The 20 most relevant Greek gods in Greek mythology

Greek mythology is full of history and fascinating facts. It is considered one of the most popular within Western culture. Within it, we find many Greek gods, known for their stories, strengths and abilities that are attributed to them.

Furthermore, these deities have served as inspiration for culture and art, through literature, cinema and poetry. Thus, Greek mythology includes a wide series of famous stories about this ancient civilization.

Through them, they give an account of the origin of different events. These myths were spread orally and in writing, and told epic stories of heroes and heroines of Greek tradition. In this article, we will talk about the most relevant Greek gods, both gods and goddesses!

The most important Greek gods

According to ancient mythology, there were 12 most relevant Greek gods who belonged to the same family. Among them, Zeus, Aphrodite and Poseidon. They all lived together in a palace, above the clouds of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece.

Their names hide curious data and stories about their origin, birth and powers. Discover them!

1. Zeus, god of the sky

It is possible to see this statue of Zeus in the Russian Hermitage Museum.

Perhaps one of the best-known Greek gods is Zeus, the divinity of the sky and also of lightning. Zeus is considered the supreme father of all deities and mortals living on Earth. Thus, he is the main god of the Greek pantheon, which had a throne in the palace on Mount Olympus.

He is the only one of the Greek gods whose Indo-European origin is indisputable. He was born on the island of Crete and had to escape from his father, Cronus, the god of time. Cronus had swallowed his children so that they would not overthrow him, except Zeus. Some versions indicate that the sky god was able to save his brothers when he was older.

Thus, Zeus, who led the rebellion against Cronus, won the sky, as well as his brothers, the underworld (Ares) and the sea (Poseidon). Then, he married Hera. Furthermore, he had many children with different goddesses and women. As we mentioned, possesses the power of lightning, with which can eliminate any enemy. God strong, brave, violent, although somewhat presumptuous.

2. Hera, the mother goddess

Statue of the Greek goddess Hera at the Chimei Museum in Taiwan.

Hera is the wife and sister of Zeus. Therefore, that makes her the mother goddess of the Greek gods. However, she is often depicted as displeased by her union with the lightning god. This happens because Zeus used to have affairs with mortal women.

Mythology says that Hera refused to marry Zeus for 300 years, until he convinced her to do it. One of the myths mentions that the god of lightning transformed into a bird, which Hera let in through the window, because there was a storm. As she returned to her original form, she told him that she should marry him.

Hera has the power to ensure marriages.. In addition, she has the strength to provide special protection to all women on Earth. Her personality is very noble and human, which is surprising due to her status as a queen and goddess.

3. Poseidon, god of seas and rivers

The trident is an attribute that characterizes Poseidon.

Poseidon has the power to control the fury of the waters and sink ships. Brother of Zeus and husband of Amphitrite. In the victory with his brothers, he was able to retain control of the seas. Thus, he is a protector of sailors and also a trainer of horses.

One of the myths says that he wanted to overthrow his brother Zeus with the help of Hera and Athena. As punishment for that betrayal, He was sent to build the walls of Troy. He was also responsible for bringing the Minotaur to life, as he bewitched Pasiphae to make her fall in love with the bull. This created the fearsome half-man, half-bull creature that lived in the labyrinth.

4. Demeter, goddess of agriculture

The flowers or fruits that Demeter carries in one of her hands are symbols of abundance.

All Greek gods fulfilled a function. In the case of Demeter, She is the one who guarantees the fertility of the land. His best-known daughter is Persephone, also the offspring of Zeus and wife of Hades, the king of the underworld.

In fact, Hades kidnapped Persephone. Then, Demeter created a great drought, to convince him to return her to Earth. In the end, the young girl could only return for a third of the year, the time when spring begins. This was the myth that, for the Greeks, justified the changes of seasons.

Another of the best-known stories tells how Demeter transformed into a mare to escape Poseidon’s intentions. Despite his attempt, Poseidon also turned into a horse and, from their union, Arion was born, a winged horse that Hercules rode.

5. Hephaestus, god of fire

Representation of the god Hephaestus with one of his work tools.

Hephaestus was the son of Hera and an ingenious craftsman. Some myths indicate that he was the son of Zeus, as pointed out by the Illiad, while others maintain that he had no father, since Hera conceived him alone. Hephaestus was limping, due to Hera throwing him far from the skies of Olympus.

He was married to Aphrodite, although their union did not last long, since the goddess of love had multiple relationships. Also, He is known for the creation of Pandora, whom he sculpted with clay.

Even today it is possible to see the temple dedicated to Hephaestus and Athena, in Athens. He is also called Hephaestion. That was where they paid tribute to both Greek gods.

6. Athena, goddess of wisdom

The instruments that Athena uses for war are present: the spear, the shield, the helmet and the armor.

Athena is considered the goddess of wisdom and war, and is also one of the main goddesses of Olympus. According to legend, Athena was born from the head of Zeus, once he swallowed his mother, Rhea. Athena emerged with the help of Hephaestus, who opened Zeus’s head with the help of an axe.

For this very reason, she is credited with great abilities in science and strategy. These skills They also serve you for the battlefield, where he developed with great ingenuity. She, in turn, is usually characterized as a virgin goddess, and she is also related to the image of the owl.

It is associated with Athens, where they paid tribute to it. In that city she planted an olive tree and taught its secrets to the Athenians. For that very reason, They built the well-known Parthenon in his honor.

7. Apollo, god of music and archery

Famous statue of Apollo of Belvedere in the Vatican Museums.

Apollo, another of the most important Greek gods, It represented perfection and beauty. He was the twin brother of Artemis and one of the most influential sons of Zeus in mythology, whose mother was Leto.

In addition to being a powerful divinity like the Sun itself, he was also a powerful divinity. He was patron of the Oracle of Delphi, where he slew a monster. He also, as a child, stole the tortoise shell lyre from his brother, Hermes. That’s where his relationship with music comes from.

Apollo It was considered the perfect balance between healthy and unhealthy.. At the same time, he played a pivotal role during the Trojan War, as he unleashed a deadly plague on the city when the king denied the gods their promised offerings.

8. Artemis, goddess of the hunt

Representation of Artemis taking one of her arrows.

Artemis, twin sister of Apollo, was the goddess of the hunt. She represented relief for women during childbirth. In addition, She was a protector of unmarried girls. Like her brother, she was disowned by the goddess Hera, since the two came from the infidelities of Zeus.

Artemis was granted the gift of eternal virginity when she asked her father for it as a child. She hated the idea of ​​marriage, although she helped mothers with her births. As a curiosity, This goddess did not feel any type of sexual desire. In contrast, he enjoyed hunting, fishing and swimming.

9. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty

Eros, the son of Aphrodite and god of sexual desire, accompanies her in this statue.

Aphrodite She was a goddess full of passion and lust.. She was the goddess of love and beauty and, as such, ruled over all things related to sex and reproduction. Aphrodite emerged from the sea as an adult. According to one version of Greek mythology, the goddess emerged from the testicles of Uranus, when his son, Cronus, cut off her genitals and threw them into the ocean.

She was a goddess desired by men from the first moment they saw her. Nonetheless, She was forced to marry Hephaestus. During the marriage he was very unfaithful, as we anticipated, and Hephaestus knew it. Thus, the craftsman god managed to build a bed in which he could chain her along with Ares, to take revenge for his deceit and for all the gods of Olympus to find out about his betrayal.

An interesting fact is that, according to myths, Aphrodite was responsible for the famous Trojan War. Thanks to her influence, Paris conquered Helen of Sparta and kidnapped her. This caused the anger of Menelaus, Helen’s husband, and the subsequent war.

10. Ares, god of war

Here, Ares appears with his helmet, ready for battle.

Of explosive and aggressive temperament, Ares was the god of war who captivated Aphrodite. This made Hephaestus very jealous and in fact, he trapped them with threads that he forged himself, as we mentioned before. Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera, and father of Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons.

In contrast to Athena, who was more sagacious, he waged war with brutality. In this sense, One of the most popular myths is that of his battle against Hercules, the Greek demigod. The conflict began when Hercules killed his son, Cycnus. However, Athena protected Hercules and prevented him from killing him.

11. Hermes, god of commerce

Hermes with his classic wings on his feet and hat, as well as his caduceus.

Son of Zeus with a minor goddess, Maia. Hermes is the god of commerce, bankers, thieves and travel. He was the father of Pan, shepherd god. His best-known quality is being mischievous. In fact, when he was just a baby, he stole the cattle of his half-brother, Apollo.

Of all the Greek gods, you surely have Hermes in mind for his characteristic winged sandals. This attribute allowed him to move as a messenger of the gods.

12. Dionysus, god of wine

The cup in his hand and his hair as if it were a vine well represent the attributes of Dionysus, as the god of wine.

Even though he was a god born of Zeus, with a human woman, Semele, his father considered it fair to include him on Mount Olympus. Out of jealousy that Hera had when she found out that her mother was pregnant, she murdered her. However, Zeus was able to rescue the child, the future creator of wine.

Dionysus was one of the Greek gods who was most linked to the exuberant, to women and sex. Thus, appears at the festival and carnival. This characteristic also related him to his quality as the god of theater and Bacchic rituals. In the latter, the Greeks paid tribute to him, with festivals where they reached a state of…