Greek Deities and supernatural powers
Religious belief systems in Ancient Greece were focussed on the worship of many deities,specifically the so called ‘Twelve Olympians’, each controlling certain aspects of life and the universe. There was a very distinct hierarchical structure among them. Chief among the gods were the so called ‘big three’ of the brothers Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. After the defeat of the titans, these three gods drew lots in order to decide which realms they should all rule. Zeus drew the sky, Poseidon drew the sea and Hades drew the underworld.
Below the big three were : Hera, Demeter, Athena, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Hermes. These were considered the most powerful deities and were more commonly worshipped.
Zeus: Zeus was the great king of the Olympians, master of the sky and thunder. He was married to his sister Hera and was responsible for rescuing his siblings from the belly of their father Cronus, and he had led them since the great war against the titans. Despite being married to Hera, he had sired many children outside of wedlock with others, including humans. These include Athena, Apollo and Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Minos, and the Muses. Through Hera he fathered Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus.
Zeus was incredibly powerful and feared amongst men and gods. He was often seen as having many negative traits, but overall was viewed in a positive light.
"Even the gods who are not his natural children address him as Father, and all the gods rise in his presence." (Burkett, 1987)
Poseidon: Poseidon was the brother of Zeus and ruler of sea. He was sometimes known as the Earth Shaker for his power over earthquakes. He became patron of many Greek cities, though he famously lost the contest to patron Athens to Athena. Poseidon carried a trident, an outlet and source of some of his power. When he was angry he was said to have struck the ground with it, causing all manner of catastrophes. Like his brother Zeus, he fathered many children with mainly nymphs and humans.
Hades: Hades was a brother of Zeus and ruler of the underworld. Seeing as gold came from underground, Hades was also thought to control wealth. Though Hades became bitter at the Olympians due to his isolation in a dark realm, he was not inherently evil and is certainly not an equivalent to the devil as is often mistaken. He had a consort in Persephone. Hades, though often stern and unforgiving was always just. He was feared and hated amongst the Greeks for his role as overlord of the dead, though in legend he is portrayed as more of a passive judge than a cruel, sadistic god.
Hera: Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus and fathered 3 children by him. She was the goddess of women and marriage, thus she was often furious at her husband for his sexual escapades with human women, making it her goal to cause the children of any such relationship much hardship. She was vengeful and jealous but also majestic and beautiful.
Demeter: Demeter is goddess of the harvest and the fertility of the land. In a primarily agricultural society, prayer to Demeter was considered essential in ensuring the success of your crop. Her power was emphasised when her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades and she set off in relentless search for her. In her fury and grief, seasons stopped and living things began dieing.
Athena: Athena was the Goddess of wisdom, justice,courage, mathematics, the arts, crafts and skills. She was incredibly important to Greek society, especially to the city of Athens who made her their patron and whom the primarily built the parthenon for. She was a virgin goddess and is often found helping demigod heroes with their quests in legends. While known also for being fair, her beauty did not match that of Athena or Aphrodite.
Dionysus: Dionysus was the party boy of the gods, and was associated with wine, madness and ecstacy. While not always included in lists of the twelve olympians, his importance was undoubted and he was the driving force behind the creation of Greek theatre, and institution that provided the basis of all western theatre today.
Apollo: Among many other things, Apollo is acknowledged as the god of light and the sun, as well as music, poetry, healing and truth. He was the patron of the city of Delphi and considered one of the most important of the Greek Deities. He was the son of Zeus and twin brother of Artemis.
Artemis: Twin sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus, she was the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, virginity, childbirth and the protector of young women. She was depicted as a huntress, with a bow and arrows and was very popular among Greek women in particular.
Ares: Ares was the Greek god of War and the son of Zeus and Hera. Ares represented the violent and brutal aspect of war in contrast to Athena, who was more of a strategist. In the Iliad, Zeus tells Ares that he hates him more than any of the other gods. This enrages Ares. He was seen by Greeks as a force to be wary of. While he had the physical strength and valour to be victorious, he was often cruel and overly violent.
Aphrodite: Aphrodite, reputedly born of the foam created as the castrated genitals of Uranus were thrown into the sea, was the goddess of love, beauty and desire. She was the most beautiful of the gods, and despite being married to Hephaestus she sought many other sexual partners, mainly Ares.
Hephaestus: Married to Aphrodite, he was the god of Blacksmiths, artisans, sculptors, fire and volcanoes. He created all the weapons of the gods and his creations were known for their beauty and power. He was worshipped in Greece’s industrial centres primarily. He was the son of Zeus and Hera and was often depicted to have a crippled leg or foot.
Hermes: Hermes was the messenger god, known for being the patron of inventions, trade, thieves, travellers, athletes and more. He was occasionally presented as being a trickster who outwitted the other gods for fun or personal gain. He is the son of Zeus.
Other Beings: Greek mythology was alive with an abundance of creatures and mythical beings such as the cyclops, hecatonchires (hundred-handed-ones), spirits such as nymphs, naiads, dryads, nereids and satyrs. All of these spirits were essentially personifications of parts of nature and were worshipped when the Greek people felt it was appropriate.
Below the big three were : Hera, Demeter, Athena, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Hermes. These were considered the most powerful deities and were more commonly worshipped.
Zeus: Zeus was the great king of the Olympians, master of the sky and thunder. He was married to his sister Hera and was responsible for rescuing his siblings from the belly of their father Cronus, and he had led them since the great war against the titans. Despite being married to Hera, he had sired many children outside of wedlock with others, including humans. These include Athena, Apollo and Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Minos, and the Muses. Through Hera he fathered Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus.
Zeus was incredibly powerful and feared amongst men and gods. He was often seen as having many negative traits, but overall was viewed in a positive light.
"Even the gods who are not his natural children address him as Father, and all the gods rise in his presence." (Burkett, 1987)
Poseidon: Poseidon was the brother of Zeus and ruler of sea. He was sometimes known as the Earth Shaker for his power over earthquakes. He became patron of many Greek cities, though he famously lost the contest to patron Athens to Athena. Poseidon carried a trident, an outlet and source of some of his power. When he was angry he was said to have struck the ground with it, causing all manner of catastrophes. Like his brother Zeus, he fathered many children with mainly nymphs and humans.
Hades: Hades was a brother of Zeus and ruler of the underworld. Seeing as gold came from underground, Hades was also thought to control wealth. Though Hades became bitter at the Olympians due to his isolation in a dark realm, he was not inherently evil and is certainly not an equivalent to the devil as is often mistaken. He had a consort in Persephone. Hades, though often stern and unforgiving was always just. He was feared and hated amongst the Greeks for his role as overlord of the dead, though in legend he is portrayed as more of a passive judge than a cruel, sadistic god.
Hera: Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus and fathered 3 children by him. She was the goddess of women and marriage, thus she was often furious at her husband for his sexual escapades with human women, making it her goal to cause the children of any such relationship much hardship. She was vengeful and jealous but also majestic and beautiful.
Demeter: Demeter is goddess of the harvest and the fertility of the land. In a primarily agricultural society, prayer to Demeter was considered essential in ensuring the success of your crop. Her power was emphasised when her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades and she set off in relentless search for her. In her fury and grief, seasons stopped and living things began dieing.
Athena: Athena was the Goddess of wisdom, justice,courage, mathematics, the arts, crafts and skills. She was incredibly important to Greek society, especially to the city of Athens who made her their patron and whom the primarily built the parthenon for. She was a virgin goddess and is often found helping demigod heroes with their quests in legends. While known also for being fair, her beauty did not match that of Athena or Aphrodite.
Dionysus: Dionysus was the party boy of the gods, and was associated with wine, madness and ecstacy. While not always included in lists of the twelve olympians, his importance was undoubted and he was the driving force behind the creation of Greek theatre, and institution that provided the basis of all western theatre today.
Apollo: Among many other things, Apollo is acknowledged as the god of light and the sun, as well as music, poetry, healing and truth. He was the patron of the city of Delphi and considered one of the most important of the Greek Deities. He was the son of Zeus and twin brother of Artemis.
Artemis: Twin sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus, she was the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, virginity, childbirth and the protector of young women. She was depicted as a huntress, with a bow and arrows and was very popular among Greek women in particular.
Ares: Ares was the Greek god of War and the son of Zeus and Hera. Ares represented the violent and brutal aspect of war in contrast to Athena, who was more of a strategist. In the Iliad, Zeus tells Ares that he hates him more than any of the other gods. This enrages Ares. He was seen by Greeks as a force to be wary of. While he had the physical strength and valour to be victorious, he was often cruel and overly violent.
Aphrodite: Aphrodite, reputedly born of the foam created as the castrated genitals of Uranus were thrown into the sea, was the goddess of love, beauty and desire. She was the most beautiful of the gods, and despite being married to Hephaestus she sought many other sexual partners, mainly Ares.
Hephaestus: Married to Aphrodite, he was the god of Blacksmiths, artisans, sculptors, fire and volcanoes. He created all the weapons of the gods and his creations were known for their beauty and power. He was worshipped in Greece’s industrial centres primarily. He was the son of Zeus and Hera and was often depicted to have a crippled leg or foot.
Hermes: Hermes was the messenger god, known for being the patron of inventions, trade, thieves, travellers, athletes and more. He was occasionally presented as being a trickster who outwitted the other gods for fun or personal gain. He is the son of Zeus.
Other Beings: Greek mythology was alive with an abundance of creatures and mythical beings such as the cyclops, hecatonchires (hundred-handed-ones), spirits such as nymphs, naiads, dryads, nereids and satyrs. All of these spirits were essentially personifications of parts of nature and were worshipped when the Greek people felt it was appropriate.