The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century. Nicolas-André Monsiau (1754- 31 May 1837) was a French history painter and a refined draughtsman who turned to book illustration to supplement his income The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system

The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον < δωδεκα, dodeka, "twelve" + θεον, theon, "of the gods"), in Greek mythology, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance A listing of Greek mythological beings Many of the gods and goddesses had Roman and Etruscan equivalents. A pantheon (from Greek Πάνθειον - pantheion, literally "a temple of all gods " neut Mount Olympus (Όλυμπος also transliterated as Ólympos, and on Greek maps Óros Ólimbos) is the highest Mountain in Greece The classical scheme of the Twelve Olympians (the Canonical Twelve of art and poetry) comprises the following gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia. Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera (ˈhɪərə or /ˈhɛrə/ Greek) or Here ( in Ionic and Homer In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker" Demeter (dɨˈmiːtɚ Greek:, possibly "distribution-mother" from the noun of the Indo-European mother-earth * dheghom * mater In Greek mythology, Ares ( Ancient Greek:, Μodern Greek Άρης) is the son of Zeus and Hera. Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and Hephaestus (hɨˈfiːstəs or /hɨˈfɛstəs/ Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister In Greek mythology, virginal Hestia, (Roman name Vesta daughter of Kronus and Rhea, ( ancient Greek) is the Goddess The respective Roman scheme comprises the following gods: Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Ceres, Mars, Mercury, Vulcan, Venus, Minerva, Apollo, Diana and Vesta. In Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of the gods and the god of Sky and Thunder. Juno was the protector and special counselor of the Roman state Neptune (Neptūnus is the god of water and the sea in Roman mythology, a brother of Jupiter and Pluto. Mars was the Roman Warrior god, the son of Juno and Jupiter, husband of Bellona, and the lover of Venus. "Alipes" redirects here For the Centipede Genus, see Alipes (centipede. In ancient Roman religion and Hellenic neopaganism, Vulcan is the god of beneficial and hindering fire including the fire of Volcanoes He is also Venus was a major Roman Goddess principally associated with Love, Beauty and fertility, the equivalent of the Greek goddess The MInisterial NEtwoRk for Valorising Activities in digitisation, or MINERVA, is a European Union organization concerned with the digitisation of cultural and In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt, being associated with wild animals and woodland and also of the Moon. Vesta was the Virgin goddess of the Hearth, home and family in Roman mythology. ^[1]

There was, however, a great deal of fluidity when it came to who was counted among their number in antiquity;^[2] other important gods are sometimes included by certain sources in the group of Twelve replacing some of the above Canonical 12. The first ancient reference of religious ceremonies for the 12 Olympians is found in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. The thirty-three anonymous Homeric Hymns celebrating individual gods are a collection of ancient Greek Hymns "Homeric" in the sense that they employ the Around 400 BC Herodorus included in his Dodekatheon the following deities: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Alpheus, Cronus, Rhea and the Charites. In Greek mythology Alpheus, or ( Greek: Αλφειός meaning whitish, also romanized as Alfeiós, Alpheios or Alfiós Cronus or Kronos, ( Ancient Greek Κρόνος Krónos) was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants Rhea ( ancient Greek) was the Titaness daughter of Uranus, the sky and Gaia, the earth in classical Greek mythology In Greek mythology, a Charis (Χάρις is one of several Charites (Χάριτες Greek: " Graces " goddesses of charm beauty ^[3] Wilamowitz agrees with Herodorus' version of the 12. ^[4]

There were also numerous regional variations in ancient Greece. For instance, at Kos, Ares and Hephaestus are left behind, replaced by Heracles and Dionysus. In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman ^[5] Herodotus agrees with this and counts Heracles as one of the Twelve,^[6] while Lucian adds Asklepios to Heracles as a member of the Twelve, without explaining which two had to give way for them. Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash Lucian of Samosata (Λουκιανός ὁ Σαμοσατεύς Lucianus c Asclepius (pronounced /æsˈkliːpiːəs/, Greek, transliterated Asklēpiós; Latin Aesculapius) is the god of Medicine Pindar and Apollodorus, however, disagree with this. Pindar (ˈpɪndɚ (or Pindarus, Greek:) (probably born 522 BC in Cynoscephalae a village in Boeotia; died 443 BC in Argos) was an Ancient ^[7] For them, and Herodorus as well, Heracles is not one of the Twelve Gods, but the one who established their cult. ^[3] Plato connected the Twelve Olympians with the twelve months, and proposed that the final month be devoted to rites in honor of Pluto and the spirits of the dead, implying that he considered Hades, one of the basic chthonic deities, to be one of the Twelve. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece Pluto was the Roman god of the underworld known in Latin as Tertius the counterpart of the Greek Hades. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient Chthonic (from Greek χθόνιος khthonios "of the earth" from khthōn "earth" pertaining to the Earth; earthy subterranean ^[8] Hades is phased out in later groupings due to his chthonic associations. ^[9] In Phaedrus Plato aligns the Twelve with the Zodiac and would exclude Hestia from their rank. The Phaedrus ( Greek: Φαίδρος written by Plato, is a dialogue between Plato's main Protagonist, Socrates, and Phaedrus an ^[10] Hestia is sometimes displaced by Dionysus. ^[9] Hebe, Helios and Persephone are other important gods, goddesses, which are sometimes included in a group of twelve. In Greek mythology, Hēbē ( Greek:) is the Goddess of youth ( Roman equivalent Juventas) In Greek mythology the Sun was personified as Helios (ˈhiliˌɑs ( Ἥλιος Latinized as Helius) In Greek mythology, Persephone ( Kore or Cora) was the embodiment of the Earth's fertility at the same time that she was the Queen of the Underworld Persephone, daughter of Demeter, was forced to spend 3 months a year in the underworld. During this time, Demeter withheld her graces and caused the barren landscape of winter, until her daughter returned to Mount Olympus.

The Twelve Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans; Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia were siblings; all the other of the Dodekatheon are usually considered the children of Zeus by various mothers, except for Athena, who in some versions of the myth was born of Zeus alone, and Aphrodite who was formed from the castrated phallus of the primordial sky which Cronos threw into the sea when he freed the Titans. Titanomachy (epic poem In Greek mythology, the Titanomachy, or War of the Titans (Τιτανομαχία was the ten-year series of battles fought between In Greek mythology, the Titans ( Greek: Tītā́n; plural Tītânes) were a race of powerful Deities that ruled during the legendary Additionally, some versions of the myth state that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone as Hera's revenge for Zeus' solo birth of Athena.

List of Olympians

Close to the Olympians

• Bia - Personification of violence. In Greek mythology, Bia ( Ancient Greek: βία English translation: "Force" was the personification of force daughter of Pallas
• Cratos - Personification of power. In Greek mythology, Cratos ( English translation: "strength" was a son of Pallas and Styx, and he was the personification of strength
• Dione - Mother of Aphrodite by Zeus. Dione in Greek mythology is a vague goddess presence who has her most concrete form in Book V of Homer 's Iliad as the mother of Aphrodite
• Dionysus - God of wine, parties, and merriment. In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman
• Eileithyia - Goddess of childbirth; daughter of Hera and Zeus. Eileithyia (Εἰλείθυια was the Cretan goddess whom Greek mythology adapted as the goddess of childbirth and midwifery
• Eos - Personification of Dawn. For other uses of the name Eos see Eos (disambiguation. For the Slavic goddesses called the Auroras see The Zorya.
• Eris - Goddess of Discord. Eris ( Greek Ἔρις, "Strife" is the Greek Goddess of strife her name being translated into Latin as Discordia
• Eros - God of Love.
• Ganymede - Cupbearer of Heaven.
• Hades - Lord of the Dead; god of the Underworld and wealth. Hades (from Greek, Hadēs, originally, Haidēs or, Aidēs, probably from Indo-European *n̥-wid- 'unseen' refers both to the ancient
• Hebe - Goddess of youth, and cupbearer. In Greek mythology, Hēbē ( Greek:) is the Goddess of youth ( Roman equivalent Juventas)
• Helios - Personification of the Sun. In Greek mythology the Sun was personified as Helios (ˈhiliˌɑs ( Ἥλιος Latinized as Helius)
• Heracles - Greatest hero of the Greek myths. In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles ("glory of Hera " or Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance
• Horae - Wardens of Olympus. In Greek mythology, the Horai, Latinized Horae (Ὧραι — literally translated as "the hours" were three Goddesses controlling orderly
• Iris - Personification of the Rainbow, also the messenger of Olympus along with Hermes. In Greek mythology, Iris (Ἴρις is the personification of the Rainbow and messenger of the gods
• Leto - Titaness; the mother of Apollo and Artemis. Lētṓ ( Greek:, Λ&alphaτώ, Lato in Dorian Greek etymology and meaning disputed in Greek mythology, is a daughter of
• Morpheus - God of Dreams. Morpheus ( Greek: Μορφέας Μορφεύς, "he who forms shapes moulds" from the Greek morphe) is the Greek
• Muses - Nine ladies of science and arts. In Greek mythology, the Muses ( Ancient Greek, hai moũsai: perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root * men- "think" are
• Nemesis - Greek goddess of retribution. Nemesis (in Greek,) also called Rhamnousia/Rhamnusia ("the Goddess of Rhamnous " at her sanctuary at
• Nike - Goddess of victory. In Greek mythology, Nike ( Greek Νίκη níːkɛː meaning Victory) was a Goddess who personified Triumph
• Pan - God of the wild. Pan ( Greek, Genitive) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks of mountain wilds hunting and rustic music paein means to pasture
• Paean - Universal healer. Paean (pronounced as the last two syllables of "European" ˈpiːən is a term used to describe a type of triumphal or grateful song usually choral though sometimes individual
• Perseus - Zeus' son, one of the greatest heroes in all of Greek mythology. Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas ( Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας) the Legendary founder
• Persephone - Goddess of the spring and death, daughter of Demeter. In Greek mythology, Persephone ( Kore or Cora) was the embodiment of the Earth's fertility at the same time that she was the Queen of the Underworld
• Selene - Personification of the Moon. In Greek mythology, Selene (Σελήνη " Moon " English sɛˈliːniː was an archaic Lunar deity and the daughter of the Titans
• Zelus - Emulation. This Zelos is the Greek personification For other uses see Zelos.

Note:

• Hades, the god of the Underworld, is always confused as not being part of the 12. In the study of Mythology and Religion, the underworld (gr κάτω κόσμος) is a generic term approximately equivalent to the lay term Afterlife He has earned the right to be part of the 12 since his big contribution to the war with the Titans. Titanomachy (epic poem In Greek mythology, the Titanomachy, or War of the Titans (Τιτανομαχία was the ten-year series of battles fought between In Greek mythology, the Titans ( Greek: Tītā́n; plural Tītânes) were a race of powerful Deities that ruled during the legendary
• Artemis is often associated in modern times with the moon, although Selene is almost always named as the moon goddess in Greek literature. In Greek mythology, Selene (Σελήνη " Moon " English sɛˈliːniː was an archaic Lunar deity and the daughter of the Titans
• Apollo is often associated in modern times with the sun, although Helios was almost always called sun god in ancient Greek poetry. In Greek mythology the Sun was personified as Helios (ˈhiliˌɑs ( Ἥλιος Latinized as Helius)

Photo gallery

Zeus	Hera	Poseidon	Demeter
Ares	Hermes	Hephaestus	Aphrodite
Athena	Apollo	Artemis	Hestia

See also

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

References

External links

• List of 12 Olympians
• Summary of main gods of Pantheon
• Dodekatheon Information Page