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Ancient Greece
Religion, Gods, and
Mythology
Key Terms
• Myths
• Titans
Myths
• The Ancient Greeks
developed myths, or
traditional stories,
about their gods
• Greeks tried to explain
the mysteries of nature
and power of human
passions through stories
of the gods
• Epics written by Homer
and Hessiod
Creation of Earth
• Chaos created Earth and the
heavens
• Mother Earth, Gaea, and
Father Heaven, Uranus, had
children called the Titans
• Head Titan, Cronus, and his
sister-queen, Rhea, had 6
children who became gods
• Battle of Titans and Gods
cleared Earth of monsters
for humans
• Video (3:16-24:40)
Zeus
Zeus
Parents: Cronus, Rhea
God of: Heaven, Earth, Men
Symbol: Eagle, Oak
Origin of Zeus:
Cronus the Titan was told that one day, his son
would overthrow him. In fear, he swallowed his
children right after his wife Rhea gave birth. After
swallowing five children, Rhea became angry. She
hid Zeus at birth and switched his body with a
rock to fool Cronus into thinking he had
swallowed his newborn son. Rhea had a nymph
care for Zeus until he came of age. He married
the Titaness, Metis, and rescued his brothers and
and sisters from Cronus, then killing his father.
Poseidon
Poseidon
Name: Poseidon
Parents: Cronus, Rhea
God of: The Sea
Notes: Although mainly a god of the sea,
Poseidon created the horse as a gift for a
nymph who he loved. The horse became his
favorite animal, and he even created a flock
for himself in the ocean.
Hades
Hades
Name: Hades
Parents: Cronus, Rhea
God of: Underworld
Notes: Being with dead people doesn't improve
one's disposition much. Although he was one of
the major gods, Hades didn't even have a throne
on Olympus. He spent most of his time in the
Underworld. Hades marriage to Persephone
causes seasons, due to Demeter’s mourning of
her daughter being gone.
Demeter
Demeter
Name: Demeter
Parents: Cronus, Rhea
Goddess of: Agriculture, Plants
Notes: Demeter tended to the plants and crops
of all mankind. Without her constant care,
nothing would grow. When her daughter,
Persephone, leaves her for half the year to
rule the Underworld, she weeps and ignores
the plants therefore causing the seasons.
Hera
Hera
Name: Hera
Parents: Cronus, Rhea
Goddess of: Women, Childbirth
Symbol: Peacock
Notes: A very powerful goddess, Hera did not
take nicely to her husband, Zeus, and his many
love affairs. Unable to kill Zeus, she often
persecuted his lovers instead.
Hestia
Hestia
Name: Hestia
Parents: Cronus, Rhea
Goddess of: The Hearth
Notes: The only virgin goddess other than
Artemis, Hestia was the most honored
goddess of all, but the least talked about. As
the goddess who guarded the hearth and the
home, she was not to be gossipped about, so
she rarely appears in myths.
Aphrodite
Name: Aphrodite
Parents: Unknown
Goddess of: Love, Beauty, Laughter, Pleasures
Symbol: Rose, Swan, Dove, Myrtle
Aphrodite was born from the foam of the sea
and the blood of Zeus's father. All the gods
wanted Aphrodite as their wife, but Zeus gave
her to Hephaestus because he would make a
good, loving, solid husband.
Hephaestus
Name: Hephaestus
Parents: Zeus, Hera
God of: The Forge, Fire
Origin of Hephaestus:
Hephaestus was one of the few children of Zeus and
Hera. When he was born, Hera was so disgusted by his
ugliness that she threw him off of Mount Olympus. He
landed in the sea where a sea nymph took pity on him
and cared for him. His half-sister, Athena taught him
how to forge metal and make jewelry. He became such
a skilled craftsman that Zeus finally allowed him to
come back to Olympus.
Apollo
Name: Apollo
Parents: Zeus, Leto
God of: The Sun, Fine Arts, Medicine, Poetry,
Eloquence, Prophecy
Symbol: Laurel Tree
Artemis
Name: Artemis
Parents: Zeus, Leto
Goddess of: The Moon, Hunting, Wild Things,
Childbirth, Virginity
Notes: Young and free, Artemis did not think it right
that girls should be forced to marry and have
children. Strangely enough, she is also the
goddess of childbirth. This comes from the fact
that when she was born, she caused her mother
no pain.
Ares
Name: Ares
Parents: Zeus, Hera
God of: War (Cruel War, Bloodshed, Violence)
Notes: Unlike Athena, Ares loved war and reveled in
violence. His constant companion was Eris,
goddess of discord. Ares also romanced
Aphrodite from a distance, enthralling her with
tales of his victory and might. Unfortunately, he
was actually a big coward, and often ran to his
mother, Hera, when he was hurt.
Athena
Name: Athena
Parents: Zeus, Metis
Goddess of: Wisdom, War, Weaving, Skill
Symbol: Owl
Origin of Athena:
When Zeus's first wife, Metis, became pregnant, an oracle prophesied that
the son of Metis would overthrow Zeus just as Zeus had overthrown his
father. In fear, Zeus challenged his wife to a contest of magic. Whoever
could turn into a smaller animal won. Metis turned herself into a fly, and
Zeus swallowed her. Soon after, he had a terrible headache. It felt like
someone was in his head stabbing at all the soft spots in his brain. He
called for Hephaestus to help him. The god of the forge lay Zeus's head
down on his anvil and broke the skull with a hammer. Out of Zeus's head
sprung Athena, dressed for battle and armed with a spear.
Dionysus
Name: Dionysus
Parents: Zeus, Semele
God of: Wine, Revelry
Origin of Dionysus:
Zeus had gone to see Semele every night, and she soon became
pregnant with a boy. In anger, Hera tricked Semele into asking Zeus
to reveal his godly self: certain death for any mortal. Zeus did so,
and Semele died, but Dionysus survived. When he arrived at
Olympus, he created quite a stir. There were only 12 thrones, and
he wanted a throne for himself. The gods began to argue over who
should give up their throne, but Hestia quietly stood up from her
throne and sat on the floor in the ashes to tend the hearth. Thus,
Dionysus took the throne of the most humble goddess of all.
Hermes
Name: Hermes
Parents: Zeus, Maia
God of: Trade, Travelers, Tricksters, Thieves, The
Wind
Notes: Best known as the messenger god,
Hermes was a clever boy ever since his birth.
He often acted as a messenger between gods
and mortals.
Legends
• The Illiad and The Odyssey by Homer
• 12 labors of Heracles
• Monsters like Cyclops, Medusa, Pegasus,
Centaurs, etc.
• Pandora’s Box
• King Midas
• Oedipus