Twelve Olympians

The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century.

The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον < δώδεκα,^[1] dōdeka, "twelve"+ θεοί, theoi, "gods"), in Greek mythology, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. The first ancient reference of religious ceremonies for them is found in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. The classical scheme of the Twelve Olympians (the Canonical Twelve of art and poetry) comprises the following gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Dionysus, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus and Hermes. The respective Roman scheme comprises the following gods: Jupiter for Zeus, Juno for Hera, Neptune for Poseidon, Ceres for Demeter, Minerva for Athena, Bacchus for Dionysus, Apollo, who lacked a Latin name, Diana for Artemis, Mars for Ares, Venus for Aphrodite, Vulcan for Hephaestus and Mercury for Hermes.^[2] Hades (Roman: Pluto) was not generally included in this list. He did not have a seat in the pantheon because he spent almost all of his time in the underworld. Also commonly seen among the twelve is Hestia (Roman: Vesta.) When Dionysus was offered a seat, the total number of Olympians became thirteen. Believing this would create a fight amongst the gods because then there would be 7 gods and 6 goddesses, Hestia stepped down. There was, however, a great deal of fluidity when it came to who was counted among their number in antiquity.^[3] Around 400 BC, Herodotus included in his Dodekatheon the following deities: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hermes, Athena, Apollo, Alpheus, Cronus, Rhea and the Charites.^[4] Wilamowitz agrees with Herodotus' version of the Twelve.^[5]

Herodotus includes Heracles as one of the Twelve.^[6] Lucian also includes Heracles and Asclepius as members of the Twelve, without explaining which two had to give way for them. At Kos, Heracles and Dionysus are added to the Twelve, and Ares and Hephaestus are left behind.^[7] However, Pindar, Apollodorus,^[8] and Herodorus disagree with this. For them Heracles is not one of the Twelve Gods, but the one who established their cult.^[4]

Plato connected the Twelve Olympians with the twelve months, and proposed that the final month be devoted to rites in honor of Hades and the spirits of the dead, implying that he considered Hades to be one of the Twelve.^[9] Hades is phased out in later groupings due to his chthonic associations.^[10] In Phaedrus Plato aligns the Twelve with the Zodiac and would exclude Hestia from their rank.^[11]

Hebe, Helios, Eos, Selene and Persephone are other important gods and goddesses which are sometimes included in a group of twelve. Eros is often depicted alongside the other twelve, especially his mother Aphrodite, but is rarely considered one of the Olympians.

The Twelve Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, the Charites, Heracles, Dionysus, Hebe, and Persephone were children of Zeus. Although some versions of the myths state that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone, and that Aphrodite was born of Uranus' blood.

List of the Olympians

Classical Olympians

The twelve gods and goddesses listed among the Twelve most often.

Greek Name	Roman Name	Pronunciation	Statue	God or Goddess of...	Generation
Zeus	Jupiter	ZOOS		King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky and thunder. Youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, scepter and scales. Brother and husband of Hera, although he had many lovers.	First
Hera	Juno	HAIR-uh		Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage and motherhood. Symbols include the peacock, pomegranate, crown, cuckoo, lion and cow. Youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Wife and sister of Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage, she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and their children.	First
Poseidon	Neptune	puh-SYE-dun		Lord of the seas, earthquakes and horses. Symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin and trident. Middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to the Nereid Amphitrite, although, like his brother Zeus, he had many lovers.	First
Demeter	Ceres	duh-MEE-ter		Goddess of fertility, agriculture, nature, and the seasons. Symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, pig and serpent. Middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Her Latin name, Ceres, gave us the word 'cereal'. One of her surnames is Sitos as the giver of food, ('corn').	First
Athena	Minerva	ah-THEE-nah		Virgin goddess of wisdom, handicrafts, defence and strategic warfare. Symbols include the aegis, owl, olive tree, snake and spider. Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor after he swallowed her mother.	Second
Dionysus	Bacchus	DIE-aw-ny-sus		God of wine, celebrations and ecstacy. Symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin and goat. Son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele. Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne. The youngest Olympian, as well as the only one to have been born of a mortal woman.	Second
Apollo	Apollo	ah-PAWLL-oh		God of light, music, poetry, prophecy and archery. Symbols include the sun,lyre, bow and arrow, raven, dolphin, wolf, swan and mouse. Twin brother of Artemis. Youngest child of Zeus and Leto.	Second
Artemis	Diana	AR-tuh-miss		Virgin goddess of the hunt, virginity, archery and all animals. Symbols include the moon, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree and bow and arrow. Twin sister of Apollo. Eldest child of Zeus and Leto.	Second
Ares	Mars	AIR-eez		God of war, violence and bloodshed. Symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear and shield. Son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods (excluding Aphrodite) despised him. His Latin name, Mars, gave us the word 'Martial'.	Second
Aphrodite	Venus	aff-roh-DIE-tee		Goddess of love, beauty, desire and sex. Symbols include the dove, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, rose and seashell. Daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus' blood dripped onto the earth and into the sea after being defeated by his youngest son Cronus. Married to Hephaestus, although she cheated on him frequently, most notably with his brother Ares. Her name gave us the word 'Aphrodisiac'.	either Second or from the Titan generation
Hephaestus	Vulcan	huh-FES-tus  or huh-FEEST-us		Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of fire and the forge. Symbols include the fire, anvil, ax, donkey, hammer, tongs and quail. Son of Hera, either by Zeus or alone. After he was born, his parents threw him off Mount Olympus and landed on the island of Lemnos. Married to Aphrodite. Unlike most mythical husbands, it is never stated that he cheated on her. His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us the word 'Volcano'.	Second
Hermes	Mercury	HUR-meez		Messenger of the Gods; god of commerce and thieves. Symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre). Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, older only than Dionysus. He married Dryope, the daughter of Dryops, and their son Pan became the god of nature, lord of the satyrs, inventor of the panpipes and comrade of Dionysus.	Second

• B ^ Romans also associated Phoebus with Helios and the sun itself.^[12][13] However, they also used the name legaced by the Greeks, Apollo.^[14]

Other definitions

The following gods and goddess are sometimes mentioned as the twelve Olympians.

• Hades - God of the Underworld; he was born into the first Olympian generation, but as he lives in the Underworld rather than on Mount Olympus, he is typically not included amongst the twelve Olympians.

• Hestia - Goddess of the hearth and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first Olympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians, but stories suggest that when Dionysus had arrived at Mount Olympus she gave him her spot in the twelve to prevent discord.

• Asclepius – God of medicine and healing.

• Eros – God of erotic love and desire.

• Hebe – Goddess of youth, and the cupbearer for the gods.

• Heracles – Greatest hero of the Greek myths.

• Pan – God of the wild, shepherds, nature, and animals.

• Persephone – Goddess of the spring growth; also, wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld.

Close to the Olympians

The following gods and goddesses were not usually counted as Olympians, although they had close ties and friendships with them.

• Anemoi – Wind gods: Boreas (north wind), Notus (south), Zephyrus (west), Eurus (east).
• Bia – Personification of violence.
• Kratos – Personification of power.
• Dione – Oceanid; Mother of Aphrodite by Zeus in Homer's version.
• Eileithyia – Goddess of childbirth; daughter of Hera and Zeus.
• Eos – Personification of dawn.
• Eris – Goddess of discord.
• Ganymede – Cupbearer of the god's palace at Olympus.
• Hecate - Goddess associated with magic, witches and crossroads
• Horae – Wardens of Olympus.
• Iris – Personification of the Rainbow, also the messenger of Olympus along with Hermes.
• Janus - God of doors, beginnings, ends and choices
• Leto – Titaness; the mother of Apollo and Artemis.
• Morpheus – God of dreams.
• Muses – Nine ladies of science and arts.
• Nemesis – Greek goddess of retribution and revenge.
• Nike – Goddess of victory.
• Paeon – Physician of the gods.
• Perseus – Son of Zeus, slayer of Medusa, the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty.
• Selene – Titaness; personification of the Moon.
• Zelus – Emulation.

See also

• Ancient Greek religion
• Dii Consentes (its equivalent on the pantheon of Ancient Rome)
• Family tree of the Greek gods
• Greek mythology
• List of Greek mythological characters
• Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes

References

External links

• List of 12 Olympians
• Summary of main gods of Pantheon