Overview

The youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, Zeus was the supreme leader of the Olympian Gods. He was the god of order, justice, law, the sky and weather. Brother and husband of Hera, his other siblings Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia. He was famous for his numerous consorts, both mortal and divine, and his many children. Zeus was often portrayed as a bearded old man holding a thunderbolt and sceptre. His other symbols include the eagle, oak tree, bull and scales.

She was the youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea and long suffering sister and wife of Zeus. Hera was the Queen of heaven and the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family. She was the mother, by Zeus, of Hephaestus, Ares and Hebe. Fiercely jealous of her husband she frequently tried to get revenge on and punish Zeus' many lovers and other children. She was portrayed as a solemn beautiful woman. Her symbols include the peacock, cuckoo and cow.

Poseidon was the middle son of Cronus and Rhea, as well as brother of Zeus and Hades. He was god of the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses. He was married to the Nymph Amphitrite and as with many male gods he also had many lovers. Poseidon lived in the ocean in a palace and drove a chariot pulled by horses. His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin, and trident.

The middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea, Demeter was the goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth. Also the lover of Zeus and Poseidon, and the mother of Persephone. Her symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia, and pig.

The ruler of the underworld and god of the dead, Hades was also a child the Cronus and Rhea. His name became synonymous with the underworld itself. Although feared for his coldness and severity, he was not an evil god. He abducted Persephone from her mother Demeter and thus the seasons were formed. He drove a chariot drawn by four black horses and owned a helmet of invisibility.

The god of light, prophecy, archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, beauty, medicine, and healing, Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto as well as twin brother of Artemis. He was born on the floating island of Delos, the site of one of his most important shrines, the other being at Delphi where the oracle was situated.  His symbols include the Sun, bow and arrow, lyre, and the swan.

The daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo, Artemis was the virgin goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, the Moon, archery, childbirth, and protection. Her symbols include the Moon, horse, deer, hound, she-bear, snake and cypress tree. Artemis was usually shown armed with a bow and arrow.

The son of Zeus and Hera, Ares was the god of war, violence and manly virtues. He was the adulterous lover of Aphrodite and killed Adonis, his rival for her affections, after transforming him into a boar. He fathered the female warriors called the Amazons by the nymph Harmonia. His symbols include the serpent, dog, vulture, spear, and shield.

The goddess of wisdom, intelligence, craft, and warfare, Athena was born fully armed out of the head of Zeus after he had swallowed his pregnant first wife, the Oceanid Metis. In a contest with Poseidon for control of Athens, Athena created the olive tree and then introduced the art of its cultivation. She was usually shown wearing a helmet and armed with a shield and spear. She also has the owl as her symbol.

Messenger of the gods, Hermes was the god of roads, travel, commerce, communication, borders, diplomacy, thieves, games and trickery. The son of Zeus and the nymph Maia, Hermes accompanied the dead on the way to the underworld. The second-youngest Olympian, just older than Dionysus. He was usually portrayed as a handsome young man wearing winged sandals and a winged cap. His other symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), stork, and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre).

Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire. Aphrodite was daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam where the blood of Uranus dripped after being castrated by Cronus, who then threw his father's genitals into the sea. She was married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Ares. Her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle and rose.

The son of Zeus and Hera, or possibly by Hera alone, Hephaestus was the master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of fire, the forge, craftsmanship, invention and volcanoes. He was known to have fashioned the first mortal woman Pandora. Hephaestus was married to Aphrodite, though she thought he was ugly and preferred Ares. His symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs and quail.