You may have heard of these names: Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite; you may also know that these are some of the names of significant Greek gods—perhaps that’s it. Only knowing that much information centuries ago—in the ancient Roman and Greek worlds—would have been a crime because these gods were the mold and outline of Greek culture. Over time, the knowledge of these deities faded and was blown away like ashes in the wind, only to be revived by classical studies or in Mr. Harrington’s Class V Latin class. Today, we are only aware of who these Greek gods are on the surface. We are only mindful of their ‘powers’ and abilities such as Wisdom for Athena, Sea and Waters for Poseidon, and Love for Aphrodite; the tools they use, such as the lightning bolt for Zeus; and possibly a general idea of what they look like. Contrary to today’s limited knowledge of these Greek gods, back then they were cherished and held high on a pedestal never to be forgotten. These deities were the beacon for the Greeks and not only shaped cultures, but stemmed modern ways of thinking. The story behind each Greek god holds imperative teachings and life lessons, sometimes obscured by  the heavy descriptions and details of the myths. This pantheon of gods altered and diversified the ways of thinking, pioneered and orchestrated political systems, promoted problem-solving, and impacted Greek culture and traditions. In this article, abridged summaries of each of the Greek gods will be provided, so feel free to research more about any god that interests you!

Zeus/Jupiter: God of Thunder, Lightning, Rain, Winds + King of All Gods

Zeus was the king of all the gods, ruler of the entire universe, and had incredible strength. He was unafraid of much except for his wife, Hera. Famous for using the lightning bolt and being the only one that could wield it, Zeus is the god of thunder, lightning, rain, and winds; he could shape-shift into any human or animal. He held the powers of government, which meant he was in charge of titling and granting jobs to the other deities, as well as stripping their titles and domains if needed. Zeus was the head of the council with twelve gods; he never retired or was overthrown due to his strong leadership. 

Hera/Juno: Goddess of Marriage, Family, Women, Childbirth + Queen of All Gods 

As the wife and sister of Zeus, Hera was the queen of all the gods and the goddess of marriage. She and Zeus had two sons, Ares and Hephaestus, but was jealous and enraged that Zeus had children with other women. Often spiteful towards Zeus’ other offspring, Hera attempted to kill the hero Heracles out of hatred but to no avail.. Hera, the goddess of family, marriage, women, and childbirth, is often represented by the peacock—an allusion to her constant wariness and eyes checking for the women Zeus mingled with. She is infamous for her jealousy and vengefulness toward anyone who negatively provoked her in any way; her symbols also include a diadem, pomegranate, and scepter. 

Poseidon/Neptune: Lord of the Sea 

Poseidon, the Lord of the Sea, and brother of Zeus and Hades is significant in Greek mythology. Unlike Hades, who was initially displeased with his role as ruler of the Underworld, Poseidon was content with his job as Lord of the Sea, never feeling inferior or wishing to acquire his brothers’ domains. With his stark blue eyes, streaming green hair, booming laugh, moodiness, and restlessness, Poseidon perfectly reflected his role. With just a flick of his hand, he could make a wave cover the shoreline, create an island, or engulf someone in the swirling depths. Knowing that pleasing this deity was a difficult task, the ancient Greeks who resided beside the shoreline regularly brought him gifts and built temples to honor the Lord of the Sea.  Poseidon’s symbols include the trident—his powerful weapon of choice—as well as fish, dolphin, horses, and bulls. 

Athena/Minerva: Goddess of Wisdom, War 

Athena, born out of Zeus’ mind, was clever and sharp; she was not only mighty, but a favored goddess in ancient Greece. She is regarded as both the goddess of war—shown through her power to provide dexterity, success, and intrepidity to those in a quarrel— and of wisdom. Deeply admired by Zeus, she is honest, thoughtful, compassionate, and has great sagacity; she even has a notable place in her irritable Uncle Poseideon’s heart. In ancient Greek culture, Athena is represented by an owl for sharpness, an olive branch for her peace, and her chariot, spear, armor, and helmet for war. 

Ares/Mars: God of War 

The son of Zeus and Hera, Ares was the tall, attractive, hostile, and egocentric god of war. Against or for the Greeks, Ares treasured bloodshed and would accept any opportunity to fight. He did not care who the victor of any battle was, nor did he  care about the reason for the war and the consequences it held; rather, he relished the bloodshed and act of fighting. Highly unfavored by the pantheon, Ares was disliked by his parents, and only had one friend, Eris, who was the spirit of disagreement. Clearly shown by his namesake planet, Mars, and the symbols he portrays such as a sword, helmet, shield, and spear—Ares took great pleasure in fighting and physically disputing. 

Aphrodite/Venus: Goddess of Love and Beauty 

Aphrodite was alluring, narcissistic, and heavily admired by Zeus,who loved her dearly. Zeus assigned Aphrodite to spread love and beauty everywhere, which earned her the title of Goddess of Love and Beauty. She worked hard to make sure she fulfilled the king’s wishes, but unfortunately, occasionally, her plans fell apart and sparked lots of trouble in both the mortal and immortal realms.. Due to her vanity, however, Aphrodite did not always accept responsibility for her actions.. Aphrodite had a son, Eros—known as Cupid by the Romans—and was married to Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths.Usually depicted by the rose, dove, swan, and pearl, Aphrodite is also symbolized by the seashell, mirror, dolphin, and myrtle tree.  

Apollo/Apollo: God of Healing, Light, Truth, Medicine, Music, Musicians

Apollo isthe son of Zeus and Leto, brother of Artemis—the huntress—and Hermes, the messenger; headored all in his family except Ares, the god of war. Granted many jobs, Apollo was named the god of healing, the god of light, the god of truth, the god of medicine, and the god of music and musicians. His most significant task, however,was to raise the sun every day to initiate the day. Apollo was relaxed, carefree, and dependable, but became livid when provoked,usually by his little brother Hermes. Like his father and younger brother, Apollo had a devious side, which is why he is often represented by a serpent or raven. The deity is also portrayed by his lyre, silver bow, laurel wreath, cypress tree, and sword. 

Artemis/Diana: Goddess of Moon and Hunt 

Apollo’s twin sister and daughter of Zeus and Leto, Artemis was the goddess of the moon and hunt. Contrary to her affectionate and amiable brother, Artemis was seen as cold and pitiless, despite favoring her dogs and greatly valuing Apollo, Leto, and Zeus. Artemis was private and enjoyed solitude; if anyone invaded her privacy by spying or bothering her, specifically a man, Artemis would often resent and curse them. From a young age, she vowed to never get married and stuck to this promise. In ancient Greek culture, Artemis is depicted by a deer, bow and arrows, crescent moon, palm and walnut tree, spear, and torch.  

Hephaestus/Vulcan: God of Forge, Fire, Volcanoes 

Hephaestus—the god of forge, fire, and volcanoes—was one of the two sons of Zeus and Hera. Unlike his brother, who liked to obliterate things, Hephaestus enjoyed  creating—even constructing all of the gods’ homes on Mount Olympus along with his own. Hephaestus was the handyman for the Greek deities,and was always happy with his role and helping others. His mother, Hera, arranged a marriage between him and Aphrodite, and although Aphrodite did not approve of this, she agreed to the union because Hera held greater power.Hephaestus was usually ignored by his wife, but he tolerated this. Piloted by Zeus, Hephaestus formed Pandora—the first woman according to Greek mythology—out of clay, and through his actions,was awarded by becoming the god of fire, forge, and volcanoes. Hephaestus is represented by a hammer, anvil, and tongs. 

Hestia/Vesta: Goddess of Hearth and Home 

Sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Demeter, Hestia was eldest of a large and influential family. She was the goddess of hearth and home and, compared to her siblings, was temperate, kind, and abhorred arguments. Although all her siblings were on the council of twelver, she gave up her seat to Dionysus—the god of wine, civilization, and law due to her dislike of arguing and arguments. Hestia is symbolized by a pig, the hearth, and its fire. 

Hermes/Mercury: Messenger of the Gods 

The youngest son of Zeus and child of Maia, Hermes was the messenger of the gods. Hermes, ever since he was born, was full of fun and was a joy to be near, which is why Zeus loved having him around. Hermes, who always had a deviant grin on his face, was very bright with great perspectives and ideas. He also had great natural athleticism. Because of the trust he built up between the gods and humans, as well as the natural trust gods and people had in Hermes, Zeus decided to make his son the messenger and deal-breaker of the gods. Hermes was always involved in everything, which is why he knew what was going on in every myth. He is symbolized by a caduceus; his petasos, or winged helmet; his winged sandals; the planet Mercury; and a lyre.

Demeter/Ceres: Goddess of Harvest 

Demeter had one of the most important jobs of being the goddess of harvest; she was the sister of Zeus, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Poseidon. Everyone—gods and humans alike—relied upon Demeter, so they did their best to keep her happy. If Demeter did not fulfill her job’s obligations, the crops would die and there would be an epidemic of starvation. Demeter is portrayed by wheat, a cornucopia, bread, a torch, and a poppy.