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The Olympian Gods
Aphrodite
• Aphrodite governs desire, love, and sexuality.
She is also known as Venus (Roman). She is
often pictured with a sceptre or a mirror.
Apollo
• Apollo is associated principally with music, prophecy,
sickness and medicine. His iconography are the
cithara (lyre), the bow, the fawn, and the tripod. His
sister is Artemis.
Ares
• Ares is the god of war and conflict. His is also
known as Mars (Roman). Ares is depicted as a
warrior.
Artemis
• Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and
animals, as well as of childbirth. She is also
known as Diana (Roman). Her iconography
include the bow and the fawn. Apollo is her
brother.
Athena (Athene)
• Athena is the patron of wisdom, military victory, and women’s
crafts. She is also known as Minerva (Roman). Her
iconography include the aegis (fringed cloak with Medusa the
Gorgon’s head), the helmet, the spear and the owl. She’s the
patron goddess of the Greek city state that bears her name.
Demeter
• Demeter is the giver of grain. She is also
known as Ceres (Roman). Her iconography
includes a torch, a crown, a sceptre, and stalks
of grain. She is often portrayed with her
daughter, Persephone.
Dionysus
• Dionysus is the god of wine, intoxication, and
creative ecstasy. He is also known as Bacchus
(Roman). His iconography includes a drinking
vessel, an ivy wreath, grape vines, and the
thrysos (fennel stalk topped with ivy leaves).
Hades
• Hades is the god of the underworld. He is also
known as Pluto (Roman). His iconography include
the cornucopia and the sceptre. Often he’s
accompanied by Cerberus the three headed dog. He
is not an evil devil figure that he’s sometimes
depicted as. Also, Hades (the place) is not the
equivalent of Hell in Greek tradition.
Hephaestus
• Hephaestus is the builder and craftsman of the gods.
He is also lame and the only god who is not
beautiful. His iconography include the axe (or
hammer) and the tongs. He or the Cyclopes are often
credited with making Zeus’ lightning bolts.
Hera
• Hera is the wife (and sister) of Zeus. She is the
patron of marriage. She is also known as Juno
(Roman). Her iconography is the peacock.
She’s very jealous of Zeus’ frequent infidelities
and often punishes Zeus’ many children and
lovers out of jealousy.
Hermes
• Hermes’ main role is as a messenger but he
has other functions as well. He’s also known
as Mercury (Roman). His iconography
includes the messenger’s staff, winged boots,
and the petassos (cap).
Hestia
• Hestia is the goddess of the hearth. She is
also known as Vesta (Roman).
Persephone
• Persephone is the Queen of the underworld
and the daughter of Demeter. She is also
known as Proserpine (Roman) or Kore – which
means maiden. Her iconography includes a
torch, crown, sceptre, and stalks of grain.
She’s often seen with pomegranetes
Poseidon
• The god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses.
He’s also known as Neptune (Roman) and the
Earth-shaker. His iconography includes the
trident, the horse, and the fish.
Zeus
• Zeus is the king of the Olympian gods. He’s
also known as Jupiter or Jove (Roman). His
iconography includes the lightning bolt, the
eagle, and the sceptre. He’s a notorious
womanizer.