IRoman Jupiter
Zeus
King of the Gods, Sky & Thunder
Ruler of Mount Olympus and god of the sky, thunder, law and order, who overthrew the Titans and divided the cosmos with his brothers.
- Thunderbolt
- Sceptre
- Oak tree
How the gods came to rule
The first generation
From Chaos came Gaia, the Earth, who bore Uranus, the Sky. Their children were the twelve Titans, among them Cronus and Rhea.
The war of the gods
Cronus swallowed his children until Zeus escaped, freed his siblings and defeated the Titans in a ten-year war.
The Olympian order
Zeus, Poseidon and Hades divided the world between them, and the gods of Olympus ruled from the mountain’s summit.
Gods of Mount Olympus
The Twelve Olympians
Each god below has a full page with their story, key myths, symbols, sacred animals and the places where they were worshipped.
- IIRoman Juno
Hera
Queen of the Gods, Marriage & Childbirth
Queen of Olympus, wife and sister of Zeus, and protector of marriage, women and childbirth, famous for her fierce jealousy.
- Diadem
- Pomegranate
- Sceptre
- IIIRoman Neptune
Poseidon
God of the Sea, Earthquakes & Horses
Lord of the seas and shaker of the earth, whose moods could calm the waves or wreck whole fleets.
- Trident
- Pine tree
- Chariot of sea-horses
- IVRoman Ceres
Demeter
Goddess of the Harvest, Grain & Agriculture
The giver of grain and the fertile earth, whose grief for her lost daughter Persephone brought the first winter.
- Sheaf of wheat
- Torch
- Cornucopia
- VRoman Minerva
Athena
Goddess of Wisdom, Warfare & Crafts
Born fully armed from the head of Zeus, the goddess of wisdom, strategy and skilled crafts, and the protector of Athens.
- Aegis
- Spear
- Helmet
- VIRoman Apollo
Apollo
God of Light, Music, Prophecy & Healing
The radiant god of music, poetry, prophecy, healing and light, twin brother of Artemis and master of the oracle at Delphi.
- Lyre
- Laurel wreath
- Silver bow
- VIIRoman Diana
Artemis
Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon & the Wild
Twin sister of Apollo, the virgin huntress of forests and mountains, and protector of girls, women in childbirth and wild animals.
- Bow and arrows
- Quiver
- Crescent moon
- VIIIRoman Mars
Ares
God of War, Courage & Bloodlust
The god of the violence and fury of battle, feared and little loved by the Greeks, but honoured as a source of courage.
- Spear
- Shield
- Helmet
- IXRoman Venus
Aphrodite
Goddess of Love, Beauty & Desire
The irresistible goddess of love, beauty and desire, born from the foam of the sea, whose power even the gods could not escape.
- Scallop shell
- Mirror
- Girdle
- XRoman Vulcan
Hephaestus
God of Fire, the Forge & Craftsmanship
The master smith of Olympus, who forged the thunderbolts of Zeus, the armour of Achilles and wonders of metal that moved by themselves.
- Hammer
- Anvil
- Tongs
- XIRoman Mercury
Hermes
Messenger of the Gods, Travellers & Trade
The swift and clever messenger of the gods, patron of travellers, merchants, shepherds and thieves, and the guide of souls to the underworld.
- Caduceus
- Winged sandals
- Traveller’s hat
- XIIRoman Bacchus
Dionysus
God of Wine, Festivity & Theatre
The god of wine, ecstasy and theatre, twice born and the only Olympian with a mortal mother.
- Thyrsus
- Grapevine
- Ivy
Beyond Olympus
Powers of the hearth and the underworld
Not every great god lived on the mountain. Meet the rulers of the dead and the keeper of the sacred flame.
- Roman Pluto
Hades
King of the Underworld & the Dead
Ruler of the realm of the dead and brother of Zeus, a stern but fair king rather than a figure of evil.
- Helm of invisibility
- Sceptre
- Key
- Roman Vesta
Hestia
Goddess of the Hearth & Home
The gentle goddess of the hearth, the family and the sacred fire at the heart of every home and every city.
- Hearth
- Sacred flame
- Veil
- Roman Proserpina
Persephone
Queen of the Underworld & Goddess of Spring
Daughter of Demeter and wife of Hades, whose yearly journey between the underworld and the living world marked the turning of the seasons.
- Pomegranate
- Torch
- Sheaf of grain
“The gods too are fond of a joke.”
