Brief Descriptions of Olympian Gods
Created by Nancy Sultan, Professor of Greek & Roman Studies, IWU
ROMAN GOD PARENTAGE SPOUSE FUNCTIONS SANCTUARIES ANIMAL ATTRIBUTE EPITHETS EQUIVALENT King of gods, Guardian of Olympian, State, Savior, Father, Olympia & thunderbolt, ZEUS Cronos & Rhea Hera Guardian of eagle JUPITER Thundering, Dodona scepter Justice, Cloud Guardian of Gathering strangers Queen of Cow-eyed, gods, cow, Ox-eyed, HERA Cronos & Rhea Zeus seasonality, Argos & Samos veil, crown JUNO peacock Argive, marriage, White-armed childbirth dolphin, sea, horses, POSEIDON Cronos & Rhea Amphitrite Sounion bull, trident NEPTUNE Earthshaker earthquakes horse agriculture, DEMETER Cronos & Rhea (Zeus) Eleusis ---- staff of wheat CERES Lady cereal Pythian, flocks, music, Phoebus, poetry, lyre, laurel Delphi, Delos, Delphinius, APOLLO Zeus & Leto ---- archery, ---- wreath, APOLLO Didyma Musagetes, medicine, bow/quiver (leader of prophesy, sun muses) hunt, animals, Ephesus, Delos, bow/quiver, Polymastos, ARTEMIS Zeus & Leto ---- fertility, bear, stag DIANA Brauron crescent Cyntha childbirth Crafts, Pallas, wisdom, owl, armor, spear, Tritogenia, ATHENA Zeus (& Metis) ---- protectress of Athens MINERVA snake aegis (shield) Owl-eyed, Athens & Nike heroes moon HESTIA Cronos & Rhea ---- hearth fire ------VESTAL ---- messengers, heralds, Psychopompus merchants, caduceus ('carrier of thieves, (staff), souls'), HERMES Zeus & Maia ---- magic, ---- ram petasus (hat), MERCURY Argeiphontes herdsman, winged ('slayer of dead souls, hat/boots gods'), mediation, Cyllenian translation forge, forceps, HEPHAISTOS Hera & Zeus Aphrodite Lemos, Athens ---- VULCAN Mulciber metallurgy double axe ARES Zeus & Hera ---- war Thrace wolf armor MARS Enyalios Cypria, Zeus & Dione love, sex, dove, spindle, Cytheria, APHRODITE or testacles of Hephaistos Paphos, Cythera VENUS beauty swan cupids Golden, Ouranos Ourania thyrsus, wine, drama, Bromios, Zeus & Delphi, Athens, maenads, DIONYSOS ---- consciousness, bull BACCHUS Iacchus, Alkmene Lydia silenes, satyrs, fertility Dithyrambos fawn skin