The document summarizes the twelve major Olympian gods and goddesses in Greek mythology. It describes each deity's role, parentage, and symbols. Zeus is the king of the gods and wields the thunderbolt. As his brothers, Poseidon rules the seas and Hades rules the underworld. The other gods include Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, Athena, and Hestia.

1. TWELVE OLYMPIANS
The twelve Olympian gods and goddesses were the major deities with prominent roles in Greek mythology.
Although being an Olympian, god meant a throne on Mt. Olympus, some of the major Olympians spent
most of their time elsewhere. Poseidon lived in the sea and Hades in the Underworld.
1. ZEUS (JUPITER)
- he overthrew the power of his father Cronus
-he drew lots with his brothers Poseidon and Hades.
-he is the supreme ruler of the gods, he is the lord of the sky, the rain god and cloud-gatherer
-his weapon is a thunderbolt which he hurls at those who displease him.
- married to Hera,but ,is famous for many affairs.
- his power was greater than that of all other divinities together.
2. HERA (JUNO)
- queen of the gods
- Zeus’s wife and sister.
- the protector of marriage, and married women were her peculiar care.
3. POSEIDON (NEPTUNE)
- ruler of the sea
-Zeus’s brother and second only to him in eminence
-he was commonly called “Earth-shaker” and was always shown carrying his trident, a three-pronged
spear, which he would shake and shatter whatever he pleased.
-his wife was Amphitrite, a granddaughter of the Titan Ocean
4. HADES (PLUTO)
- the third brother among the Olympians who drew for his share the underworld and the rule over the
dead.
- he was the God of Wealth of the precious metals hidden in the earth.
-his wife was Persephone (Proserpine) whom he carried away from the earth and made Queen of the Lower
World.
5. PALLAS ATHENA (MINERVA)
- daughter of Zeus alone, no mother bore her, she sprang from his head.
-she is the goddess of the city,handicrafts and agriculture.
-she was Zeus’s favorite child and was allowed to use his weapons including his thunderbolt.
-her favorite city is Athens, her tree is olive, and owl is her bird.
-a gray-eyed or flashing- eyed.
6. PHOEBUS APOLLO
- son of Zeus and Leto
- he has been called “the most Greeks of all the Gods”
-he was the God of Light, in whom there’s no darkness at all, he is also a God of Truth, no false word ever
came from his mouth.
-depicted as beardless young man
7. ARTEMIS (DIANA)
- Apollo’s twin sister,daughter of Zeus and Leto.
-one of the three maiden goddesses of Olympus
-protector of the young,goddess of the chastityand huntsman of the gods.
- cypress is her tree, all wild animals are scared to her, especially the deer.
8. APHRODITE (VENUS)
- goddess of love,desire and beauty, she’s a laughter-loving goddess
- in later poems she is said to have sprung from the foam of the sea.
-wife of Hephaestus
- myrtle is her tree;dove, sparrows and and swan are her birds

2. 9. HERMES (MERCURY)
- a messenger god in Greek mythology
-son of Zeus and Maia,daughter of Atlas,his mother.
-God of Commerce and Marker , protector of traders
-the fastest of the gods, he wears winged sandals, a winged hat and carries a magic wand.
10. ARES (MARS)
- the god of war
-son of Zeus and Hera , he was disliked by both of his parents
- he is considered murderous and bloodstained but also coward.
- he was caught in act of adultery with Aphroditeher husband Hephaestus is able publically ridicule him.
-his bird is vulture, his animal is dog
11. HEPHAESTUS (VULCAN AND MULCIBER)
-sometimes said to be the son of Zeus and Hera,some says of Hera alone
-among the perfectly beautiful immortals he only was ugly.
- God of Fire, he is patron god of both smiths and weavers.
-he is kind and peace loving.
- his wife is Aphrodite
12. HESTIA (VESTA)
-Zeus’s sister
-she is a virgin goddess together with Athena and Artemis
-goddes of Hearth, the symbol of the Home,she almost never leaves home
-she has no distinct personality and plays no part in myth.
REFERENCES:
Mythology by Edith Hamilton , Little Brown and Company , April 1999
http://www.desy.de/gna/interpedia/greek_myth/olympian.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24611448/12-Olympians