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In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the twelve Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon, commonly considered to be Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. They were called Olympians because, according to tradition, they resided on Mount Olympus. Besides the twelve Olympians, there were many other cultic groupings of twelve gods.
| Greek | Roman | Image | Functions and attributes |
| Zeus | Jupiter | | King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky, lightning, thunder, law, order and justice.The youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Brother and husband of Hera and brother of Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia. He had many affairs with goddesses and mortals, such as his sister Demeter and Leto, mortals Leda and Alcmene, and more. His symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, bull, scepter, and scales. |
| Hera | Juno | | Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family.The youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Sister and wife of Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage, she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and their children.Her symbols include the peacock, cuckoo, and cow. |
| Poseidon | Neptune | | God of the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses.The middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to the Nereid Amphitrite; although, as with many of the male Greek gods, he had many lovers.His symbols include the trident, horse, bull, and dolphin. |
| Demeter | Ceres | | Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth.The middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Also the lover of Zeus and Poseidon, and the mother of Persephone, Despoine, Arion.Her symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia, and pig. |
| Apollo | Apollo | | God of Sun, light, prophecy, philosophy, archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, manly beauty, medicine, healing, and plague.The son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis.His symbols include bow and arrow, lyre, raven, swan and wolf. |
| Artemis | Diana | | Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, virginity, the Moon, archery, childbirth, protection and plague.The daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo.Her symbols include the Moon, horse, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree, and bow and arrow. |
| Ares | Mars | | God of war, violence, bloodshed and manly virtues.The son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods despised him except Aphrodite. His Latin name, Mars, gave us the word "martial".His symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear, and shield. |
| Athena | Minerva | | Goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare.The daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor.Her symbols include the owl and the olive tree. |
| Hephaestus | Vulcan | | Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire and volcanoes.The son of Hera, either by Zeus or through parthenogenesis. Married to Aphrodite. His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us the word "volcano".His symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail. |
| Aphrodite | Venus | | Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire.The daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid or Titaness Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus' blood dripped into the sea after being castrated by his youngest son, Cronus, who then threw his father's genitals into the sea. Married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Ares. Her name gave us the word "aphrodisiac", while her Latin name, Venus, gave us the word "venereal".Her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, and rose. |
| Hermes | Mercury | | Messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders, eloquence, diplomacy, thieves, and games. He was also the guide of dead souls.The son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, just older than Dionysus.His symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre). |
| Most lists of the "twelve Olympians" consist of the above eleven plus either Hestia or Dionysus | |||
| Hestia | Vesta | | Goddess of the hearth, fire and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first Olympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians.She is the first child of Cronus and Rhea, the elder sister of Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus. Some lists of the Twelve Olympians omit her in favor of Dionysus, but the speculation that she gave her throne to him in order to keep the peace seems to be a modern invention.[citation needed] |
| Dionysus | Liber | | God of wine, the grapevine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness and resurrection. Patron god of the art of theatre.The son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele, and the youngest Olympian god. Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne.His symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin, goat, and pinecone. |