List of figures in Greek mythology facts for kids

She is the goddess of love and beauty. She was married to Hephaestus. People imagined her as a very beautiful woman. Her symbols include roses, other flowers, the scallop shell, and a myrtle wreath. Her special animals are doves and sparrows. The Roman name for Aphrodite is Venus.

Image: Cnidian Aphrodite, a Roman copy of an old Greek statue

He is the god of light, healing, music, poetry, and prophecy. He is the son of Zeus and Leto. He is also the twin brother of Artemis. Apollo was linked to the Sun, while Artemis was linked to the Moon. Both of them use a bow and arrow. In old stories, Apollo sometimes argued with his half-brother Hermes. In art, Apollo is shown as a handsome young man with long hair and a perfect body. His special items are the laurel wreath and the lyre (a small harp). He often appears with the Muses. Animals special to Apollo include roe deer, swans, ravens, and snakes.

He is the god of war and bloodshed. He was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was shown as a young, armed warrior. Ares usually stands for the wild side of war. This is different from Athena, who stands for smart strategies and skill in battle. Ares' special animals are the vulture, venomous snakes, dogs, and boars. The Roman name for Ares is Mars.

Image: A Roman marble head of the war god, based on an old Greek statue

She is the goddess of hunting, wilderness, animals, and childbirth. Later, she also became linked to the Moon. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. She is shown as a young, virgin woman. In art, she often holds a hunting bow and arrows. Her special items include hunting spears and animal furs. Her special animals are deer, bears, and wild boars. The Roman name for Artemis is Diana.

Image: Artemis reaching for an arrow (which is now missing) from her quiver, with a hunting dog beside her

She is the goddess of wisdom and skill, warfare, and tactics. Most stories say she was born from Zeus's head, fully grown and wearing armor! She was shown with a helmet, holding a shield and a spear. She also wore the Aegis over a long dress. Poets said she had very bright, sharp eyes. She was a special protector of heroes like Odysseus. She was also the protector of the city Athens, which is named after her. Her symbol is the olive tree. She is often seen with her special animal, the owl. The Roman name for Athena is Minerva.

Image: Athena on a red-figure cup, made around 500–490 BCE

She is the goddess of farming, the harvest, and fertility. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Her brother is Zeus, and together they had Persephone. She was an important goddess in the Eleusinian Mysteries. She was shown as an older woman, often wearing a crown and holding bunches of wheat. Her symbols are the cornucopia (horn of plenty), wheat-ears, and the lotus staff. Her special animals are pigs and snakes. The Roman name for Demeter is Ceres.

Image: Demeter, sitting down, on a carving from Turkey

He is the god of wine, parties, festivals, and sometimes madness. In art, he was shown as either an older man with a beard or a handsome young man with long hair. His special items include the thyrsus (a staff with a pinecone on top), a drinking cup, grape vines, and a crown of ivy. He is often seen with his thiasos, a group of followers including satyrs and maenads. His partner was Ariadne. Animals special to him include dolphins, snakes, and donkeys. Dionysus was added to the Olympians later. In some stories, he took Hestia's place. "Bacchus" was another name for him in Greek, and the Romans used this name for their version of the god.

He is the king of the underworld and god of the dead. His partner is Persephone. His special items are the cornucopia, a key, a sceptre, and the three-headed dog Cerberus. The owl was also special to him. He was one of three sons of Cronus and Rhea. He ruled one of the three parts of the universe: the underworld. He is not often included as one of the Olympians. In Athens, "Ploutōn" (meaning "wealthy one") was his preferred name, while "Hades" was more common for the underworld itself. The Romans called their version of Hades, Pluto.

Image: Hades lying down, holding a giant drinking horn and offering a bowl to Persephone

He is the god of fire, metalworking, and crafts. He was the son of Hera, born without a father. He is the blacksmith of the gods and the husband of Aphrodite. He was usually shown as a bearded man with a hammer, tongs, and an anvil (tools of a smith). Sometimes he rode a donkey. His special animals are the donkey, the guard dog, and the crane. One of his many amazing creations was the armor of Achilles. Hephaestus used fire to create things. The Roman version, Vulcan, was also linked to volcanoes.

Image: Thetis receives the armor made for her son Achilles by Hephaestus

She is the Queen of the heavens and goddess of marriage, women, and birth. She is the wife of Zeus and daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was usually shown as a royal woman, wearing a crown and veil, and holding a lotus-tipped staff. Even though she was the goddess of marriage, Zeus's many affairs often made her feel jealousy and anger. Her special animals are the heifer, the peacock, and the cuckoo. The Roman name for Hera is Juno.

Image: Bust of Hera wearing a crown

He is the god of travel, herding, writing, trade, and more. He is the son of Zeus and Maia. Hermes is the messenger of the gods. He also guides the souls of the dead to the afterlife. He was shown either as a handsome and fit young man or as an older bearded man. He often wore sandals with small wings on them. His special animals are the tortoise, the ram, and the hawk. The Roman name for Hermes is Mercury.

Image: Hermes holding his caduceus (a winged staff) and wearing a cloak and hat for travel

She is the goddess of the hearth (fireplace), home, and chastity. She is a daughter of Rhea and Cronus, and sister of Zeus. It was often hard to spot her in Greek art. She usually appeared as a veiled woman. Her symbols are the hearth and kettle. In some stories, she gave up her place as one of the Twelve Olympians for Dionysus. She plays a smaller role in Greek myths. However, the Roman version of Hestia, Vesta, was a very important goddess in Roman culture.

Image: Hestia from a carving showing all twelve Olympians in a parade

He is the god of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and he created horses. He is a son of Cronus and Rhea, and brother to Zeus and Hades. He rules one of the three parts of the universe as king of the sea and all waters. In old artwork, he was shown as an older man with a very large beard, holding a trident (a three-pronged spear). The horse and the dolphin are special to him. His wife is Amphitrite. The Roman name for Poseidon is Neptune.

Image: Sculpture of Poseidon, from the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

He is the King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus. He is the god of the sky, thunder, and lightning, law and order, and fate. He is the youngest son of Cronus and Rhea. He overthrew his father and took the throne of heaven for himself. In artwork, he was shown as a royal, older man with a dark beard. His usual special items are the royal sceptre and the lightning bolt. His special animals are the eagle and the bull. The Roman name for Zeus, Jupiter, was also the main god of the Romans.

Image: A coin made under Alexander the Great showing Zeus on his throne holding a sceptre and eagle.