the quiet island of Delos in the shade of palm trees along with her brother Apollo. They were very friendly, and often Artemis came to visit her beloved brother to listen to his magnificent playing on the golden cithara. And with the dawn, the goddess again went hunting.

Athena is a wise woman, whose image was the most revered among all the inhabitants of Olympus, who glorified Greek names. There are many goddesses-daughters of Zeus, but only she was born in a helmet and shell. She was responsible for the victory in the war, was the patroness of knowledge and crafts. She was independent and proud of being a virgin forever. Many believed that she was equal in strength and wisdom to her father. Her birth was rather unusual. After all, when Zeus learned that a child superior to him in power could be born, he ate the mother who carried his child. After which he was overcome by a severe headache, and he called on his son Hephaestus to cut his head. Hephaestus fulfilled his father's request, and the wise warrior Athena came out of the split skull.

Speaking of the Greek goddesses, one cannot but mention the beautiful Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who awakens this bright feeling in the hearts of gods and mortals.
Slender, tall, radiating incredible beauty, pampered and windy, she has power over everyone. Aphrodite is nothing but the personification of unfading youth and divine beauty. She has her servants who comb her golden sparkling hair and dress her in beautiful clothes. Where this goddess passes, flowers instantly bloom, and the air is filled with amazing aromas.

The famous Greek names of the goddesses are firmly established not only in Greek mythology, but also in world history as a whole. Many name them after their daughters, believing that they will acquire the same qualities that the great goddesses possessed.

Who knows all the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece?? ? (name!!!)

Free as a wind**

Gods of ancient Greece
Hades - god - the lord of the kingdom of the dead.




Boreas is the god of the north wind, the son of the titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Not. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
Bacchus is one of the names of Dionysus.
Helios (Helium) - the god of the Sun, brother of Selena (goddess of the moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.


Hypnos is the deity of sleep, the son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.



Zephyr is the god of the west wind.
Iacchus is the god of fertility.
Kronos is a titan, the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, the father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus. .






















Eol is the lord of the winds.


Ether - god of the sky

Laria and Ruslan f

1. Gaia
2. Ocean
3. Uranus
4. Hemera
5. Chronos
6. Eros
7. Cyclops
8. Titans
9. Muses
10. Rhea
11. Demeter
12. Poseidon
13. Summer
14. Pan
15. Hestia
16. Artemis
17. Ares
18. Athena
19. Aphrodite
20. Apollo
21. Hera
22. Hermes
23. Zeus
24. Hecate
25. Hephaestus
26. Dionysus
27. Pluto
28. Antey
29. Ancient Babylonia
30. Persephone

Nikolai Pakhomov

Lists of gods and genealogy differ from different ancient authors. The lists below are compilations.
First Generation of Gods
First there was Chaos. The gods that emerged from Chaos - Gaia (Earth), Nikta (Nyukta) (Night), Tartarus (Abyss), Erebus (Darkness), Eros (Love); the gods that appeared from Gaia - Uranus (Sky) and Pontus (inner Sea). The gods had the appearance of those natural elements that they embodied.
Gaia's children (fathers - Uranus, Pontus and Tartarus) - Keto (mistress of sea monsters), Nereus (calm sea), Tawmant (sea wonders), Phorky (guardian of the sea), Eurybia (sea power), titans and titanides. Children of Nikta and Erebus - Hemera (Day), Hypnos (Sleep), Kera (misfortune), Moira (Fate), Mom (Slander and Folly), Nemesis (Retribution), Thanatos (Death), Eris (Strife), Erinyes (Vengeance) ) , Ether (Air) ; Apata (Deceit).

Natalia

Hades - god - the lord of the kingdom of the dead.
Antaeus is a hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave her son strength, thanks to which no one could cope with him.
Apollo is the god of sunlight. The Greeks portrayed him as a beautiful young man.
Ares is the god of perfidious war, the son of Zeus and Hera.
Asclepius - the god of medical art, the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis
Boreas is the god of the north wind, the son of the titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), the brother of Zephyr and Not. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
Bacchus is one of the names of Dionysus.
Helios (Helium) - the god of the Sun, brother of Selena (goddess of the moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.
Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most ambiguous Greek gods. The patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.
Hephaestus is the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron saint of artisans.
Hypnos - the deity of sleep, the son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.
Dionysus (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a fat elderly man, or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head.
Zagreus is the god of fertility, the son of Zeus and Persephone.
Zeus is the supreme god, the king of gods and people.
Zephyr is the god of the west wind.
Iacchus is the god of fertility.
Kronos is a titan, the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus, the father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus ..
Mom is the son of the goddess of the Night, the god of slander.
Morpheus is one of the sons of Hypnos, the god of dreams.
Nereus is the son of Gaia and Pontus, a meek sea god.
Not - the god of the south wind, was depicted with a beard and wings.
The ocean is a titan, the son of Gaia and Uranus, the brother and husband of Tethys and the father of all the rivers of the world.
The Olympians are the supreme gods of the younger generation of Greek gods, led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.
Pan is a forest god, the son of Hermes and Dryope, a goat-legged man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.
Pluto is the god of the underworld, often identified with Hades, but unlike him, he owned not the souls of the dead, but the riches of the underworld.
Plutos is the son of Demeter, the god who gives people wealth.
Pontus is one of the older Greek deities, a product of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.
Poseidon is one of the Olympian gods, the brother of Zeus and Hades, who rules over the sea element. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth,
he commanded storms and earthquakes.
Proteus is a sea deity, the son of Poseidon, the patron saint of seals. Possessed the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.
Satyrs are goat-footed creatures, demons of fertility.
Thanatos is the personification of death, the twin brother of Hypnos.
The Titans are the generation of Greek gods, the ancestors of the Olympians.
Typhon is a hundred-headed dragon born of Gaia or Hera. During the battle of the Olympians and the Titans, he was defeated by Zeus and imprisoned under the volcano Etna in Sicily.
Triton - the son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.
Chaos is an endless empty space from which at the beginning of time the most ancient gods of the Greek religion arose - Nikta and Erebus.
Chthonic gods - deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Persephone.
Cyclopes - giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.
Eurus (Eur) is the god of the southeast wind.
Eol is the lord of the winds.
Erebus is the personification of the darkness of the underworld, the son of Chaos and the brother of Night.
Eros (Eros) - the god of love, the son of Aphrodite and Ares. In ancient myths - a self-arisen force that contributed to the ordering of the world. Depicted as a winged youth (in the Hellenistic era - a boy) with arrows, accompanying his mother.

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