Twelve Olympians
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The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον < δωδεκα, dodeka, "twelve" + θεον, theon, "of the gods"), in Greek religion, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. There were, at various times, seventeen[citation needed] different gods recognized as Olympians, though never more than twelve at one time.
Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia, Hades and Dionysus are usually included in the traditional twelve Olympians. Hebe, Helios and Persephone are other important gods, goddesses, which may also be included in a group of twelve. Persephone spent three months of the year in the underworld (causing the barren landscape of winter), and was allowed to return to Mount Olympus for the other nine months in order to be with her mother, Demeter, during this time, would be in woe and not with the Olympians. And, although Hades was always one of the 12 Olympians, his home in the underworld of the dead made his connection to the Olympians more tenuous.
The Twelve Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans; Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia were siblings; all the other of the Dodekatheon are usually considered the children of Zeus by various mothers, except for Athena, who in some versions of the myth was born of Zeus alone, and Aphrodite who was formed from the castrated phallus of the primordial sky which Cronos threw into the sea when he freed the Titans. Additionally, some versions of the myth state that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone as Hera's revenge for Zeus' solo birth of Athena.
| e Greek deities series | ||||||||||||
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| Primordial deities | ||||||||||||
| Titans (predecessor ancient deities overthrown emprisoned and deposed by the Olympian Gods) | ||||||||||||
| Greek sea gods (Aquatic deities) | ||||||||||||
| Chthonic deities | ||||||||||||
| Muses (Personified concepts) | ||||||||||||
| Other deities | ||||||||||||
| Twelve Olympians | ||||||||||||
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- Zeus, King of the Gods, Ruler of Mt. Olympus, god of the sky, thunder and justice.
- Hera, Queen of the Gods and of the Heavens, Goddess of women, marriage and motherhood.
- Poseidon, Lord of the Sea, god of the seas, horses and eathquakes.
- Demeter. Goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature and seasons.
- Hestia, Goddess of hearth and home.
- Hades, Lord of the Dead, god of the Underworld and wealth.
- Second Generation
- Aphrodite, Goddess of love, beauty, desire and fertility.
- Apollo, God of the Sun, of light, healing, music, poetry, prophecy, archery and truth.
- Ares, God of war, frenzy and bloodshed.
- Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, of maidens and Moon.
- Athena, Goddess of wisdom, crafts and strategic battle.
- Hephaestus, God of fire and the forges.Blacksmith to the Gods.
- Hermes, The Messenger of the Gods, God of commerce, speed, thieves and trade.
- Close to the olympians
- Bia, the personification of Violence.
- Cratus is power.
- Dione, also known as the mother of Aphrodite, by Zeus.
- Dionysus, God of wine, the vine and merriment
- Eos is Dawn.
- Eros is the personification of Love.
- Ganymedes is the cupbearer of Heaven.
- Hebe, Goddess of youth, also Cupbearer of Ambrosia and Nectar
- Helios is the Sun.
- Heracles the greatest hero of the Greek myths.
- Horae are the Wardens of Olympus.
- Eilythia, the goddess of childbirth, daughter of Hera and Zeus.
- Iris is the Rainbow, the messenger of Olympus, together with Hermes.
- Leto, a Titaness, mother of Apollo and Artemis.
- Muses, the nine ladies of science and arts.
- Nemesis is the Greek goddess of Retribution.
- Nike is Victory.
- Paean is the universal Healer.
- Selene is the Moon.
- Zelos is Emulation.
Note:
- Hades, the god of the Underworld, is always confused as not being part of the 12. He has earned the right to be part of the 12 since his big contribution to the war with the Titans.
- Artemis is often associated in modern times with the moon, although Selene is almost always named as the moon goddess in Greek literature.
- Apollo is often associated in modern times with the sun, although Helios was almost always called sun god in ancient Greek poetry.
[edit] Photo gallery
Jupiter Versailles Louvre Ma78.jpg
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Hera Campana Louvre Ma2283.jpg
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Neptune fountain02.jpg
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Demeter Pio-Clementino Inv254.jpg
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Ares villa Hadriana.jpg
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Hermes-louvre3.jpg
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Vulcan Coustou Louvre MR1814.jpg
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NAMA 262 Aphrodite Epidaure 2.JPG
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Athena Giustiniani Musei Capitolini MC278.jpg
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Roman Statue of Apollo.jpg
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Diane de Versailles Leochares 2.jpg
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Hestia-meyers.png
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[edit] See also
- Ancient Greek religion
- Family tree of the Greek gods
- Greek mythology
- List of Greek mythological characters
- Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes
[edit] External links
bg:Олимпийски богове ca:Llista de déus grecs de:Olympische Götter el:Κατάλογος θεοτήτων της ελληνικής μυθολογίας es:Dioses olímpicos fa:دوازده خدای المپنشین fr:Divinités olympiennes ko:올림포스의 12신 it:Olimpi he:אלים אולימפיים ka:თორმეტი ოლიმპოელი lb:Olympesch Gëtter lt:Olimpo dievai hu:Tizenkét olümposzi isten nl:Olympische goden ja:オリュンポス十二神 no:De tolv olympiske guder nds:Olympsche Gödder pl:Bogowie olimpijscy ru:Олимпийские боги simple:Twelve Olympians sk:Olympskí bohovia sl:Dvanajst bogov Olimpa sr:Олимпски богови fi:Olympolaiset jumalat th:สภาเทพแห่งโอลิมปัส vi:Mười hai vị thần trên đỉnh Olympus tr:Olimposlu tanrılar uk:Олімпійські боги zh:奧林匹斯十二主神
