Facts about greece gods: Greek Gods and Goddesses • Facts and Information

Greek Gods and Goddesses • Facts and Information

This website is an easy-to-follow overview of the many Greek gods and goddesses of Greek mythology. From the Olympian gods and goddesses right down to the many minor gods and goddesses found in Greek literature, you’ll find quick and fun information on many gods and goddesses.

From Aphrodite to Zeus, if you need concise facts on a Greek god or goddess for a school project or if you’re just interested in learning something new about the gods and goddesses in general, you’ve come to the right place.

You can also learn about a number of famous greek mythical stories and famous Greek heroes who interacted with the Greek Gods.

Apollo

Apollo was the son of Leto and Zeus. He was born on the island of Delos.
He and his twin sister Artemis, also an Olympian, shared an aptitude for archery.The nine Muses were companions of his; they were goddesses known for inspiring art and music.

Ares – Greek God of War

He was the son of Zeus and Hera, both of whom hated him (according to Homer).
Eros (more commonly known as Cupid) was the child of Ares and Aphrodite.Ares was most notably referred to as the God of War; he represented the unpleasant aspects of battle.

Dionysus

Dionysus was primarily known as the God of the Vine.
Upon reaching adulthood, Dionysus wandered the Earth, teaching men the culture of the vine.Dionysus was the last god to enter Olympus.

Hades (Haides)

He was also called the God of Wealth or “the rich one” because he possessed the precious metals of the earth.
Hades had a cap or helmet that made its wearer invisible.His wife was Persephone, Demeter’s only daughter, whom he kidnapped and made his queen.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus was the only ugly god among perfectly beautiful immortals.
He was the workman of the immortals: he made their dwellings, furnishings, and weapons.Hephaestus was known as the God of Fire.

Hermes

Hermes was considered a “trickster” due to his cunning and clever personality.
He primarily served as the herald or messenger of the gods. Hermes was born in a cave on a mountain in Arcadia; he was conceived and born within the course of one day.

Poseidon

Poseidon was allotted his dominion after the fall of the Titans.
He wielded the trident or three-pronged spear, and this image of him is reflected in art.Poseidon was most notably the God of the sea and the protector of all waters.

Zeus – Greek God Of The Sky and King of the Gods

Zeus was the father of the famous Greek hero Hercules.The name Zeus means «bright» or «sky.»His weapon of choice was the thunderbolt, made for him by the Cyclops.

Aphrodite

Aphrodite was the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty.
During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris.Aphrodite and her son Eros (Cupid) teamed up to cause Zeus to fall in love with a human named Europa.

Artemis – Goddess of Hunting

Artemis was daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo.
She was primarily a virgin huntress, goddess of wildlife and patroness of hunters. She was an important goddess in the lives of women, especially when it came to marriage and young creatures.

Athena

Athena was the Goddess of War, the female counterpart of Ares.
She is one of three virgin goddesses; the other two were Hestia and Artemis.Athena served as a guardian of Athens, where the Parthenon served as her temple.

Demeter

Demeter was the daughter of Cronos and Rhea.
She was the goddess of harvest and fertility.Only women attended the Thesmophoria, a fertility festival held in honor of Demeter.

Hera – Greek Goddess of Marriage and Queen of Olympus

Hera was Queen of the Olympian gods.
In the story of the Quest of the Golden Fleece, Hera was a gracious protector of the heroes.Hera had few, if any, redeeming qualities. She never forgot an injury.

Hestia

Although Hestia appeared in a few stories, she was not overly significant in Greek mythology.
She was a sibling to Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus.Hestia is completely omitted from the works of Homer, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

6 Amazing Greek Mythology Facts You’ll Love Reading! —

Greek mythology is an assortment of unbelievable historical stories. Some stories are beyond our comprehension, while other stories are relevant in our society today. Without a doubt, these are the 6 most amazing Greek mythology facts that we have decided to share with you today!

1. Present-day Athens is Named after the Greek Goddess Athena

Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and civilization. She was born from the head of Zeus after he swallowed his pregnant wife, Metis. She was born fully grown dressed in full armor ready for war.

She is considered to be Zeus’s favorite child. Because of her ties to civilization, her name is commonly referred to as Polias and Poliouchos, derivatives of polis, meaning “city-state.” Present-day Athens, Greece is named after the goddess Athena.

2. Aphrodisiacs are Related to the Greek Goddess Aphrodite

Today, you may have heard the word “aphrodisiac,” but did you know this modern word actually has ancient ties? It comes from the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure. It is a legend that Aphrodite had the ability to make people fall in love. Like the goddess Aphrodite, an aphrodisiac has the ability to bring feelings of desire, love, and arousal to those who consumed the food with one another.

3. Atlas: Leader of the Titans

Atlas was the leader of the Titans in their war against the Olympian gods to determine who would control the heavens. When the Olympians prevailed, Zeus punished Atlas for leading the Titans in this war.

For his punishment, Zeus made Atlas responsible for holding up the heavens and the earth, and he must hold them on his shoulders. Atlas was strong enough for the task, but it was difficult and tiring for the Titan.

Today, an atlas is a collection of maps of a region or the earth used for travel. This Titan in ancient Greek mythology is now the same word used to describe a collection of maps.

4. Hestia, the Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Home and the Olympic Torch

Hestia was a virgin goddess who vowed to serve Mount Olympus. She did not seek marriage and asked Zeus to give her eternal virginity. Zeus granted her eternal virginity for her service of Mount Olympus.

Because Hestia was the goddess of hearth and home, Zeus ordered that every offering of food was to be sacrificed in the name of Hestia for her dedication and service. It was said that Hestia never let the fire in the home go out.

The Olympic torch is symbolic of the importance of the fire of Hestia. The Olympic torch is lit and travels from city to city, lighting each torch it comes in contact with throughout the relay until the final Olympic flame is lit.

5.  Asclepius and Modern Medicine

Asclepius is the Greek god of healing and medicine. He is seen holding the Rod of Asclepius, which is a rod entwined with a serpent snake. Physicians serving Asclepius were called Therapeutes of Asclepius. Therapeutes of Asclepius would also come to include attendants and support staff of the physicians.

In modern medicine today, the iconic Rod of Asclepius is often used in medical logos and icons across the world. Additionally, the English word “therapy” comes from Greek “therapeia,” which means “healing, curing, or service of the sick.”

6. Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory

Today, we hear the name Nike, and we envision a swoosh symbol with the famous slogan “Just Do It” that follows. Nike actually stems from the Greek goddess of victory, Nike. In addition to being the goddess of victory, she also had powers of great speed and flight.

Blog about Greece — 5 unusual facts about the characters of Greek mythology that you definitely did not know

Everyone, without exception, heard about the myths of Ancient Greece, but in many cases this knowledge is stereotyped and superficial. For example, did you know that Medusa Gorgon was not the only owner of an extravagant “hairstyle” of snakes, or that without Pandora, who doomed people to misfortune, the human race would not exist in principle ?!

Not only Gorgon Medusa could boast of snakes instead of hair

Few people are not familiar with the snake-haired monster Medusa Gorgon, who turned to stone anyone who dared to look at her. However, Medusa was far from the only character in Greek mythology with such an unusual “hairstyle”. Poisonous snakes instead of hair dotted the heads of her sisters Stheno and Euryale. By the way, they were more helpful than their illustrious sister, since they possessed immortality, while the mortal Medusa was eventually defeated by the hero Perseus.

Zeus was the most notorious womanizer in history

The supreme god of Olympus, Zeus, is often metaphorically called the father of the Olympian gods, while he should have been called the father of half of Greece, and in the most direct sense. Another confirmation of this is the huge number of demigods in Greek mythology, many of which, say, Hercules, are the offspring of Zeus and mortal women. It is interesting that the favorites of the main deity of Ancient Hellas did not always favor such a connection, because Zeus resorted to cunning to achieve his goal — he turned into animals (a bull in the case of Europe, an eagle in the case of Asteria, etc. ) or took the appearance of husbands and lovers of their passions.

Pandora is not only the cause of disasters, but also the progenitor of humanity

For many, if not 99% of the world’s population, Pandora is associated with the infamous Pandora’s box. However, if you delve into the myths of Ancient Greece, you will find that the owner of this name is not only guilty of all the hardships that have befallen humanity from the box she opened. Created by the god of fire Hephaestus at the behest of Zeus, Pandora became the first woman on earth, which until then was inhabited only by men, and, therefore, is the progenitor of the human race.

Aphrodite was not so “white and fluffy”

The goddess of fertility, love and beauty, Aphrodite is rightfully considered the most feminine of the twelve Olympian gods. All the legends associated with Aphrodite tell only that her only vocation was matters of the heart, and the only case when she decided to take up spinning brought Athena’s wrath on her and put an end to «shirking» from direct duties. And yet, Aphrodite is not as simple as it seems at first glance. As a result of a love affair with the god of war Ares, to whom she gave birth to three children, the ancient Greeks began to perceive Aphrodite a little differently, and in some port towns of Greece even statues unusual for the image of the goddess of beauty were found, in which Aphrodite is depicted in the guise of a warrior in armor and with weapons in hand.

Almost all monsters of Greek mythology are brothers and sisters

The myths of Ancient Hellas are literally full of all kinds of sea and land monsters , which are similar to each other except for their destructive power and harsh temper. At the same time, they are the closest relatives, since most of them are the children of the dragon (dragon) Echidna.

A woman with an amazingly beautiful face and a scaly body of a snake, she, for example, is the mother of the Nemean lion, the three-headed dog Cerberus, the Lernean hydra, the Chimera, the Colchis dragon, and even the eagle Efon (the one that daily pecked the liver of Prometheus chained to the rock). And this is only part of her offspring. However, not only Echidna is responsible for such offspring, but also her no less “beautiful” husband Typhon, a huge giant with a hundred dragon heads and snakes instead of legs.

You will probably also be surprised that the formidable god of war Ares was still that henpecked, and Theseus, who defeated the Minotaur, does not at all fit the standards of a model of virtue, since he was an extremely selfish «type». And this is only a small part of those facts that can be discovered by studying the records of the deeds of the famous gods and heroes of ancient myths.

Interesting facts about Ancient Greece

Greece has given humanity genius philosophers and scientists, gave origin to thousands of modern words and explained some physical phenomena. Interesting facts about Ancient Greece will allow the reader to get to know this cradle of world civilization better.

1. Ancient Greece consisted of approximately one and a half thousand separate city-states, the largest of which was Athens. Despite the fact that each of the policies had its own laws and army, conflicts between them were commonplace.
2. The Greek cities were ruled by an assembly of all adult males or a college of the richest citizens, who were called oligarchs — «the ruling minority.»

3. Prosperous Greek women led an idle life and considered looking at jewels the only worthy occupation. They did not work, did not learn to read and write, and took special milk slaves to feed their own babies.
4. Women who disagree with this state of affairs were called getters. They were educated, led an independent life and very rarely married, because they were considered bad wives.
5. The average life expectancy for women in ancient Greece was 36 years, for men — 45. Infant mortality was very high, half of the children died in the first year of life.
6. The expression «to contribute» came to us from Greece. Lepta was the hundredth part of the drachma (the ancient Greek monetary unit), which was a very small bargaining chip.
7. On the first coins, the faces of gods and heroes were minted in full face. On such images, the nose was erased very quickly, so later the Greeks switched to profiles.
8. The concept of democracy appeared in ancient Greece. Local residents were paid for participating in elections, which ensured a very high voter turnout.
9. The ancient Greeks were the first to make mathematics a theoretical discipline. The works of Pythagoras, Euclid, and Archimedes form the basis of modern algebra textbooks.
10. It was customary to engage in physical exercises naked.

11. The first 13 Olympic Games consisted of only one discipline — running.
12. Ancient athletes were awarded with olive wreaths, branches and olive oil in amphorae.
13. Hellenes did not drink pure wine. They mixed the intoxicating drink with salt water (fresh water was too expensive) in a ratio of 1:7. The mixture was drunk throughout the day as a soft drink.