The ancient Greeks professed paganism - polytheism, in which they worshiped a large number of gods, each of which was responsible for one phenomenon or function.
Greek gods, whose names are familiar to almost everyone from school, behave like ordinary people, endowed with power. They are cunning, weave intrigues and quarrel. Their relationship with each other is incredibly complicated, which is why it is so interesting to study the myths dedicated to them.
The supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon - Zeus, the lightning thrower, he was in charge of the sky. Almost all of the major Olympian gods are children or siblings, including his wife Hera, who is also his sister, whom he, according to myths, often cheats on.
Hades, brother of Zeus, is in charge of the underworld, the realm of the dead. An interesting myth is associated with him, his wife Persephone and her mother Demeter, explaining the change of seasons.
Poseidon, brother of Zeus, is the ruler of the seas and oceans, patronizes sea travelers. As a rule, he is depicted with a trident in his hand.
The names of the Greek gods who are the children of Zeus are familiaralmost everyone: Aphrodite, Artemis, Ares, Apollo, Hermes.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, one of the 12 great Olympian gods, was born from sea foam, but is nevertheless traditionally considered the daughter of Zeus. She is often mentioned in myths as a minor participant in the action, but there are also stories dedicated only to her.
Artemis and Apollo, twins born of the goddess Leto from Zeus, personify respectively the moon and the sun.
Artemis, goddess of the hunt, eternally young and virginal protector of nature, often depicted with a bow surrounded by animals. The famous Herostratus, wanting to become famous, burned down the temple dedicated to Artemis of Ephesus. Apollo patronized the sciences and arts, he was also a healer.
Ares - the god of war, according to some assumptions, was not of Greek, but of Thracian origin, but he is often referred to as the son of Zeus and Hera. For some time he was the lover of Aphrodite, his sister, their relationship is mentioned in many myths and is the cause of numerous conflicts. Their union gave birth to 6 children: Phobos, Deimos, Eros, Anteros, Himeros and Harmony. As you can see, the names of the Greek gods are also reflected in astronomy, but more on that later.
Hermes is the patron of merchants and thieves, the son of Zeus and, according to some assumptions, Maya, and according to others, Persephone, who was Zeus's niece. The symbols of Hermes are the caduceus and winged sandals, as well as the characteristic helmet, although it is oftendisplayed without it.
Also, one cannot fail to mention Athena, one of the Olympian gods. She patronized wisdom and knowledge. She was the daughter of Zeus, born from his head.
Another famous goddess who occupies a significant place in the ancient Greek pantheon is Demeter, responsible for fertility and agriculture, literally being the universal mother, and also the sister of Zeus. The names of the Greek gods, in particular Demeter, can be seen even in modern culture, for example, the name Dmitry, popular in Russia, literally means “dedicated to the goddess Demeter.”
As already mentioned, the Greek names of the gods, as well as their Roman counterparts, are widely used in astronomy. Mercury (Hermes), Venus (Aphrodite), Mars (Ares), Jupiter (Zeus), Saturn (Kronos, father of Zeus), Uranus (grandfather of Zeus), Pluto (Poseidon), as well as planetary satellites and numerous asteroids.
The names of the Greek gods are undoubtedly known to almost everyone, but not only their names, but also their deeds are worthy of study, as they are interesting and entertaining.
