The 12 most important Greek gods (summary of their lives)

Greek mythology is the best known of all the stories and tales of the ancient civilizations of the world.

This is so because, despite the fact that for the rest of the people mythology is nothing more than legends and epic poetry that describe the adventures of extraordinary beings, for the Greeks, mythology represented a vital part of their own cultural identity. Greek mythology is a faithful reflection of beings that could actually exist and that left a legacy to be known by all future generations that succeeded them.

• It may interest you: "24 most known Greek myths (and what they mean)"

The mythological stories represent a very close vision of what their religion was for them, although they did not perceive it in a literal way. For the ancient Greeks, worship was their way of showing respect, admiration and gratitude to these Olympian figures or gods; it was his way of bringing good fortune and explaining different phenomena in life.

Although the different stories of these gods are well known, do you know which are the main ones that appear in mythology? If not, then we invite you to stay in this article where we will take a walk through the deeds and work of the great gods that make up the Greek legends.

The most important Greek gods and their stories

The stories tell that Olympus was made up of a group of 12 gods who were in charge of watching over the world and acting in it. Although there is never a fixed representation of who really made it up, since many 'secondary gods' often made their star appearance in different myths.

1. Zeus

The most important and recognized God of all, being the leader of the rest of the deities present in Greek mythology since he is the one who reigns in Olympus, in addition to being considered the god of the skies and thunder. He is often represented with the symbol of a thunderbolt or an eagle and he is perhaps the most revered among humans as this was the one who gave them life.

His story has a tragic beginning because, he was about to be devoured by his father Cronos thanks to a prophecy that indicated the overthrow of him by his children, but he was rescued by his mother Rea, who raised him in secret until he became a strong man who could free his brothers and defeat Chronos.

With this, he claimed Olympus for himself, divided the rest of the world for his brothers and married Hera, although he is well known for having several children with humans who were given the title of ‘semi gods'

2. Hera

She called the queen of the gods, since she is considered one of the most powerful and she is the one who rules Olympus alongside Zeus as his wife (although it is also known that she is his older sister). She is known for being the goddess of marriages and births.her, attributing a special affection for it, since she is considered as the protector of families.

She is seen represented with a cylindrical and striking crown, as well as by the pomegranates, which she is considered as a symbol towards the blood. Although she is known in some stories with a humane and benevolent character, she also shows a dark side, vengeful and jealous against those who defied her wishes.

3. Poseidon

We all know Poseidon as the king of the oceans, but... Did you also know that he is the brother of Zeus? Yes, it is not known with certainty if he was also saved from the wrath of his father Cronos of him or if he managed to devour him, since there are two versions of the myth. But what is certain is that she, thanks to her courage, managed to obtain her trident for which she is recognized, thus obtaining the the right to rule over the sea, where he can use the fury of the water and also give life with it to the crops and the land.

He is known as a just god, especially among those who are dedicated to fishing, however, they know not to make him angry because he can use the sea as a weapon of destruction.

4. Hades

Ruler of the Underworld, older brother of Zeus who could not escape before the atrocity of his father when devour him along with his brothers, although after being released he joins forces with Poseidon and Zeus to defeat his dad. Later it would be his brother who would confer the Underworld to rule, a gloomy place where souls arrive after dying and where their final destiny is decided (that is, if they will be punished or rest in peace).

Hades is often credited with a grim and evil appearance, but in reality he is one of the gods. most peaceful of all, since he always worked to achieve a proper balance between the worlds.

5. Ares

On the other hand, he is one of the gods who shows the most love and devotion to violence., since he is regarded as the god of war. He is the son of Hera and Zeus and represents the most primitive and visceral sense of aggressiveness, while at the same time he is said to be an arrogant, self-centered and careless god. Which is why he is always faced with his sister Athena, who hates his way of seeing battles and even more his attitude towards them.

Despite being a brave and formidable fighter, there were several battles in which he failed, such as his confrontations with Athena and Heracles.

6. Athena

Considered one of the most valuable goddesses on Olympus and most loved by humans, she is the sovereign of wisdom and strategyher, she can be seen represented with an olive branch and an owl. She is the parthenogenetic daughter of Zeus and one of his favorites due to her great abilities.

She was known for being a woman who always sought peace over conflicts, leaving these as the last actions to be executed, for which she is attributed the qualities of justice and balance.

7. Hermes

He is known as the messenger of the gods and as the god himself of commerce, rhetoric and borders., we can recognize the representations of her since she always wears winged sandals and the well-known caduceus. It is said that he was a character full of eloquence, mischief and charisma, which helped him to be very popular among the human women, but they also helped him accomplish highly important missions within Olympus to run.

8. Hephaestus

A true story of struggle and perseverance, he is known to be the son of Hera (although it is not entirely clear if he is the son of Hera and Zeus or just hers) but that, unlike the rest of his brothers, he was born without beauty and with some physical defects, for that reason he was thrown from Olympus, although later he was rescued by the mother of Achilles, Thetis. In his lifetime, he learned the art of blacksmithing and crafts, which earned him the respect of Zeus and was promoted to be the blacksmith maker of the weapons of the gods.

9. Aphrodite

As the opposite pole (as far as beauty is concerned) we have Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, her focus was primarily on sexual passion and reproductive fertility. The birth of him occurs as a result of the castration of the titan Uranus by Cronos, mixed with the sea, giving part to the creation of this goddess, who comes into the world as a beautiful adult woman desired by all men and gods.

She is a generation older than Zeus so she tends to take certain liberties of acts from her, but in an attempt to calm her he decides to pair her with Hephaestus, to which she refuses her. Instead he decides to get hers from her own lovers, Ares being the most appreciated by her.

10. Sagebrush

She goddess of the hunt, she was considered as a woman of extraordinary courage, dedication and agility with arms, thus earning the title of goddess of hunting and wild animals, although she is also credited with the gift of alleviating the pains of childbirth. She is the twin sister of Apollo and one of Zeus's favorite daughters, coming to grant him the wish of she would always remain a virgin, so that, when a man approached her, she ended up being defeated by her. She was also known for her infinite kindness in the face of helpless maidens or those seeking to become stronger.

11. Apollo

Twin brother of Artemis and considered as the god of the sun and light, although he was also represented for music and poetry, its symbol is the sun and the raven. He is known to be one of the most influential and beloved sons of Zeus, as his presence was like an illumination and a cure for all evil.

The greatest feat of her - and for which she is most recognized - is for having directed the arrow of Paris towards the heel of Achilles, thus changing the destiny of Troy.

12. Demeter

Goddess of agriculture, the seasons of the year and the fertility of the earth, she possesses a strong maternal instinct so much so that, when Hades took his daughter Persephone with him, Demeter unleashed a cruel curse on crops, preventing them from growing and prospering. That is why it is said that when Persephone is with her mother, life returns to earth (spring seasons and summer) while when she returns to the underworld, the world becomes cold and almost infertile (autumn and winter).