How to Know the Twelve Olympians of Greek Mythology

Last Updated: March 27, 2023

In Greek Mythology there are countless deities, but there are twelve main gods and goddesses. Because of the fact that they were thought to have lived at the top of Mount Olympus they were known as the "Olympians". These gods and goddesses show up in many Greek legends, so it's a good idea to know who they are.

Steps

1
Learn their names. One of the simplest ways to make sure you know the Olympians is to just learn their names. Chant them, write them down, make up a rhyme, whatever works for you. The names of the gods and goddesses are:^{[1]
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- Zeus
- Poseidon
- Hera
- Hermes
- Athena
- Ares
- Hephaestus
- Aphrodite
- Demeter
- Dionysus
- Apollo
- Artemis
2
Associate them with what they are in charge of. Each god or goddess had a whole list of things that they were in charge of, from wine to thieves. Learn some of the more interesting things that the gods were in charge of, and the names will come along with it. For example:^{[2]
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- Zeus: King of all the Gods, ruler of Mount Olympus. He is the ruler of clouds, air, the atmosphere, thunder, and lightning. He is known to be unfaithful to his wife, Hera, and have children with mortals disguised as a mortal himself.
- Poseidon: God of the sea and brother of Zeus; he is known to cause earthquakes with his trident. He has a rivalry with his niece, Athena after she beat him in a contest to be the patron god/goddess of Athens and other events.
- Hera: Queen of the gods; wife and sister of Zeus, and the goddess of weddings, women, family, and motherhood. She is always jealous of the affairs Zeus had with other women, and tries to harm them and/or their children.
- Hermes: God of thieves, travels, merchants, and messenger of the gods.
- Athena: Goddess of wisdom, crafts, and battle strategy. Athens got its name from her.
- Ares: God of war and bloodshed. He is also the lover of Aphrodite.
- Hephaestus: God of craftsmanship and fire. He makes weapons for the gods with the help of Cyclops (one-eyed monsters).And he was wife of Aphrodite.
- Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty. She married Hephaestus, but had affairs with Ares and many more.
- Demeter: Goddess of agriculture and harvest, and also the sister of Zeus. She is very protective of her daughter, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, and lives there 1/3 of every year.
- Dionysus: God of wine, festivity, rituals, and fertility.
- Apollo: God of the sun, poetry, music, healing, and prophecies. He had many oracles, the most famous of which is at Delphi.
- Artemis: Goddess of the moon, hunting, archery, and wild animals. She has a group of maidens called the Hunters of Artemis who become immortal, except for in combat.
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3
Learn their symbols. All of the gods had symbols that they used to represent themselves.^{[3]
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- Zeus: Royal scepter, eagle, and thunderbolt.
- Poseidon: Trident, dolphin, fish, and horse.
- Hera: Peacock, pomegranate, cuckoo, lily, lotus, and cow.
- Hermes: Winged sandals, tortoise, lyre, rooster, and caduceus
- Athena: Owl, Aegis (shield with Medusa's face on it), armor, and olive trees
- Ares: Vulture, venomous snake, spear, sword, chariot, and dog
- Hephaestus: Hammer, tongs, fire, and anvil
- Aphrodite: Dove, apple, scallop shell, girdle, rose, and myrtle wreath
- Demeter: Cornucopia, wheat, torch, and bread
- Dionysus: Grapevine, wine, panther, and tiger
- Artemis: Bow and arrow, moon, stag, and dog
- Apollo: Laurel wreath, python, raven, and swan
4
Find out what they are supposed to look like. Study the remaining ancient sculptures or paintings inspired by the Olympians. Do your research on the internet and in libraries to figure out how they are portrayed and what they look like. For example, Aphrodite is always portrayed as a young, beautiful girl. Demeter has long blonde hair and tanned skin, whilst her younger sister Hera has pale skin and liquorice black hair.
5
Watch a Greek mythology-themed movie. Many movies focus on Greek mythology, and watching one or two may help you to easily learn the "who's who" of the Olympians and also be a lot more fun than written learning! Some simple ones to get into include Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief or Disney's Hercules.
6
Read fiction books which are related to Greek mythology. Examples include Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus, both written by Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan also released a book on the Twelve Olympians and a sum up of main events in mythology called Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which myths are discussed in a modern setting with sarcasm and humour, which would make it easier for it to be learned.

Community Q&A

Question

Why would anybody want to study Greek gods?

Community Answer

The Greeks were an advanced and fascinating society with a complex pantheon of gods. The stories of the Greek gods are not only great stories, they can tell you a lot about the Greeks themselves and their belief systems.
Question

Who was in charge before Greek gods?

Fan Girl1116

Community Answer

The Titans were in charge before the Greek Olympians. The 12 Olympians were actually the children of the ruler of the Titans, but then Zeus and his brothers/sisters overthrew him.
Question

What about Hestia? Also, what about Persephone? You forgot her too.

Faiza Talukder

Community Answer

Hestia gave her place to Dionysus and left. That's why she is not considered one of the Olympians. Hades' wife Persephone resides with Hades in the underworld. So she is also not an Olympian.